Planning a braai for a few friends is fairly straightforward. Planning one for 20, 50 or even 100 people takes a little more preparation.

How much meat should you buy? How many different cuts should you serve? How much boerewors do you need? And how do you make sure there’s enough food without buying far more than your guests can eat?

As a general starting point, plan for approximately 300g to 400g of meat per adult when you’re serving a traditional braai with several side dishes. From there, you can adjust your quantities based on your guests, menu and the types of meat you’re serving.

Here’s a practical guide to planning a South African braai for groups of different sizes.

How Much Meat Do You Need for a Braai?

A useful starting point is:

Guests	Approximate Meat Needed
10 people	3–4kg
20 people	6–8kg
50 people	15–20kg
100 people	30–40kg

These quantities assume approximately 300g to 400g of meat per adult.

You may need less if you’re serving plenty of starters and filling sides. You may need more if meat is the main focus of the event or you know your guests have larger appetites.

Remember that bone-in cuts also provide less edible meat per kilogram than boneless cuts.

What Meat Should You Serve at a Braai?

Variety is usually better than serving a large quantity of just one meat.

Popular braai options include:

• Boerewors
• Beef steaks
• Beef short ribs
• Chicken wings
• Chicken drumsticks
• Lamb chops
• Pork chops
• Pork sausages

You don’t need all of them.

For larger groups, three or four meat options can provide enough variety while keeping preparation manageable.

How to Plan a Braai for 10 People

A braai for 10 is small enough to offer a few different cuts without making the cooking complicated.

Plan for approximately 3–4kg of meat in total.

An example selection could be:

Meat	Approximate Quantity
Boerewors	1kg
Beef	1kg
Chicken	1kg
Lamb or pork	500g–1kg
Total	3.5–4kg

You can adjust this according to your guests’ preferences.

If everyone loves steak, increase the beef and reduce another option. If children make up a large part of the group, you may not need the full 4kg.

Sides for 10 People

Keep things simple with two or three sides, such as:

• Pap and chakalaka
• Potato salad
• Green salad
• Garlic bread or braaibroodjies

This gives everyone enough variety without creating unnecessary leftovers.

How to Plan a Braai for 20 People

For 20 people, aim for approximately 6–8kg of meat.

At this size, it’s helpful to choose products that can be cooked and portioned relatively easily.

For example:

Meat	Approximate Quantity
Boerewors	2kg
Beef	2kg
Chicken	2kg
Pork or lamb	1–2kg
Total	7–8kg

This gives guests several options without requiring you to prepare too many different products.

Sides for 20 People

Consider three or four sides, such as pap, chakalaka, potato salad, coleslaw, rolls or braaibroodjies.

You’ll also want enough serving dishes, utensils and space to keep raw and cooked foods separate.

How to Plan a Braai for 50 People

Once you reach 50 guests, organisation becomes particularly important.

You’ll generally need around 15–20kg of meat, depending on your menu.

An example order might look like:

Meat	Approximate Quantity
Boerewors	5kg
Beef	4–5kg
Chicken	5kg
Pork or lamb	3–5kg
Total	17–20kg

These are example quantities rather than fixed requirements.

For an event of this size, it can be useful to favour meats that are relatively straightforward to portion and cook consistently.

Boerewors, chicken portions, pork sausages and selected beef cuts can all work well.

Don’t Rely on One Braai

Cooking 20kg of meat takes time.

Depending on the size of your braai, you may need:

• More than one braai or cooking area
• Additional charcoal or wood
• Multiple people helping with cooking
• Separate trays for raw and cooked meat
• Serving dishes or warming equipment

It’s better to think about cooking capacity before the guests arrive rather than discovering halfway through that the braai isn’t large enough.

How to Plan a Braai for 100 People

A braai for 100 guests is closer to catering an event than hosting a casual family lunch.

At 300g to 400g per adult, you’re looking at approximately 30–40kg of meat.

An example combination could be:

Meat	Approximate Quantity
Boerewors	10kg
Chicken	10kg
Beef	8–10kg
Pork or lamb	5–10kg
Total	33–40kg

Again, these quantities can be adjusted according to your menu.

You might choose only three meats rather than four. For example, a combination of boerewors, chicken and beef can simplify purchasing, preparation and cooking.

How Much Boerewors Per Person?

If boerewors is one of several meats being served, you don’t need to allocate a full meal-sized portion to every guest.

Instead, include it as part of your overall 300g–400g meat allowance per adult.

For example, if you’re planning 350g of total meat per person, that amount could be divided between boerewors, chicken and beef.

The same principle applies to your other meats.

Don’t calculate 350g of boerewors plus 350g of chicken plus 350g of beef per person unless you’re deliberately planning for substantial leftovers.

What About Children?

Children generally eat smaller portions than adults.

As a rough planning guide, you could allow approximately 150g to 200g of meat per child, depending on age and appetite.

If you’re hosting 50 people but 15 are young children, your total meat requirement may therefore be lower than it would be for 50 adults.

Knowing your guest list makes your calculations much more accurate.

Choose the Right Braai Meat

Different meats require different cooking times, which becomes increasingly important as your guest list grows.

Boerewors

Easy to portion and a South African braai favourite. Avoid piercing the casing unnecessarily while cooking.

Chicken

Wings and drumsticks are useful for larger groups, but chicken needs to be cooked thoroughly.

Beef

Steak and short ribs are excellent braai options. Choose cuts based on your budget and the number of guests you’re serving.

Lamb

Lamb chops add variety and work particularly well for smaller or more varied braai menus.

Pork

Pork chops and sausages provide another option when you want to offer guests several types of meat.

Plan Your Sides Around the Number of Guests

Meat isn’t the only quantity you need to calculate.

Filling sides help create a complete meal and can influence how much meat guests eat.

Popular South African braai sides include:

• Pap
• Chakalaka
• Potato salad
• Coleslaw
• Green salad
• Braaibroodjies
• Garlic bread
• Rolls
• Grilled vegetables

For a large event, choose a manageable number of sides rather than trying to serve everything.

Three or four well-planned sides can be easier to prepare and serve than eight different dishes.

Don’t Forget Drinks, Ice and Serving Supplies

It’s easy to focus entirely on the food and forget everything needed to serve it.

Before the event, check that you have enough:

• Plates
• Cutlery
• Napkins
• Cups or glasses
• Serving utensils
• Ice
• Water and other drinks
• Condiments and sauces
• Food storage containers
• Rubbish bags

For larger events, make a checklist several days beforehand.

Plan Your Fire and Cooking Time

One of the biggest differences between a braai for 10 and a braai for 100 is cooking capacity.

Think about how much meat can realistically fit on your braai at once.

For larger events, you may need to cook in batches. Start with products that take longer and coordinate the rest so that guests aren’t waiting while only one type of meat is ready.

Having an additional person helping at the braai can make a significant difference when you’re serving a crowd.

Keep Raw and Cooked Meat Separate

Food safety becomes particularly important when handling large quantities of meat.

Keep raw meat refrigerated until it’s needed and use separate utensils, boards and containers for raw and cooked products.

Don’t return cooked meat to a tray that previously contained raw meat unless it has been thoroughly cleaned.

Chicken and pork should also be cooked appropriately before serving.

Should You Buy Your Braai Meat in Bulk?

For a large gathering, a bulk or custom meat order can be easier than purchasing many individual packs.

It allows you to plan the quantities you need before the event and build your order around your guest count.

For example, you could specify that you’re catering for 50 people and want a combination of beef, chicken, boerewors and pork.

You can then determine suitable quantities based on your menu and budget.

Your Braai Planning Checklist

Before placing your meat order, confirm:

• Number of adults
• Number of children
• Total meat required
• Meat varieties
• Number of side dishes
• Dietary requirements
• Drinks and ice
• Braai size and cooking capacity
• Wood, charcoal or other fuel
• Serving equipment
• Refrigeration and food storage

For a large braai, having these details sorted out early can make the day much easier.

Order Braai Meat in Pretoria and Johannesburg

Whether you’re planning a family braai for 10 people or an event for 100, Industrial Butcher can help you prepare your meat order.

We supply quality beef, chicken, pork, lamb and boerewors to customers in Pretoria and Johannesburg, with options for meat combos, bulk purchases and custom orders.

Tell us approximately how many people you’re feeding and the types of meat you’re looking for, and we can help you put together an order suited to your event.

Planning a braai? Contact Industrial Butcher on 084 037 8238 to discuss your meat order.