Ribs are one of the harder meats to plan for a party. They are sold by the rack or by the bone instead of by the pound, and much of the weight is bone. The guidelines below will help you order the right amount.
How Many Ribs Per Person
If ribs are the only meat, plan on about half a rack per adult. That is roughly 6 bones of pork spare ribs. Some guests will eat more, so round up for a hungry crowd.
If ribs are one of two meats, plan on about 4 bones per adult. With three meats, about 3 bones per adult is usually enough, because guests fill the rest of the plate with the other meats and sides.
Children usually eat about half of an adult portion, or 2 to 3 bones.
How Many Ribs Are in a Rack
A full rack of pork spare ribs usually has 11 to 13 bones. A rack of baby back ribs has 10 to 13 smaller bones. A half rack is about 6 bones. Counts vary from rack to rack, so treat these as round numbers.
Buying Raw Ribs
If you are buying raw ribs to cook yourself, plan on about 1 pound of raw ribs per adult when ribs are the main meat. Bone and fat make up a large share of the weight, and ribs lose more weight as they cook.
A Quick Reference
- 10 adults, ribs only: about 5 full racks
- 25 adults, ribs only: about 12 to 13 full racks
- 25 adults, ribs and one other meat: about 8 to 9 full racks
- 50 adults, ribs and two other meats: about 12 to 13 full racks
These estimates are based on 12 bones per rack. Adjust them for the time of day, the age of your guests and how many sides you are serving. For other meats, see our guide to how much BBQ to plan per person.
Ribs at Stampede
Our smoked pork ribs are sold by the half rack and the full rack at the restaurant in Mohnton and at the food truck at Ludwig’s Corner in Glenmoore. The food truck also sells them by the bone. See the pork ribs page for details.
For a party of 15 or more, our catering packages are priced per person and include your choice of smoked meats and homemade sides, so you do not need to count bones yourself. We will get back to you within 24 business hours with pricing and availability.