The line was out the door at Pinkerton’s Barbecue at 3801 Farnham St. When I saw the menu, the panic set in. It was my first time ordering barbecue since I moved to Houston. I was supposed to be ordering lunch. Instead, it turned into a math problem.
How much barbecue do I order? How much barbecue does one person actually need? It’s embarrassing to ask, but I’m new here. But after asking a few pitmasters around town, I feel vindicated. The answer to both of those burning questions? It depends on who you talk to.
Start with meat
One thing is immediately clear. When in doubt, start with the meat. The pitmasters I spoke to said most recommend somewhere between ⅓ and ⅔ pound per person, with about half a pound hitting the “sweet spot” for the average diner.
“Some people like to order and then they have a little bit extra to take home. But if it’s something where you want to eat barbecue but you don’t want to get stuck to the couch for the rest of the day, where you feel too heavy, usually about half a pound is good. That way you can also try two meats—you can do like a quarter pound and a quarter pound,” said Sam Saab, co-owner of Smokeroom BBQ in Northwest Houston…