How Much Biltong Per Person? The Ordering Guide
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Quick answer: plan about 1 oz of biltong per person as a light snack, 2 oz on a shared board, and 3–4 oz per person when biltong is a main protein or the board is the meal. Biltong is rich and concentrated, so a little reads as generous — round down before you round up.
Whether you're hosting a dinner or quoting a 200-person wedding, the question is the same: how much do I actually order? Here's the cheat sheet.
Portions at a glance
| Occasion | Per person | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Desk / snack stash | ~1 oz | A handful; it's dense, it satisfies fast |
| Charcuterie / shared board | ~2 oz | One of several things on the board |
| Grazing table (with other food) | 1.5–2 oz | Guests graze across many items |
| Biltong is the star / light meal | 3–4 oz | It's carrying the protein load |
| Wedding favour bag | 1–1.5 oz | A taste to take home |
Why biltong portions run smaller than you'd guess
Biltong loses roughly half its weight in drying, so every ounce is concentrated beef — it eats heavier than the same weight of chips or cheese. People who order by "looks like enough" usually over-buy. Trust the ounces, not the eye.
Quick math for a crowd
Multiply guests × the per-person figure, then add ~10% buffer for the enthusiasts (there are always enthusiasts). For a 50-person party with biltong on a shared board: 50 × 2 oz = 100 oz ≈ 6.25 lb, call it 7 lb with buffer.
Hosting vs catering
Hosting at home? Order the amount above and set it out — here's how to build the board. Want us at the event? We can bring a biltong bar or ready-to-serve boards to your venue and handle the quantities for you. Ordering for a business — a catering menu, a bar, standing boards? That's wholesale, priced by volume.
How to order
For yourself or a party, just order online — free hand delivery within 5 miles of downtown Austin ($6 across the rest of the metro), $8 flat anywhere else in the USA — free over $99. For an event or trade volume, email hello@btbiltong.com with your headcount and date and we'll size it exactly.
FAQ
How much biltong per person for a party? About 2 oz per guest if it's on a shared board with other food, or 3–4 oz if biltong is a main protein.
How much biltong for a grazing table? Plan 1.5–2 oz per person, since guests graze across many items.
Is it easy to over-order biltong? Yes — it's dense and concentrated, so it eats heavier than snacks like chips or cheese. Order by weight, not by how it looks.
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