How Much Ham Per Person: Bone-In vs Boneless Chart
Plan 1/3 to 1/2 pound of bone-in ham or 1/4 to 1/3 pound of boneless ham for each person. That is the quantity to buy given by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service in its fact sheet Ham and Food Safety. For 12 adults, at the top of the range, that is 6 lb bone-in or 4 lb boneless.
Ham to buy by number of guests
Pounds to buy, rounded up. The range runs from the low end to the high end of the USDA serving size, and the last column is a generous allowance of 1½ times the high end for leftovers (our own figure, not a USDA one). Count children as half.
| Guests | Bone-in ham | Boneless ham | Bone-in, with leftovers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 to 2 lb | 1 to 2 lb | 3 lb |
| 6 | 2 to 3 lb | 2 to 2 lb | 5 lb |
| 8 | 3 to 4 lb | 2 to 3 lb | 6 lb |
| 10 | 4 to 5 lb | 3 to 4 lb | 8 lb |
| 12 | 4 to 6 lb | 3 to 4 lb | 9 lb |
| 15 | 5 to 8 lb | 4 to 5 lb | 12 lb |
| 20 | 7 to 10 lb | 5 to 7 lb | 15 lb |
| 25 | 9 to 13 lb | 7 to 9 lb | 19 lb |
| 30 | 10 to 15 lb | 8 to 10 lb | 23 lb |
Bone-in or boneless?
- Bone-in hams have more flavor, and the bone makes good soup stock, but you buy weight you cannot eat. Whole hams run 10 to 14 lb, half hams 5 to 7 lb.
- Boneless hams carve in neat slices with no waste, and suit smaller tables. Fully cooked, vacuum-packed boneless hams run about 6 to 12 lb.
- Spiral-cut hams are pre-sliced, so carving is easy, but they dry out if you heat them too long.
Choosing the amount
Use the low end of the range when the ham is one of several dishes, as at Thanksgiving or a buffet, and the high end when it is the main course, as at Easter or Christmas. If you want sandwiches and ham-and-bean soup the next day, buy about half as much again. The ham size calculator also gives the cooking or reheating time for the ham you choose.
If you are serving turkey as well, work out the bird with the turkey size calculator and see the full menu in the Thanksgiving dinner calculator. For timing, see how long to cook a ham.
Source
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Ham and Food Safety, section "Quantity to Buy".
Frequently asked questions
How much ham per person?
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says 1/3 to 1/2 pound of meat per serving of bone-in ham and 1/4 to 1/3 pound per serving of boneless ham.
How big a ham do I need for 12 people?
6 lb of bone-in ham at the top of the USDA range, or 4 lb of boneless ham. Add about half as much again if you want leftovers.
How much ham for 10 people?
5 lb of bone-in ham at the top of the USDA range, or 4 lb of boneless.
Why does bone-in ham need more weight per person?
The bone is part of the weight you pay for but not part of what you eat, so the USDA allows 1/3 to 1/2 pound per serving for bone-in ham against 1/4 to 1/3 pound for boneless.
How much ham do I need if I am also serving turkey?
Count the ham as a second meat and plan about 1/4 to 1/3 pound of bone-in ham per guest, since many people take a little of each. The turkey size calculator and the Thanksgiving dinner calculator cover the rest of the menu.
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