It depends on what kind of meat you are using. A high fat hamburger will release a lot of juice and fat and shrink down while a cubed beef won't. I use either carne picada in chili, chuck roast, or "london broil" cut ( it's cheap on sale) and then there's the aspect of how much meat compared to beans, tomatoes, etc.

I would plan on half a pound of meat or more per person. But I would probably do a pound of meat per person.
My general rule is to always have much more than needed so I never run out and if it's something freezable, definitely.

I use a chuck roast that's been braised in beer and Mexican spices that I roast & grind myself for chili then shred the beef. You'd have to extrapolate this out but for enough to feed 8, I use a 3-4 lb. chuck roast to 1 lb. of dry beans plus onions, tomatoes, and spices.

My serving sizes are about 10 ounces and I serve with either cornbread or tortillas.

/tricia

This post was edited by triciae on Tue, Jan 22, 13 at 9:36

Are you using ground or cubed beef? Are you adding beans?

Well, you folks put me to shame with how you do chili. I'm sure your recipes are all wonderful!

I just use a product called "chili magic" (hiding head in shame), which I "doctor up" with extra spices and fresh cilantro. The back of the can says to use 1LB of ground meat for each can. They claim this serves 4, but not around here!

Thanks again for your input

Oh, don't feel badly. Everybody takes shortcuts in different places. I'd just figure how many servings you get from one can of "Chili Magic" plus your pound of ground beef and divide that into 12. So, if you get 3 servings, you'd need 4 lbs. of beef and 4 cans of "Chili Magic".

/tricia

Yeah, it's fine! Everyone takes shortcuts! Just figure out how many ample servings you normally get from 1can/1pound then you'll know how to multiply it.
My advice for big hearty eaters, make lots so they'll know there's enough.

I would allow 1/2 to 2/3 pound of meat per person - eight pounds total would be more than enough, especially if the canned product contains beans.

Some products that come in cans are really good - not all cans are created equal. I use a lot of canned tomatoes, and I will on occasion use canned chili sauce, but I read the ingredients on the can carefully before buying it. It should contain mostly chili and no tomato - it is better to add the tomato separately yourself, and I frequently leave tomato out when making chili. I recommend Ancho chili powder if you want to increase the chili flavor without adding heat.

My meat of preference for chili is pork butt/shoulder, and the cooked meat is called carnitas.

Lars

Thanks for the input, folks - it's truly appreciated!

And it's easy to stretch it out, just add an extra can of chopped tomatoes and a can of pinto beans. Chili is endlessly versatile!