Leg of Lamb for 10 to 100 guests
Standard scenario: adults, average appetites, two or three sides on the table. The "at the counter" column rounds up to pieces you can actually buy.
| Guests | Cooked meat | Raw to buy | At the counter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 3.5 lb | 5–6 lb | one ~6-lb bone-in leg (≈6 lb) |
| 20 | 6.5 lb | 10–12 lb | two ~6-lb bone-in legs (≈12 lb) |
| 25 | 8.5 lb | 12.5–15 lb | two ~7.5-lb bone-in legs (≈15 lb) |
| 50 | 16.5 lb | 25–30 lb | four ~7.5-lb bone-in legs (≈30 lb) |
| 100 | 33 lb | 51–60 lb | seven ~9-lb bone-in legs (≈63 lb) |
The yield: raw pound ≠ served pound
A bone-in leg gives up the bone plus roast shrink: figure about 60% of raw weight serves. Boneless (netted) legs push the yield higher but lose the drama.
Buying leg of lamb: what to look for
Bone-in legs run 5–9 lb; a 7-pounder feeds ten with sides. Domestic lamb runs bigger and milder, imported (AU/NZ) smaller and more assertive. For pulled lamb, a shoulder is the better (and cheaper) cut — treat it like pork butt.
Frequently asked questions
How much leg of lamb per person?
⅓ lb of cooked leg of lamb per adult when two or three sides share the table, ½ lb for hearty appetites or a meat-centered meal; kids about half. Since leg of lamb keeps only 55–65% of its raw weight, that's roughly 0.51–0.60 lb raw per adult.
How much leg of lamb for 20 people?
About 10–12 lb raw for 20 adults with a normal spread of sides — at the counter, two ~6-lb bone-in legs (≈12 lb). Scale with the chart above or the calculator for your exact crowd.
Why buy so much more raw leg of lamb than you serve?
A bone-in leg gives up the bone plus roast shrink: figure about 60% of raw weight serves. Boneless (netted) legs push the yield higher but lose the drama.
What internal temperature is leg of lamb safe at?
USDA: whole-muscle lamb is safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Doneness details and hour-per-pound charts are on the leg of lamb cook-time page.