An aperitif, a birthday, a festive meal: the question always comes up. How much charcuterie per person should you plan so everyone enjoys themselves without ending up with three leftover sausages? Here are our benchmarks, based on what our customers actually order.
The basic rule: 40 to 60 g per person
For a classic aperitif followed by a meal, allow 40 to 60 g of charcuterie per person, all products combined. That's the amount that whets the appetite without spoiling it.
If the charcuterie is the main course (grazing dinner, tapas night, raclette), go up to 100 to 150 g per person.
Quantities by occasion
| Occasion | Per person | For 6 | For 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aperitif before a meal | 40 to 60 g | 300 g | 500 g |
| Grazing dinner | 100 to 150 g | 750 g | 1.2 kg |
| Charcuterie platter as a starter | 80 to 100 g | 550 g | 900 g |
| Raclette or hot-stone grill | 150 to 200 g | 1 kg | 1.8 kg |
How many slices per person?
Grams are useful, but when slicing you think in rounds. A few benchmarks:
- 300 g saucisson sec: about 40 thin slices. For 6 people at an aperitif, a single saucisson is often enough.
- 160 g Catalan fuet: around twenty slices. Plan one for 3 to 4 people.
- 280 g chorizo: thinly sliced, enough to serve 5 to 6 people.
- 100 g sliced Serrano ham: 6 to 8 slices, so 2 to 3 people.
- 350 g lomo: very thinly sliced, enough to treat 8 people.
Variety is the key
The secret of a good charcuterie platter isn't quantity but variety. Aim for 3 to 5 different products, alternating textures and flavours:
- a saucisson sec or a dry sausage for the bite,
- a mild or spicy chorizo for character,
- a dry-cured ham (Auvergne, Serrano or Bellota) for the melt-in-the-mouth,
- a fuet or a lomo for finesse.
Add bread, a few gherkins, olives and a cheese, and the platter is complete.
Quantities in practice: our boxes
To save you the headache, our boxes are designed around the number of guests:
- 2 to 4 people: the Mini Aperitif Box and its 3 cured meats.
- 4 to 6 people: the Classique, Terroir, Caractère or Charcuterie Fine boxes, with 4 to 5 products.
- 8 to 10 people: the XXL Conviviale Box with an extra quarter of Serrano ham.
- Large tables and parties: a whole boneless ham of 5 to 7 kg, which easily feeds 50 to 80 people at an aperitif.
Frequently asked questions
How much charcuterie for a raclette for 6?
Between 900 g and 1.2 kg in total, mixing dry-cured ham, saucisson, chorizo and lomo.
How many saucissons for 20 people at an aperitif?
Allow 800 g to 1 kg of charcuterie, for example 2 saucissons, 2 fuets and a chorizo, plus a little sliced ham.
Is it better to slice in advance?
Slice at the last minute, or at most an hour before, covering the platter: charcuterie dries out quickly once cut.
Got your quantities? All that's left is to choose from our selection of aperitif boxes and charcuterie gift sets.
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