Visualizing 6 Ounces of Roast Beef: What It Looks Like and How Much to Buy

Roast beef is a delicious and versatile meat for sandwiches, salads, and entrées But if a recipe calls for 6 ounces of roast beef, what does that look like exactly? Let’s break it down so you can easily visualize and prepare the right quantity for your dishes

What Does 6 Ounces of Roast Beef Look Like?

Six ounces of roast beef is

• About the size of a deck of playing cards or a smartphone
• Slightly smaller than a baseball or tennis ball
• Approximately the size of two hockey pucks stacked
• Slightly thicker than a woman’s average wrist size

To picture it, imagine a roast beef sandwich on a sub roll or croissant. A typical 6-8 inch sandwich roll loaded up with 6 ounces of sliced roast beef makes a satisfyingly-sized hearty sandwich.

Or picture a roast beef salad like a chef’s salad. 6 ounces of roast beef sliced and layered over salad greens is a good hearty protein portion for one salad.

So in both sandwiches and salads, 6 ounces of roast beef is a nice-sized serving while not overpowering the other ingredients It provides plenty of flavor without being too much meat.

Measuring Out 6 Ounces of Roast Beef

To measure 6 ounces of roast beef precisely:

• Use a digital kitchen food scale and set it to measure ounces.

• Place a plate on top of the scale and press tare to reset to 0.

• Add sliced roast beef a few slices at a time until the display reads close to 6 ounces.

• You can fold or overlap slices on the plate to fit.

• Use tongs to remove any excess slices to reach as close to 6 ounces as possible.

A food scale helps take the guesswork out of trying to eyeball 6 ounces. In no time you’ll have the perfect portion ready for your recipe.

How Much Roast Beef to Buy for 6 Ounces

When shopping at the deli counter or roasting your own beef at home, use this quick guide to determine how much you’ll need to end up with 6 cooked ounces:

• For deli roast beef, ask for 1/4 lb (4 ounces) when ordering sliced. Once cooked slice meat shrinks, so the extra 1/4 pound accommodates for the loss.

• For a beef roast, select a 1.5-2 lb size roast to yield 6+ ounces cooked portions. Remove slices as needed.

• For beef tenderloin, look for a 1-1.5 lb tenderloin to yield 6 ounce portions after cooking.

Buying a bit more than 6 ounces raw weight accommodates for cooking shrinkage. Then you can weigh out precise 6 ounce portions for your recipes.

Cooking with 6 Ounces of Roast Beef

What can you make with a 6 ounce portion of roast beef? Here are just a few tasty ideas:

• Classic roast beef sandwiches
• Beef and blue cheese salad
• Roast beef wraps with veggies and sauce
• Open-faced roast beef melts
• Roast beef tacos or nachos
• Beef rice bowls
• Hearty roast beef soups or stews
• Roast beef pizza or flatbreads

Six ounces of juicy roast beef provides plenty of flavor and portion satisfaction without overdoing it on the meat. So next time a recipe calls for 6 ounces, use these tips to visualize the perfect roast beef quantity to buy and prepare.