Meat Yield Calculator
Calculate how much cooked meat you will get from raw weight and how much to buy per person.
Results
Meat loses 15-45% of its weight during cooking due to moisture and fat loss. Knowing the yield factor is critical when planning meals - you need to buy more raw meat than the cooked amount you want to serve. Chicken breast retains about 75%, beef roasts 65% and whole turkeys only 55%. These calculators take the guesswork out of meal planning for any meat type and guest count.
Frequently asked questions
Most meat loses 20-35% of its raw weight during cooking. Ground beef loses about 25%, roasts lose 35-40% and fish fillets lose only 15-20%.
Plan for 200-250g (7-9 oz) of raw chicken breast per person. After cooking, this yields about 150-190g (5-7 oz) of cooked meat.
A whole turkey yields about 55% cooked meat. For 12 guests at 200g each, you need about 4.4 kg (9.6 lb) raw, so a 10-12 pound turkey is ideal.
Cooking causes proteins to contract and squeeze out water and melted fat. Higher cooking temperatures and longer times increase moisture loss.
Pork roast yields about 60% cooked weight. For 30 people at 200g each, you need 10 kg (22 lb) of raw pork shoulder.
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