Meat Yield Calculator — Raw to Cooked & Back
Pick a meat/cut to load a typical yield, choose a direction, and enter a weight. "I have raw meat" gives the estimated cooked yield; "I need cooked meat" gives the raw amount to buy. Yields are typical estimates from USDA and agricultural-extension convention — they vary by cut, cooking method, and doneness. Adjust the yield to match your experience.
What this calculator determines
It estimates cooked meat from a raw weight, or the raw meat to buy for a cooked target, using an adjustable yield percentage loaded from the cut you choose.
Related calculators
Pulled Pork Calculator
How much pork shoulder to buy for pulled pork for a crowd
Chicken Per Person Calculator
How much raw chicken to buy by cut and bone-in/boneless
Ham Size Calculator
What size ham to buy for a crowd, bone-in or boneless
Prime Rib Calculator
How much standing rib roast to buy for a crowd
Turkey Size Calculator
What size turkey to buy for a crowd, bone-in whole bird
How Much Food Do I Need?
Estimate food for a crowd across mains, sides, drinks, and dessert
Examples
5 lb raw pork shoulder → cooked
5 lb raw, pork shoulder bone-in, 50% yield
Calculation
- Cooked = 5 × 0.50 = 2.5 lb
≈ 2.5 lb cooked pulled pork
Assumptions & Conventions
- Yield is a variable planning estimate
- The default yield per cut is a typical estimate; actual yield varies with cut, bone and skin, trimming, cooking method, doneness, and moisture loss.
- Yield is user-adjustable
- The yield percentage is editable — change it to match your cut and method rather than accepting the preset.
- Range is informational
- The shown yield range is informational context, not used in the calculation; the compute uses the yield percentage you enter.