Calculate meat shrinkage from raw and cooked weight, or estimate cooked weight from raw using typical shrinkage by cooking method, plus yield and cost.

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Meat Shrinkage Formula

The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate meat shrinkage (cooking weight loss).

MSC = (WR - WC) / WR × 100

MSC = (WR – WC) / WR * 100 (equivalently, if you already know the loss WL = WR – WC, then MSC = WL / WR * 100)

Variables:

  • MSC is the meat shrinkage from cooking (%)
  • WR is the raw weight of the meat product (any weight unit)
  • WC is the cooked weight of the meat product (same weight unit as WR)
  • WL is the weight loss during cooking (WR − WC) (same weight unit as WR)

To calculate meat shrinkage, subtract the cooked weight from the raw weight to find the weight loss, divide by the raw weight, then multiply by 100.

How to Calculate Meat Shrinkage?

The following steps outline how to calculate meat shrinkage.

  1. First, determine the raw weight of the meat (WR).
  2. Next, determine the cooked weight of the meat (WC).
  3. Next, gather the formula from above: MSC = (WR – WC) / WR * 100.
  4. Finally, calculate the Meat Shrinkage.
  5. After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

weight loss during cooking (WL) = 100 g

raw weight (WR) = 200 g

MSC = WL / WR * 100 = 100 / 200 * 100 = 50%