Meat Per Person Calculator Formula

Understand the math behind the meat per person calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.

Use the Meat Per Person Calculator

Formulas Used

Raw Meat Per Person

raw_per_person_g = cooked_serving_g / (1 - shrinkage_pct / 100)

Total Raw Meat

total_raw_g = (cooked_serving_g / (1 - shrinkage_pct / 100)) * people

Total Raw Meat

total_raw_lbs = ((cooked_serving_g / (1 - shrinkage_pct / 100)) * people) / 453.592

Variables

VariableDescriptionDefault
peopleNumber of People(people)6
cooked_serving_gCooked Serving Per Person(g)200
shrinkage_pctCooking Shrinkage25

How It Works

How Much Meat Per Person

Formula

Raw Weight = Cooked Serving / (1 - Shrinkage %)

Meat loses weight during cooking due to water and fat loss.

Typical Shrinkage

  • Lean poultry breast: 15%
  • Roasts, steaks: 25%
  • Burgers, fatty cuts: 35%
  • Ribs, bone-in: 40%

    • General Guidelines

  • Boneless: 170-225 g raw per person
  • Bone-in: 280-340 g raw per person

    • Worked Example

    Buy roast beef for 6 people, targeting 200 g cooked per person.

    people = 6cooked_serving_g = 200shrinkage_pct = 25
    1. 01Cooked serving: 200 g per person.
    2. 02Shrinkage: 25% (medium).
    3. 03Raw per person: 200 / (1 - 0.25) = 200 / 0.75 = 267 g.
    4. 04Total raw: 267 x 6 = 1600 g = 3.5 lbs.

    Ready to run the numbers?

    Open Meat Per Person Calculator