CaloriMateDefine the yield clearly
For an edible raw input mass W and cooked edible mass C, the mass yield is C ÷ W. If 500 g becomes 400 g, the yield is 0.80, or 80%. Specify the same edible basis at both ends; comparing bone-in raw weight with boneless cooked weight combines cooking and trimming.
A yield is specific to the food and preparation. USDA's published meat and poultry tables use defined cuts and cooking protocols, with separate information on moisture and fat change. They are evidence that these changes matter, not a promise that your pan will produce the same result.
Keep mass yield and energy retention separate
Suppose a hypothetical raw batch contains 600 kcal in 500 g and finishes at 400 g. If all its energy remains, the density moves from 120 to 150 kcal per 100 g. If 60 kcal is discarded with energy-bearing material, the cooked batch contains 540 kcal and its density is 135 kcal per 100 g instead.
| Illustrative case | Energy remaining | Cooked mass | Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water loss only | 600 kcal | 400 g | 150 kcal/100 g |
| Water plus energy-bearing loss | 540 kcal | 400 g | 135 kcal/100 g |
The same cooked weight can therefore represent different nutrient totals. A yield factor alone cannot tell you what was lost.
A useful relationship
Let the original energy density be D, the mass yield be Y, and the fraction of energy retained be R. The resulting density is D × R ÷ Y. In the first example, 120 × 1 ÷ 0.8 = 150. In the second, 120 × 0.9 ÷ 0.8 = 135.
This is accounting, not a new nutrient database. You still need defensible inputs. It is inappropriate to assign a guessed retention fraction with several decimal places and present the result as measured nutrition.
Added ingredients change the numerator
If oil or a sauce remains in the final batch, include its energy and mass in the appropriate totals. If you use a prepared-food reference that already represents the added ingredient, adding it again can double-count it. Decide whether the calculation is ingredient-based or based on a finished dish before adjusting it.
Similarly, draining a food can change both the amount and the composition left behind. A “drained” record is not interchangeable with the weight of food plus its packing liquid. The reference wording is part of the calculation.
Use yield to improve a saved recipe
For a repeat home recipe, weigh the cooked edible batch and store that yield alongside the ingredient estimate. A portion is then a fraction of the finished batch. If the same recipe becomes more concentrated on another day, reweighing the batch explains why a 200-g portion can differ.
For unfamiliar food, choose a suitable cooked reference and state uncertainty. A yield equation helps you reason about a known preparation; it cannot recover a restaurant's ingredient list. Use the recipe-portion workflow to keep the assumptions readable.
Common questions
Does an 80% cooking yield mean 80% of the calories remain?
No. Mass yield and energy retention describe different quantities. Water loss, fat loss and added ingredients affect the result differently.
Can I use one cooking factor for every meat?
No. Cut, preparation, trimming and cooking conditions can change yield. Use a matching reference or measure the batch.
Sources & methods
- USDA cooking yields for meat and poultryResearch tables distinguish cooking yield, moisture change and fat change for specific protocols.
- USDA FoodData Central data documentationDifferent food data types have different provenance, preparation detail and completeness.