Pork Loin Yield: Cooked Meat per Pound, Bone-In and Boneless
Boneless pork loin with a 1/4-inch fat trim gives about 0.58 lb of cooked, trimmed lean meat per pound purchased, and a bone-in loin roast about 0.48 lb (USDA Food Buying Guide). In USDA cooking tests, trimmed loin roasts kept 75–77% of their weight when roasted, so most of the gap between the two is bone and fat.
USDA yields for pork loin
From the USDA Food Buying Guide: how much ready-to-use or cooked product one pound as purchased gives.
| As purchased (USDA description) | Result, as USDA states it | Yield | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pork Loin Roast, fresh or frozen; With bone, 1/4-inch trim, (Like IMPS #410) | 1 lb AP = 0.48 lb cooked, trimmed, boned, sliced lean meat (cooked) | 48% | FBG table |
| Pork Loin Roast, fresh or frozen; Without bone, 1/4-inch trim, (Like IMPS #413) | 1 lb AP = 0.58 lb cooked, trimmed, sliced lean meat (cooked) | 58% | FBG table |
| Pork Loin Roast, fresh or frozen; Without bone, Practically-free-of-fat, (Like IMPS #413) | 1 lb AP = 0.64 lb cooked, trimmed, sliced lean meat (cooked) | 64% | FBG table |
| Pork Loin Roast, fresh or frozen; Center cut, 11 Ribs, With bone, 1/4-inch trim, (Like IMPS #412C) | 1 lb AP = 0.33 lb cooked, boned, trimmed, sliced lean meat (cooked) | 33% | FBG table |
| Pork Loin Chops, fresh or frozen; With bone, 1/4-inch trim | 1 lb AP = 0.45 lb cooked lean meat (cooked) | 45% | FBG table |
| Pork Loin Chops, fresh or frozen; Without bone, 1/4-inch trim, (Like IMPS #1413) | 1 lb AP = 0.59 lb cooked, trimmed, sliced lean meat (cooked) | 59% | FBG table |
Cooking yield by method
USDA cooking tests: cooked weight as a share of the raw weight of the cut as described.
| Cut | Method | Yield | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pork, fresh, loin, center loin (roasts), bone-in, lean and fat | Roasted | 77% | 12 |
| Pork, fresh, loin, blade (roasts), bone-in, lean and fat | Roasted | 77% | 12 |
| Pork, fresh, loin, blade (roasts), boneless, lean and fat | Roasted | 75% | 12 |
| Pork, fresh, loin, center rib (roasts), bone-in, lean and fat | Roasted | 75% | 12 |
| Pork, fresh, loin, tenderloin, lean only | Roasted | 77% | 12 |
How much is waste
USDA’s nutrient database (SR28, NDB 10020) lists 22% of “Pork, fresh, loin, whole, separable lean and fat, raw” as refuse: bone.
How much to buy
At 58% (cooked, trimmed lean meat), for 6 oz portions:
| Portions | Cooked | Buy as purchased |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 3.75 lb | 6.47 lb |
| 25 | 9.38 lb | 16.2 lb |
| 50 | 18.8 lb | 32.3 lb |
| 100 | 37.5 lb | 64.7 lb |
Cost per usable pound
At 58%, the price per pound as purchased becomes:
| Price as purchased | Cost per usable pound |
|---|---|
| $2.50/lb | $4.31/lb |
| $3.00/lb | $5.17/lb |
| $3.50/lb | $6.03/lb |
Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.
Run your own numbers
Good to know
- A center-cut, 11-rib bone-in roast with a 1/4-inch trim yields only 0.33 lb of cooked lean meat per pound in the Food Buying Guide: you pay for a lot of bone and fat.
FAQ
How much does pork loin shrink when cooked?
In USDA cooking tests, trimmed pork loin roasts kept 75–77% of their raw weight when roasted, a loss of about a quarter. Bone and trim come on top of that if you buy a bone-in or untrimmed roast.
How much boneless pork loin per person?
For a 6 oz cooked portion, buy about 10.3 oz of boneless pork loin with a 1/4-inch trim, based on the Food Buying Guide figure of 0.58 lb cooked meat per pound.
What is the yield of pork loin chops?
The USDA Food Buying Guide lists bone-in loin chops at 0.45 lb of cooked lean meat per pound purchased and boneless chops with a 1/4-inch trim at 0.59 lb.
Sources
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (yield tables; public domain)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Table of Cooking Yields for Meat and Poultry, Release 2 (2014)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (refuse)
USDA figures are averages; size, grade, trim, ripeness and cooking change them. Weigh your own main items before you cost a menu on them.
Last reviewed October 11, 2026.