Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt) Yield: Cooked Meat per Pound
A pound of bone-in Boston butt gives about 0.52 lb of cooked, boned and trimmed lean meat, and a boneless butt about 0.60 lb, according to the USDA Food Buying Guide. Picnic shoulder yields less: about 0.43 lb bone-in. For each pound of cooked shoulder meat, buy roughly 1.9 lb of bone-in Boston butt.
USDA yields for pork shoulder
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 Shoulder, Boston Butt, fresh or frozen; With bone, 1/4-inch trim, (Like IMPS #406) | 1 lb AP = 0.52 lb cooked, boned, trimmed, sliced lean meat (cooked) | 52% | FBG table |
| Pork Shoulder, Boston Butt, fresh or frozen; Without bone, 1/4-inch trim, (Like IMPS #406A) | 1 lb AP = 0.60 lb cooked lean meat (cooked) | 60% | FBG table |
| Pork Shoulder, Picnic, fresh or frozen; With Bone, 1/4-inch trim, (Like IMPS #405) | 1 lb AP = 0.43 lb cooked, boned, trimmed, sliced lean meat (cooked) | 43% | FBG table |
| Pork Shoulder, Picnic, fresh or frozen; Without bone, 1/4-inch trim, (Like IMPS #405A), Includes USDA Foods | 1 lb AP = 0.57 lb cooked, trimmed, sliced, lean meat (cooked) | 57% | 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, shoulder, arm picnic, lean and fat | Braised | 74% | 12 |
How much is waste
USDA’s nutrient database (SR28, NDB 10080) lists 24% of “Pork, fresh, shoulder, (Boston butt), blade (steaks), separable lean and fat, raw” as refuse: bone 9%, connective tissue 15%.
How much to buy
At 52% (cooked, boned and trimmed lean meat), for 6 oz portions:
| Portions | Cooked | Buy as purchased |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 3.75 lb | 7.21 lb |
| 25 | 9.38 lb | 18.0 lb |
| 50 | 18.8 lb | 36.1 lb |
| 100 | 37.5 lb | 72.1 lb |
Cost per usable pound
At 52%, the price per pound as purchased becomes:
| Price as purchased | Cost per usable pound |
|---|---|
| $2.00/lb | $3.85/lb |
| $2.50/lb | $4.81/lb |
| $3.00/lb | $5.77/lb |
Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.
Run your own numbers
Good to know
- Food Buying Guide figures include removing the bone, trimming and cooking, so they are lower than a plain cooking yield.
- Pulled pork smoked for many hours is not in these USDA tables; use them as a starting point and weigh your own.
FAQ
How much meat do you get from a pork shoulder?
About half its purchased weight as cooked lean meat: 0.52 lb per pound for bone-in Boston butt and 0.60 lb for boneless, in USDA Food Buying Guide figures. An 8 lb bone-in butt gives roughly 4.2 lb of cooked meat.
How much raw pork shoulder should I buy per person?
For 6 oz of cooked meat per person, plan about 11.5 oz (0.72 lb) of bone-in Boston butt or 10 oz of boneless butt.
Does Boston butt or picnic shoulder yield more?
The Boston butt. The USDA Food Buying Guide lists bone-in picnic at 0.43 lb of cooked lean meat per pound purchased, against 0.52 lb for bone-in butt; the picnic carries more bone and skin.
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.