Turkey Breast Yield: Cooked Meat per Pound, Bone-In
A bone-in turkey breast gives about 0.64 lb of cooked meat with skin per pound, or 0.57 lb without the skin, in the USDA Food Buying Guide, so plan about 0.6 lb per person for 6 oz of cooked meat. USDA’s nutrient database counts 14% of a raw breast as bone and connective tissue, and in USDA cooking tests a breast kept 72% of its weight roasted (68% when enhanced with a solution).
USDA yields for turkey breast
From the USDA Food Buying Guide: how much ready-to-use or cooked product one pound as purchased gives. The figures work the same in metric: 0.64 lb per pound is 0.64 kg per kilogram.
| As purchased (USDA description) | Result, as USDA states it | Yield | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Parts, fresh or frozen, Turkey Breasts; Whole or Halves, With bone | 1 lb AP = 0.64 lb cooked turkey with skin (cooked) | 64% | FBG table |
| Turkey Parts, fresh or frozen, Turkey Breasts; Whole or Halves, With bone | 1 lb AP = 0.57 lb cooked turkey without skin (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey, retail parts, non-enhanced, breast, meat and skin | Roasted | 72% | 1 |
| Turkey, retail parts, enhanced, breast, meat and skin | Roasted | 68% | 1 |
How much is waste
USDA’s nutrient database (SR28, NDB 05732) lists 14% of “Turkey, retail parts, breast, meat and skin, raw” as refuse: bone and connective tissue.
How much to buy
At 64% (cooked turkey with skin), for 6 oz (170 g) portions:
| Portions | Cooked | Buy as purchased |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 3.75 lb (1.70 kg) | 5.86 lb (2.66 kg) |
| 25 | 9.38 lb (4.25 kg) | 14.6 lb (6.64 kg) |
| 50 | 18.8 lb (8.50 kg) | 29.3 lb (13.3 kg) |
| 100 | 37.5 lb (17.0 kg) | 58.6 lb (26.6 kg) |
Cost per usable pound
At 64%, the price as purchased becomes, per pound and per kilogram:
| Price as purchased | Cost per usable pound |
|---|---|
| $2.50/lb ($5.51/kg) | $3.91/lb ($8.61/kg) |
| $3.00/lb ($6.61/kg) | $4.69/lb ($10.33/kg) |
| $3.50/lb ($7.72/kg) | $5.47/lb ($12.06/kg) |
Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.
The MiseKit app
This test is one case. MiseKit remembers all of them.
Yields drift with every supplier, every cutter and every week. Save each test in MiseKit and it holds the result against your standard, flags the case that came in short with what the shortfall cost, and passes the real cost of each cut into your recipes.
- Every test kept, by supplier and date
- Short cases flagged in dollars, not just percent
- Cut costs flow straight into recipe costs
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Run your own numbers
Good to know
- Breast yields more than a whole bird (0.64 lb against 0.53 lb of cooked meat with skin per pound) and carries less bone: 14% against 29% in USDA’s nutrient database.
FAQ
How much turkey breast do I need per person?
About 0.6 lb (9 1/2 oz) of bone-in breast for 6 oz of cooked meat with skin (0.375 lb ÷ 0.64).
How much meat is on a bone-in turkey breast?
About 64% of its weight as cooked meat with skin and 57% without, per the USDA Food Buying Guide: a 7 lb breast gives about 4.5 lb with skin.
How much does turkey breast shrink when roasted?
It kept 72% of its raw weight roasted in USDA cooking tests, or 68% when enhanced with a solution.
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.