BOAH: How Much Eating Meat

How Much Eating Meat Will a Carcass Yield?

1,000 lb. Steer	=	590 lb. Good to Choice Beef	=	465 lbs. Retail Cuts
				Cut	lbs.
				Porterhouse, T-bone, Cube Steak	35
				Sirloin Steak	40
				Round Steak	65
				Rib Roast	45
				Boneless Rump Roast	20
				Chuck Roast	105
				Hamburger	110
				Stew Meat & Misc. Cuts	45
				Bones, Fat, Waste and Shrink	125
				Eating Meat	465 lbs.

Beef Carcass Meat Yield

	Approx. % of Dressed Wt.:	From 590-lb. Carcass:
1. Round (Slow-cooking Steaks, Roasts)	22%	120-130 lbs.
2. Loin (Sirloin, T-Bone, Club Steaks)	17%	94-105 lbs.
3. Ribs (Standing and Rolled Rib Steaks)	9%	48-58 lbs.
4. Flank (Steaks or Stew Meat)	4%	20-25 lbs.
5. Chuck or Shoulder (Pot Roast and Slow-cooking Steaks)	6%	148-158 lbs.
6. Plate (Corned Beef, Stew Meat, Short Ribs)	12%	65-75 lbs
7. Shank (Soups and Stews)	4%	20-25 lbs.
8. Suet	6%	30-40 lbs.
	_____
	100%

Aging...
Never "age" pork. Instead, freeze it as soon as possible after chilling. Only good quality beef and lamb should be "aged" before cutting for storage. Low grade, lean meat will shrink excessively if "aged." "Aging" means holding the meat before cutting at 34 degrees to 38 degrees for seven days to 10 days.

Freezing...
Slow freezing is undesirable as it makes for greater breakdown of muscle cells and subsequent greater juice losses when meat is thawed. Freeze at temperatures as far below zero as possible.
Store meat at a constant temperature at zero degrees or lower.

How Much Meat in a Steer, Calf, Lamb or Hog?

The following table shows the pounds of carcass that you can expect from different classes and grades of livestock. In addition, it shows the amount of meat that you can expect to get from each 100 pounds of carcass (dressing percentage).

This dressing percentage will vary with the amount of fat (finish), the amount of weight in the digestive tract and conformation. A thick-muscled, fat animal will yield a heavier carcass than one poorly muscled or finished.

Cutting losses will vary with the amount of boning and closeness of trimming.

	Live Weight	Approx. Dressing %	If Dressed Wt. Was:	Approx. Pkg. Wt. Would Be:
Beef
Choice	1000 lbs.	59%-62%	590 lbs.	465 lbs.
Good	1000 lbs.	56%-59%	560 lbs.	470 lbs.
Standard	1000 lbs.	50%-53%	500 lbs.	455 lbs.
Commercial	1000 lbs.	48%-53%	480 lbs.	425 lbs.
Pork	200 lbs.	72%	145 lbs.	109 lbs.
Veal	200 lbs.	61%	122 lbs.	107 lbs.
Lamb	90 lbs.	48%	43 lbs.	33 lbs.

Pork Carcass Yield
(USDA No. 2 Grade Approx.)

1. Ham	18%	26-28
2. Pork Loin Chops and Roasts	14%	18-20
3. Bacon	15%	19-22
4. Spareribs	3%	4-6
5. Boston Butts	6%	7-9
6. Picnic Shoulders	7%	9-10
7. Pork Hocks	3%	4-5
8. Head	6%	7-9
9. Feet	3%	4-5
10. Lard	25%	34-41
Misc. cuts, water & trimmings
	______	______
	100%	145
Eating Meat 101-111 lbs.