Tag: Cooked vs raw weight

According to USDA guidelines, a standard single serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, which translates to approximately 4 ounces of raw steak before cooking. Understanding precisely how much raw steak is one serving is a crucial first step for accurate meal planning and effective portion control.

Before cooking, the beef patty for a McDonald's Quarter Pounder was originally portioned at exactly four ounces. This fact, however, has changed over the years, leading to confusion about the burger's actual size and weight today.

According to nutrition experts, a standard portion of lean protein is between 3 and 4 ounces. For those aiming for a 4-ounce serving, it can be surprising how much of a chicken breast is 4 ounces, as many commercially sold breasts are much larger than this standard size. This guide provides a clear understanding of what a 4-ounce portion looks like in both its raw and cooked state.

On average, cooked beef typically loses about 25% of its initial raw weight, a change primarily driven by the evaporation of water and rendering of fat. This natural reduction, which explains how much lighter is cooked beef, is crucial for accurate portioning and nutritional tracking.