Weigh meat before or after cooking?

58ttom
58ttom Posts: 9 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm trying to count my calories so I need to know how many calories to figure per ounce or gram of any particular food such as grilled ground chuck for hamburgers. What I need to know is should I use the weight for my calculations before I cook it or after? A half pound of ground chuck raw cooks down to quite a bit less than 8 ounces.

Replies

  • aksteve777
    aksteve777 Posts: 184 Member
    I do after...idk..following
  • DC_TheDrivah1
    DC_TheDrivah1 Posts: 77 Member
    I weigh after also...idk..following
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    You should weigh it raw. The after weight varies greatly depending on which method you use to cook it and how well done you like your meat. The raw weight is reasonably consistent. :smile:
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,328 Member
    I weigh before unless the entry I am using specifically states that it is cooked.
  • tinascar2015
    tinascar2015 Posts: 413 Member
    Always after. And it is important that you use a calorie listing for cooked, not raw. For example, if you grill chicken, there are drippings, right? Those were in the raw weight, but they're not in the cooked weight. They're down there messing up the drip pan of your grill!
  • tracie_minus100
    tracie_minus100 Posts: 465 Member
    I weigh after, mainly because with chicken, I cook it in strips or chunks and it's easier to weigh my portion after giving my family theirs. Just make sure that however you weigh it, you choose the correct option in the database. Don't weigh after but choose a raw database option.
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    I always weigh meat raw. And eat any fat that leaked out...yum.
  • orlandodenise
    orlandodenise Posts: 54 Member
    Afterwards - so many manufacturers pump with water and other rubbish and it varies - especially if you drain fat carefully as well. Afterwards takes away some of these variences :)
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    I do before. I figure if it's heavier before, then it'll be less after :)
  • jeshutt
    jeshutt Posts: 19 Member
    Does it matter? So long as you use the appropriate calorie listing any difference in calories will be negligible. This isn't an exact science, you know.
This discussion has been closed.