Pork shank meat yield
I am trying to estimate the quantity of usable meat four pork shanks will yield. I need to feed 10 people and I have two front and two hind shanks that weigh a total of 5Kg. I am hoping to get half of that weight in cooked meat so that I am left with 250g per person. I will braise them at low for a few hours and I seem to remember that they don't shrink that much. Can someone advise on whether that 50% yield by weight is realistic?
Best Answer
Well, I am in position to answer my own question now. I used 6 shanks (I got two more as I got worried they wouldn't be enough) and fed 10 adults and two children very comfortably with some leftovers.
My original shank weight was 6.8Kg and I had four front and two hind pork shanks. I would guesstimate they yielded about 300g x 12 people ~ 3.5Kg so, if ever anyone needs the info:
Pork shanks yield about half their weight in pure meat
As an aside, I would advise anyone cooking pork shanks to separate them from their skins and salt and dry the skins separately in the fridge for a couple of days before crackling them on high. The crackled skins were almost as delicious as the shanks themselves (my recipe called for very slow cooked pork which turns the skin to rubber which is a waste).
Another aside, the bones from the shanks are INCREDIBLY gelatinous (and tasty). I kept them and made terrine that smells much nicer than using trotters.
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Quick Answer about "Pork shank meat yield"
As you can see, you don't get that much meat out of pork shanks. This, right here, is pretty much what you can expect to get: you're looking at about 1 pound of cooked meat per 4-5 pounds of raw shanks.How heavy is a pork shank?
Each shank weighs about one pound and has two large internal bones. These are not visible in the raw shank, but are exposed as the pork slowly cooks. They are delicious slow cooked with root vegetables until the pork is fall-off-the-bone tender or cooked Osso Buco style with white wine.How much is pork shanks per pound?
+ $0.65/lb.Is pork shank a good cut of meat?
The Pork Shank is the front forearm of the pig. This cut is tough because the pigs develop muscles living in the woods, which in turn gives the meat incredible flavor that tastes next-level compared to layman's pork. The bone it surrounds has marrow that melts into a braise when slow cooked, making it extra rich.Are pork shanks expensive?
Enter pork shank, a cut of meat and bone that comes from the front leg of the pig. It isn't just less expensive than veal shank \u2013 about $7 per pound \u2014 it's also delicious.OKTOBERFEST: How to make Pork Hock - crispy skin, moist meat! ✪ MyGerman.Recipes
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