Vacuum cooling of twenty commercial large cooked meat joints were carried out. The experimental results show that the total cooling time for samples with weight of 5-8 kg from initial temperature of around 74degreesC to inside maximum temperature below 10degreesC was less than 2 h. During the vacuum cooling, the weight of the joint had no significant effect on the cooling rate and the highest temperature did not always locate at the geometric centre of the joint. However, vacuum cooling resulted in a greater weight loss. Each 6-6.5degreesC temperature reduction on average corresponds to a weight loss of about 1% of the weight before cooling. Therefore, for cooling a meat joint from 74 to 10degreesC, the weight loss is normally about 9-12% of the weight before cooling. This weight loss can be reduced by manipulating the injection levels of brine solution. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.