The current study proposes a new approach of modeling discontinuous dynamic recrystallization in pure copper and cobalt based on the inverse analysis of experimental data. This approach comprises two steps: First, the mobility of grain boundaries is determined by a mean-field model in the steady state regime, then in a second step the information collected (mobility, nucleation frequency) is used to determine the mechanical behavior and the grain size change. The nucleation criterion is reformulated in a more general expression, and a new expression of the nucleation frequency with a single empirical parameter is proposed. The model predicts the stress-strain curves and the evolution of mean grain size, and is in good agreement with experimental data for both copper and cobalt. The modeling procedure requires a minimum of initial material parameters and could be especially attractive in the case of complex metals and alloys for which these parameters are unknown. (c) The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2013