Yield percentage

Definition in practice

A yield figure without a preparation description is incomplete. Peeling, deboning, roasting and draining each remove different material. Water absorption can also increase cooked batch weight. The app keeps ingredient trim yield separate from finished recipe yield so a cooked rice batch can weigh more than its dry ingredient.

Formula and worked example

Yield % = usable output ÷ purchased input × 100.

An example batch starts at 8 kg and produces 6.4 kg of trimmed material. The yield is 80%, and the measured loss is 1.6 kg. At a purchase cost of $40, edible cost is $6.25 per kg. A repeat batch producing only 6 kg has a different yield even if the purchase price stays unchanged.

Use it in the kitchen

Use a consistent scale, tare the container and record the actual received condition. Measure more than an unusually good or bad delivery before choosing a working standard. Historical USDA factors can help identify a starting point, but your purchasing specification and preparation method should govern the final value.

Boundary check

A test should identify who performed the preparation and which trim standard was used. Two technically correct measurements can differ because the intended output differs. Preserve those descriptions before averaging results into a working ingredient factor.

Keep the input record

Write the unit, period and preparation beside the figure you use. Keep the original receipt, count or recipe record available so another person can reproduce the calculation. A clearly labeled assumption is useful for planning; it should not later be mistaken for a measured result.

Use the linked calculator to test your own inputs, then check the result against the original record. The browser ledger can hold recipe quantities and purchase prices, while your stock and accounting records provide the wider operating context. Export a backup before replacing a working ledger.