Edible Portion

Understanding Edible Portion

Every ingredient has two weights: the as-purchased (AP) weight — what you receive from the supplier — and the edible portion (EP) weight — what actually goes into the recipe. A 1 kg pineapple yields roughly 500 g of usable fruit after removing the skin, core, and eyes. The EP weight is what the recipe calls for; the AP weight is what you need to order and pay for. Confusing the two leads to under-ordering (running out mid-service) or undercosting recipes (thinking ingredients are cheaper than they actually are).

Edible portion cost is calculated by dividing the as-purchased cost by the yield percentage. If you buy onions at €1.20/kg and they have a 90% yield (10% lost to peeling and trimming), the EP cost is €1.20 ÷ 0.90 = €1.33/kg. For high-waste ingredients the difference is dramatic: artichoke hearts at €4.50/kg AP with a 35% yield have an EP cost of €12.86/kg — nearly three times the shelf price.

Understanding edible portion costs is particularly important when evaluating whether to buy whole ingredients or pre-processed alternatives. Whole carrots at €1.00/kg with an 85% yield cost €1.18/kg EP. Pre-cut carrot batonnet at €2.80/kg has a near-100% yield. The pre-cut option costs more per kilogram but saves labor time. The decision depends on volume, labor cost, and kitchen capacity — but it can only be made rationally with EP cost data.

Example: Beef Tenderloin Preparation

A restaurant buys whole beef tenderloin at €38/kg. After removing the chain, silver skin, and fat cap, the usable center-cut and filet portions weigh 62% of the original. Edible portion cost = €38 ÷ 0.62 = €61.29/kg. A 180 g portion for a filet mignon dish costs €61.29 × 0.18 = €11.03 in meat alone.

If the same restaurant could source pre-trimmed tenderloin at €55/kg with a 95% yield, the EP cost would be €55 ÷ 0.95 = €57.89/kg — actually cheaper per usable kilogram than buying whole, plus saving 20 minutes of butchery labor per piece.