What this does
This guide shows you how to run a yield test correctly and turn that into a cooked cost per pound and cost per portion. You’ll stop guessing, start pricing with reality, and quit losing margin to “mystery shrink.”
OutputsTrim % • Cook Loss % • Final Yield % • Cooked $/lb • Cost/portion
Use it forRoasts, smoked meats, braises, whole primals, seafood, veg prep
You need: Raw case/pack price, starting weight (AP), trimmed weight, cooked weight, and your portion size.
Definitions
Trim % = (AP − Trimmed) ÷ AP
Cook Loss % = (Trimmed − Cooked) ÷ Trimmed
Final Yield % = Cooked ÷ AP
Cooked $/lb = Raw $/lb ÷ Final Yield %
Cost per portion = Cooked $/lb × Portion lbs
Step-by-step
- Weigh the raw product (AP). Record dollars and raw $/lb.
- Trim as you normally would. Weigh the trimmed (pre-cook) weight.
- Cook as you normally would. Rest, then weigh the cooked weight.
- Calculate Trim %, Cook Loss %, Final Yield %.
- Convert to Cooked $/lb and then to Cost/portion using your portion size.
Worked example
Product: Beef Brisket, 12.0 lb @ $3.99/lb → Raw cost $47.88
After trim: 10.2 lb • After cook: 6.9 lb • Portion size: 8 oz (0.5 lb)
Trim %(12.0 − 10.2) ÷ 12.0 = 15.0%
Cook Loss %(10.2 − 6.9) ÷ 10.2 = 32.4%
Final Yield %6.9 ÷ 12.0 = 57.5%
Cooked $/lb$3.99 ÷ 0.575 = $6.94/lb
Cost/portion$6.94 × 0.5 = $3.47
Menu price check: At a 30% food cost target, price ≈ $3.47 ÷ 0.30 = $11.57. Round to $11.49 or $11.99 depending on comps.
Download & next steps
Pro tips
- Run the test twice on new vendors or cuts — average your yields.
- Record by prep method; smoking vs braising yields aren’t interchangeable.
- Re-test if trim standards change. “Extra clean” trim nukes yield — and margin.