Broccoli yield: how much is usable after prep (AP to EP %)
Broccoli: about 61% usable going whole head to trimmed florets and tender stalk, with a published range of 45–77%. That is a cost factor of 1.64: for every kilo you need ready to use, buy 1.64 kg as purchased.
Yield by preparation stage
| Stage | Average | Range | What is lost | USDA item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Untrimmed → trimmed spears (florets with tender stalk) | 61% | 45–77% | Leaves and tough stalks | 408 |
| Trimmed spears → boiled | 100% | 86–117% | No net change on average | 411 |
| Trimmed spears → steamed | 95% | 87–107% | Water lost in cooking | 412 |
The tough stalk is most of the 39% loss. Peeled and sliced, it eats as well as the florets, and it moves broccoli from about 61% towards 80% usable.
How much to buy
As-purchased (AP) weight = the edible weight you need (EP) ÷ the yield. At 61%:
| Usable weight needed | Buy (as purchased) |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.64 kg |
| 5 kg | 8.2 kg |
| 10 kg | 16.39 kg |
Cost works the same way: usable cost per kilo = the price per kilo you pay ÷ 0.61. At £1.00 a kilo as purchased, usable broccoli cost £1.64 a kilo.
Use 61% in the yield calculator →
Where the numbers come from
USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 102, Food Yields Summarized by Different Stages of Preparation (Matthews and Garrison, USDA Agricultural Research Service, 1975), Table 1, items 408, 411, 412. These are averages from US samples of untrimmed broccoli, weighed before and after each stage of prep. Varieties, sizes, UK grading and your own knife work all move the number, which is why every row shows the range as well as the average.
Use these figures to plan and to sense-check. To cost a dish properly, weigh your own: weigh a case as it arrives, prep it the way you do in service, weigh what is usable, and put both weights into the yield calculator.
All ingredient yields · Yield calculator · How to work out yield percentage