Salmon yield: how much is usable after prep (AP to EP %)
Salmon: about 65% usable going whole round fish to skinless fillet, with a published range of 60–69%. That is a cost factor of 1.54: for every kilo you need ready to use, buy 1.54 kg as purchased.
Yield by preparation stage
| Stage | Average | Range | What is lost | USDA item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole round → raw flesh (fillets, skin off) | 65% | 60–69% | Head, guts, bones and skin | 2230 |
| Gutted (drawn) → raw flesh | 76% | — | Bones and skin (limited data) | 2231 |
| Steak, bone in → boneless | 88% | 87–89% | Bones and skin | 2234 |
Most UK kitchens buy gutted salmon, which yields about 76% flesh. Check whether your quote is for a round or a gutted fish before you compare prices.
How much to buy
As-purchased (AP) weight = the edible weight you need (EP) ÷ the yield. At 65%:
| Usable weight needed | Buy (as purchased) |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.54 kg |
| 5 kg | 7.69 kg |
| 10 kg | 15.38 kg |
Cost works the same way: usable cost per kilo = the price per kilo you pay ÷ 0.65. At £1.00 a kilo as purchased, usable salmon cost £1.54 a kilo.
Use 65% 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 2230, 2231, 2234. These are averages from US samples of whole round (ungutted) Atlantic salmon, 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