65%
Lamb shoulder yields 65%
You buy lamb shoulder by its whole weight, but you only plate 65% of it. That 35% loss is real cost the invoice never shows — here's the math.
Yield is the fraction of an ingredient that actually reaches the plate after you clean, peel, and trim it. What you pay is the AP (as-purchased) price; what it costs on the plate is the EP (edible-portion) price.
Bone, fat cap, and silverskin are the loss — and they vary by cut and butcher. Bone-in costs less per pound but yields less plate.
Say your invoice shows $7.00 per lb of lamb shoulder (an example AP price).
At 65% yield, your real cost is $10.77 per lb EP — because $7.00 ÷ 0.65 = $10.77.
AP price is illustrative; the EP figure is computed (AP ÷ yield). Use your real invoice price below.Yield breakdown
| As-purchased (AP) | 100% |
|---|---|
| Edible portion (EP) | 65% |
| Lost to trim | 35% |
Source: CIA Standard Yield Tables.
Common questions
What is the yield of lamb shoulder?
Lamb shoulder typically yields 65% edible portion of its as-purchased weight, per the CIA Standard Yield Tables.
How much lamb shoulder is lost to trim?
About 35% of the as-purchased weight is lost to cleaning, peeling, and trimming before it reaches the plate.
How do you calculate the edible-portion cost of lamb shoulder?
Divide the as-purchased price by the yield: EP cost = AP price ÷ 0.65. At 65% yield, the trim makes your real plated cost meaningfully higher than the invoice price.
Sourced: CIA Standard Yield Tables, via the Plate Cost Calculator · what yield means · edible portion