25%
Whole crab yields 25%
You buy whole crab by its whole weight, but you only plate 25% of it. That 75% 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.
Shell, head, and water weight are the loss — shellfish yields are the lowest in the kitchen, so the cost per usable ounce runs high.
Say your invoice shows $8.00 per lb of whole crab (an example AP price).
At 25% yield, your real cost is $32.00 per lb EP — because $8.00 ÷ 0.25 = $32.00.
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) | 25% |
| Lost to trim | 75% |
Source: CIA Standard Yield Tables.
Common questions
What is the yield of whole crab?
Whole crab typically yields 25% edible portion of its as-purchased weight, per the CIA Standard Yield Tables.
How much whole crab is lost to trim?
About 75% 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 whole crab?
Divide the as-purchased price by the yield: EP cost = AP price ÷ 0.25. At 25% 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