50%
Whole turkey yields 50%
You buy whole turkey by its whole weight, but you only plate 50% of it. That 50% 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, skin, and trim are the loss. A whole bird costs less per pound but yields far less usable meat than a portioned cut.
Say your invoice shows $2.00 per lb of whole turkey (an example AP price).
At 50% yield, your real cost is $4.00 per lb EP — because $2.00 ÷ 0.50 = $4.00.
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) | 50% |
| Lost to trim | 50% |
Source: CIA Standard Yield Tables.
Common questions
What is the yield of whole turkey?
Whole turkey typically yields 50% edible portion of its as-purchased weight, per the CIA Standard Yield Tables.
How much whole turkey is lost to trim?
About 50% 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 turkey?
Divide the as-purchased price by the yield: EP cost = AP price ÷ 0.50. At 50% 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