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costing help

post #1 of 5
12/20/06 at 11:12am
Thread Starter 
Hey there,
I hope someone can help me. I am a caterer that is also in culinary school and I need to know the exception to a rule. When do you use the yield percent in food costing when the quantity is a count (ie. each or bunch). So, normally you don't use the yield percent when ordering things by the each or bunch. When do you?
Thank you for your help!!!

Chef Crystal
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post #2 of 5
12/20/06 at 12:44pm
To properly conduct a yield test for the sake of recipes and ordering you need to convert counts to weight, and you have to weigh "bunches"It is much easier, and the industry norm to convert everything to weight and volume. Example you don't order 8 tablespoons of salt, you order 4 onces.
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post #3 of 5
12/20/06 at 12:56pm
Thread Starter 

costing help

I get that. I need it for an assignment at school. My teacher is saying that if you need 8ea tomatoes for a recipe, you wouldn't use the yield % since the recipe is not giving an exact weight. In that kind of situation, when would you use the yield %? I'm guessing that it's for when an item doesn't produce the exact amount of what you expect it to have inside. Such as Orange Supremes. Do you think I'm on the right track?
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post #4 of 5
12/20/06 at 1:49pm
Yes your on the right track, here's an example of what I hope will help you without doing your assignment for you:rolleyes: For many purchases, including lets say prime meats, it's important to consider the yield that will be available from the "gross" amount purchased. This comes from raw and cooked yield tests.Your [B]AP[B]weight and EP weight are letters I'm sure your being taught.Lets say a rib of beef weighs 20 # AP, after trimming and cooking your EP is 12 #.Fresh veggies like the tomatoes you mention, fresh pea's carrots, potatoes have a much lower yield after shucking, peeling etc. So to determine proper purchasing quantities, we need to be aware of these losses and buy accordingly.
To convert AP to EP the yield % is used. Lets say for the beef it would roll out like this 12/20 3, or 0.60.

Your a caterer, your doing a prime rib dinner for 100 covers, the EP is 9 oz, how many 3 of beef should you buy? You need to convert the portion size (9)oz to a decimal by dividing the portion size by 16 (once per #)

The formula is # of portions times the portion size (decimal)/ yield
or
quantity = 100 times 0.562/0.6 = 93.7 # so 93.7 3 should be purchased to prepare 100, 9 once portions.

I hope this makes sense :suprise:
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post #5 of 5
12/21/06 at 1:05am
Thread Starter 

Still need help

I really appreciate your help with this. I received more information on this little riddle tonight at school.
This can be more than one ingredient. It can be purchased in any way but it is asked for in the recipe by count. Part of the product might be thrown away and sometimes it may be used for a couple of different applications. It won't make a good stock and won't be found in the visual foods dictionary (mostly fruit and veg). It can be purchased manipulated and processed. It is a familiar product. AND as the first posting said, the recipe asks for it by the count and yet you need to put the yield percent into account.
Thank you for all of your help!! I have until tomorrow night (Thursday) to come up with the answer. Hopefully I will get it right.

Chef Crystal
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