Garlic yield: how much is usable after prep (AP to EP %)
Garlic: about 87% usable going bulbs to peeled cloves, with a published range of 87–88%. That is a cost factor of 1.15: for every kilo you need ready to use, buy 1.15 kg as purchased.
Yield by preparation stage
| Stage | Average | Range | What is lost | USDA item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulbs → peeled cloves, raw | 87% | 87–88% | Knob and skins | 1152 |
On 10 October 2026 JJ Foodservice listed fresh garlic at £3.49 a kilo and ready-peeled garlic at £4.49 a kilo. At 87% the bulbs come to £4.01 per usable kilo, so peeled garlic costs about 48p a kilo more, and saves the time it takes to peel a kilo of cloves.
Prep notes
Crush the bulb with the heel of your hand to break it into cloves, then soak them in warm water for ten minutes and the skins slip off. For larger quantities, shaking cloves hard between two bowls does the same job faster.
What the yield does to the cost
Fresh garlic, 4 kg at £10.99 (JJ Foodservice, 10 Oct 2026) is £2.75 a kilo as purchased. At 87% usable that is £3.16 per usable kilo.
The choice most kitchens face is fresh peeled garlic, 1 kg at £4.49 (JJ Foodservice, 10 Oct 2026), which is £4.49 a usable kilo. At 87% usable, the whole product is only cheaper if it costs less than £3.91 a kilo as purchased; at £2.75 it is, by £1.16 a kilo, before you count the prep time.
| Usable garlic needed | Buy (as purchased) at 87% |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.15 kg |
| 5 kg | 5.75 kg |
| 10 kg | 11.49 kg |
Use 87% in the yield calculator →
Typical uses
Garlic butter for bread and steaks, aioli, curry and pasta sauces, roasts and marinades.
Storage and the trim
Keep bulbs cool, dry and ventilated, out of the fridge, for weeks. Peeled cloves keep about a week in the fridge in a closed tub. Never store garlic in oil at room temperature: it is a botulism risk. Skins and the root knob are waste.
Yield source: USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 102, Food Yields Summarized by Different Stages of Preparation (Matthews and Garrison, USDA Agricultural Research Service, 1975), Table 1, item 1152 (US samples of whole garlic bulbs). Prices as stated, read on 10 Oct 2026. Your own case is the real number: weigh it in the yield calculator.
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