Liver yield: how much is usable after prep (AP to EP %)
Liver: about 91% usable going whole liver to trimmed, with a published range of 90–92%. That is a cost factor of 1.10: for every kilo you need ready to use, buy 1.1 kg as purchased.
Yield by preparation stage
| Stage | Average | Range | What is lost | USDA item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef liver → trimmed | 93% | 89–98% | Membrane, tubes and trim | 1432 |
| Lamb liver → trimmed | 91% | 90–92% | Membrane and tubes | 1433 |
| Pork liver → trimmed | 92% | — | Membrane and tubes (limited data) | 1434 |
| Beef liver → braised | 67% | 64–69% | Cooking loss | 1439 |
| Lamb liver → scalded and fried | 61% | 60–63% | Cooking loss | 1440 |
Yields multiply: 91% × 61% ≈ 56% for lamb liver, whole → fried. You never add the losses together.
Trimming liver costs little, but cooking costs a lot: fried lamb liver keeps only about 61% of its trimmed weight.
What the yield does to the cost
| Usable liver needed | Buy (as purchased) at 91% |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.1 kg |
| 5 kg | 5.49 kg |
| 10 kg | 10.99 kg |
Use 91% in the yield calculator →
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, items 1432, 1433, 1434, 1439, 1440 (US samples of beef, lamb and pork liver). Your own case is the real number: weigh it in the yield calculator.
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