Salmon yield: how much is usable after prep (AP to EP %)
Salmon: about 65% usable going whole round fish to skinless fillet, with a published range of 60–69%. That is a cost factor of 1.54: for every kilo you need ready to use, buy 1.54 kg as purchased.
Yield by preparation stage
| Stage | Average | Range | What is lost | USDA item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole round → raw flesh (fillets, skin off) | 65% | 60–69% | Head, guts, bones and skin | 2230 |
| Gutted (drawn) → raw flesh | 76% | — | Bones and skin (limited data) | 2231 |
| Steak, bone in → boneless | 88% | 87–89% | Bones and skin | 2234 |
Most UK kitchens buy gutted salmon, which yields about 76% flesh. Check whether your quote is for a round or a gutted fish before you compare prices.
Prep notes
Fillet along the backbone, take out the pin bones with tweezers, then skin by holding the tail end and sawing the knife flat along the skin. Portion from the thick middle; the tail and belly trim go to fishcakes or a fish pie.
What the yield does to the cost
The choice most kitchens face is skinless boneless salmon portions, 10 × 5–6 oz (about 1.56 kg) at £30.99 (JJ Foodservice, 10 Oct 2026), which is £19.87 a usable kilo. At 65% usable, the whole product is only cheaper if it costs less than £12.91 a kilo as purchased, before you count the prep time.
| Usable salmon needed | Buy (as purchased) at 65% |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.54 kg |
| 5 kg | 7.69 kg |
| 10 kg | 15.38 kg |
Use 65% in the yield calculator →
Typical uses
Pan-fried or roasted fillets, fish pie, fishcakes, cured gravadlax and salmon starters.
Storage and the trim
Keep on ice or at 0–2°C in a covered tray, and use within a day or two of delivery. Fillets can be frozen well wrapped. Head and frame make a fish stock (gills out); belly and tail trim go into fishcakes and pies.
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 2230, 2231, 2234 (US samples of whole round (ungutted) Atlantic salmon). 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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