Swede yield: how much is usable after prep (AP to EP %)
Swede: about 85% usable going whole to peeled, with a published range of 67–94%. That is a cost factor of 1.18: for every kilo you need ready to use, buy 1.18 kg as purchased.
Yield by preparation stage
| Stage | Average | Range | What is lost | USDA item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Without tops → peeled | 85% | 67–94% | Parings | 2224 |
| Peeled → boiled or steamed | 93% | 88–101% | Net change | 2225 |
| Cooked → mashed, nothing added | 98% | 97–99% | Mashing losses | 2226 |
Yields multiply: 85% × 93% ≈ 79% for whole → boiled. You never add the losses together.
Swede has a thick, waxy skin, and the range for peeling is wide. Weigh a few before you cost a mash for a roast-dinner menu.
Prep notes
Cut the swede in half first so it sits flat, then cut the waxed skin off in strips with a large knife; a peeler cannot get under it. Cut into even pieces for boiling, or it cooks unevenly and mashes lumpy.
What the yield does to the cost
The choice most kitchens face is ready-diced swede, 500 g (supermarket) at £1.65 (Morrisons, 10 Oct 2026), which is £3.30 a usable kilo. At 85% usable, the whole product is only cheaper if it costs less than £2.81 a kilo as purchased, before you count the prep time.
| Usable swede needed | Buy (as purchased) at 85% |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.18 kg |
| 5 kg | 5.88 kg |
| 10 kg | 11.76 kg |
Use 85% in the yield calculator →
Typical uses
Mashed swede and carrot-and-swede mash for roasts, Cornish pasties, stews and Burns Night neeps.
Storage and the trim
Whole swede keeps for weeks somewhere cool. Peeled and diced, keep it under water in the fridge for a day or two. The skin is waste; offcuts go in the stew pot.
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 2224, 2225, 2226 (US samples of swedes (listed by the USDA as rutabagas) without tops). 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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