In cooking and culinary management, AP stands for "As Purchased," which refers to the condition of a food item or ingredient exactly when it was purchased or delivered. This term is fundamental for accurate food costing, inventory management, and understanding ingredient yield in professional kitchens. AP may encompass the item's form, total cost, weight, or volume before any processing, cleaning, or trimming takes place.
Understanding the "As Purchased" Concept
The AP weight or volume represents the raw, untrimmed, or uncleaned state of an ingredient. It includes all parts that are bought, even those that will eventually be discarded, such as bones, skin, peels, rinds, or outer leaves.
Why AP is Crucial in Culinary Operations:
- Accurate Costing: All initial cost calculations begin with the AP price. This ensures a comprehensive understanding of the total expense incurred for ingredients before any waste or processing.
- Inventory Management: Tracking ingredients by their AP weight or volume allows for precise inventory counts and ordering, preventing shortages or overstocking.
- Supplier Relations: Comparing AP prices from different vendors helps kitchens secure the best deals and manage their budget effectively.
- Yield Calculation: AP is the baseline for determining the yield percentage of an ingredient, which measures how much of the purchased product is actually usable (Edible Portion).
AP vs. EP: The Essential Distinction
While AP refers to the ingredient as it arrives, EP (Edible Portion) refers to the ingredient after it has been prepped and is ready to be used in a recipe. This means all non-edible or undesirable parts have been removed.
| Feature | As Purchased (AP) | Edible Portion (EP) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The item in its raw, untrimmed, delivered state. | The item after trimming, cleaning, and preparation. |
| Cost Basis | Used for initial purchase cost calculations. | Used for per-serving cost and recipe costing. |
| Weight/Vol | Includes all waste (bones, skin, peels). | Only includes the usable, consumable part. |
| Examples | Whole chicken, unpeeled potatoes, untrimmed beef. | Boneless, skinless chicken breast; peeled, diced potatoes; trimmed beef tenderloin. |
Practical Applications and Examples
Understanding AP is vital for culinary professionals to make informed decisions about purchasing, menu pricing, and waste reduction.
Examples of AP in Practice:
- Whole Chicken: When you purchase a whole chicken weighing 4 lbs, that is its AP weight. After deboning and skinning, the usable meat might only be 2.5 lbs (EP weight).
- Unpeeled Potatoes: A 50 lb bag of potatoes is the AP weight. Once peeled and trimmed, the actual amount of usable potato for mashing or frying will be less.
- Untrimmed Beef Primal: A primal cut of beef, like a full tenderloin, purchased at 7 lbs is its AP weight. After trimming fat and silver skin, the usable portion (EP) will be significantly less.
- Head of Lettuce: A 2 lb head of romaine lettuce is its AP weight. After removing the outer leaves and core, the usable portion will be lighter.
Calculating AP Cost and Yield:
To truly understand ingredient costs, kitchens often calculate both AP cost and EP cost. The EP cost is derived from the AP cost, taking into account the yield percentage.
- AP Cost per unit: Total cost of item / AP weight or volume
- Example: If a 10 lb bag of unpeeled carrots costs $15, the AP cost is $1.50/lb.
- Yield Percentage: (EP weight / AP weight) × 100%
- Example: If the 10 lb bag of carrots yields 8 lbs of peeled, diced carrots, the yield is (8 lbs / 10 lbs) × 100% = 80%.
- EP Cost per unit: AP Cost per unit / Yield Percentage (as a decimal)
- Example: $1.50/lb / 0.80 = $1.875/lb EP cost for the peeled carrots.
This detailed breakdown ensures that the true cost of the ingredient used in a dish is accurately reflected, leading to more precise recipe costing and menu pricing. For further reading on this topic, exploring resources on food costing principles can provide deeper insights.
