Standardized Recipes and Cost Control Chapter 7 Standardized Recipes and Cost Control Standardized Recipes • Standardized Measurements • Converting Recipes • Calculating Food Costs • Managing Food Costs

Standardized recipes include all information necessary to prepare dishes of consistent quality, size, and cost. All standardized recipes must include the recipe name, yield, portion size, quantities of ingredients, step-by-step preparation procedures, cooking temperature, and cooking time. While not required, nutritional information may also be included. See Figure 7-1.

Portion size is a smaller part of the total recipe yield. Portion size is the actual size of an individual serving. For example, a recipe that yields 1 gal. may produce 16 portions of 8 fl oz each. See Figure 7-2.

Cooking temperatures on professional equipment are regulated by temperature and burner controls or thermostats. The temperature at which items are cooked greatly affects the outcome of the product. For example, an item that is pan-fried over high heat may burn on the outside before the inside is cooked through. The cooking temperature for a range is typically listed as low, medium, or high. Other pieces of equipment, such as deep-fat fryers and ovens, have thermostats that can be set to a specific temperature. See Figure 7-3.

Using a scale to weigh items ensures accuracy. When weighing items on a portion scale, use the following procedure to ensure accuracy: 1. Place the empty container that will be used to hold the ingredients on the scale. See Figure 7-4. 2. Zero out the scale by adjusting the scale to read zero. This is done so that the weight of the container is not reflected in the final measurement. 3. Place ingredients to be measured in the container until the desired weight is achieved.

A total yield conversion is used to alter the recipe yield, regardless of portion size. While a conversion factor can be used to increase or decrease the total yield of a standardized recipe, the converted recipe produces portions of the same portion size as the original recipe. See Figure 7-5.

A portion size conversion alters the portion size in addition to the total recipe yield. Once the conversion factor is determined, perform a total yield conversion by multiplying the original yield of each ingredient in the recipe by the conversion factor. For example, convert a recipe for Butternut Squash and Ginger Bisque that produces 32 (8-fl oz) portions to produce 64 (6-fl oz) portions. See Figure 7-6.

Item cost may be expressed as the AP cost of a bulk item or per the unit of measure. To accurately calculate how much a recipe costs to produce, the cost of each ingredient used in the recipe must be determined. Since many items are purchased in large quantity or in bulk form, an as-purchased cost must be converted to an individual unit cost. See Figure 7-7. An as-purchased (AP) cost is the entire original cost of a bulk item. For example, an as-purchased cost of $14.90 for a case of 80 meatballs means that $14.90 is the price paid for the entire case.

An edible portion is the usable part of a food item left after inedible parts are trimmed away. Many food items lose volume, weight, or count in preparation. An edible portion (EP) is the amount of a food item that can be used in a recipe after unusable parts are trimmed away. See Figure 7-8. For example, bananas are peeled for use in a fruit plate, a fish is filleted prior to sautéing, and stalks are trimmed from broccoli to produce flowerets.

Total weight as served is the weight of a food item after cooking. In addition to loss from preparation, there can also be loss during the cooking process. A cooking-loss yield test is a procedure used to determine the total weight as served of a food product. The total weight as served (AS) is the weight of a food product after fabrication and/or loss from cooking. For example, a 13-lb uncooked lamb rib may yield only 10 lb of lamb chops after fabrication and cooking. See Figure 7-9.

Shrinkage is weight or volume lost during the cooking process. When the total weight as served is known, the percentage of shrinkage can be determined. Shrinkage (S) is weight or volume that is lost from a food item during the cooking process. For example, meat may lose as much as 30% of its weight as fat is rendered out during the roasting process. See Figure 7-10. To determine the amount of shrinkage, a food is weighed just prior to cooking and again when cooking is complete. The weight as served is then subtracted from the uncooked weight. For example, the shrinkage of a 12-oz ground beef patty that weighs 10 oz after cooking is 2 oz (12 – 10 = 2 oz).

Recipe costing forms are used to calculate the total cost of food items in a recipe. A successful food service establishment must practice accurate and effective cost control. A key to cost control is to prepare all items from standardized recipes. Costing is the process of determining the total cost of preparing a recipe based on the individual costs of all ingredients. The cost of an individual portion of a recipe can be determined when the recipe has been costed. The cost of ingredients for an individual portion should be used to determine the selling price of that menu item. To calculate total recipe cost, the unit cost of each ingredient must be determined in the amount needed for the recipe, and then the unit cost of each ingredient is added together. A recipe costing form is often used to help determine total recipe cost. See Figure 7-11.

The menu defines the offerings within a food service establishment. The menu is the roadmap to success in any food service establishment. See Figure 7-12. It is the document that markets the establishment to the customer by offering interesting dishes that satisfy customer needs and desires, are profitable, and are competitive with alter-natives offered elsewhere. Careful consideration must be taken when creating or changing a menu. Factors such as available equipment and kitchen facilities, ingredients, employee skills, and customer demand must be considered.

Portion control equipment such as ladles, spoons, and scoops are used along with scales and slicers to control portion size and costs. A recipe should specify the number of portions it produces and the size of each portion. For example, a recipe that fills a 4″ full-size hotel pan and yields 24 portions should also indicate the size of the portioning or serving utensil needed to produce that number of portions. Using portion control equipment such as ladles, spoons, spatulas, portion control scoops, balances and portion scales, and electric slicers helps ensure accurate portions are served and portion costs are maintained. See Figure 7-13.

Deliveries are signed for upon receipt and then entered into inventory. Once purchase specifications are developed and the items are purchased, they are delivered to the establish-ment. At large food service establishments, the person who receives merchandise is called the receiving clerk. In a smaller establishment, the chef or sous chef may receive the merchandise. All delivered items should be checked against the original invoice and signed for. See Figure 7-14.