How to Measure in Cooking
Read your recipe carefully., Measure with a scale., Measure wet ingredients like water, milk and oil with a liquid measuring cup., Measure ingredients like fruits and vegetables by weight or by filling a liquid measuring cup with the ingredient up...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Read your recipe carefully.
If a descriptor of the ingredient comes before the ingredient (i.e. 1 cup chopped green bell pepper), you measure after the ingredient is in that state (i.e. chopped).
If the ingredient name is followed by a comma and then the descriptor (i.e. 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped), you measure and then chop or do what needs to be done to the ingredient. -
Step 2: Measure with a scale.
The most accurate method of measuring ingredients is weighing.
Many cookbooks include measurements in weight.
A scale with a tare function is particularly useful because you can weigh each ingredient separately without having to subtract the weights of the previous ingredients. , Liquid measuring cups are transparent, have extra room above the top measurement line and usually have a pouring spout.
Place the cup on a flat surface and pour the liquid until it reaches the correct line on the measuring cup.
Lean down until you are at eye level and make sure that the bottom of the arc at the liquid's surface, which is known as its meniscus, touches the measurement line. ,, Dry measuring cups are usually opaque and made of metal or plastic.
They are designed for measuring dry ingredients and their use will minimize error in measuring dry ingredients.
Scoop the measuring cup or spoon into the dry ingredient and sweep off the excess with a knife.
Use the measuring cup or measuring spoon that holds the amount that you need of a dry ingredient.
If you do not have a measuring cup or spoon that holds the precise amount, use a smaller cup or spoon and add more of them.
Don't measure in a cup that is too big for what you are measuring. ,,,, The type of syringe available at drugstores for medicines works well for this purpose. -
Step 3: Measure wet ingredients like water
-
Step 4: milk and oil with a liquid measuring cup.
-
Step 5: Measure ingredients like fruits and vegetables by weight or by filling a liquid measuring cup with the ingredient up to the line for the amount you want to measure.
-
Step 6: Use dry measuring cups to measure dry ingredients.
-
Step 7: Measure butter either by using the marks on its wrapper or by treating softened butter as a malleable ingredient.
-
Step 8: Measure malleable ingredients like shortening with a dry measuring cup lined with plastic wrap.
-
Step 9: Measure small amounts of ingredients with measuring spoons.
-
Step 10: Measure very small amounts of ingredients with a syringe.
Detailed Guide
If a descriptor of the ingredient comes before the ingredient (i.e. 1 cup chopped green bell pepper), you measure after the ingredient is in that state (i.e. chopped).
If the ingredient name is followed by a comma and then the descriptor (i.e. 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped), you measure and then chop or do what needs to be done to the ingredient.
The most accurate method of measuring ingredients is weighing.
Many cookbooks include measurements in weight.
A scale with a tare function is particularly useful because you can weigh each ingredient separately without having to subtract the weights of the previous ingredients. , Liquid measuring cups are transparent, have extra room above the top measurement line and usually have a pouring spout.
Place the cup on a flat surface and pour the liquid until it reaches the correct line on the measuring cup.
Lean down until you are at eye level and make sure that the bottom of the arc at the liquid's surface, which is known as its meniscus, touches the measurement line. ,, Dry measuring cups are usually opaque and made of metal or plastic.
They are designed for measuring dry ingredients and their use will minimize error in measuring dry ingredients.
Scoop the measuring cup or spoon into the dry ingredient and sweep off the excess with a knife.
Use the measuring cup or measuring spoon that holds the amount that you need of a dry ingredient.
If you do not have a measuring cup or spoon that holds the precise amount, use a smaller cup or spoon and add more of them.
Don't measure in a cup that is too big for what you are measuring. ,,,, The type of syringe available at drugstores for medicines works well for this purpose.
About the Author
Stephanie Roberts
Specializes in breaking down complex creative arts topics into simple steps.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: