Measurements (standard -- cup, spoon size, etc. vs weight)
I’ve discovered of late that some (not many so far) of the recipe measurements are exclusively in metric. For the sake of us oldies who may never add a scale to our equipment lineup, I am wondering if your chefs can include BOTH measurements in their recipes? Thanks for your consideration.
4 Comments
AntoniaJamesMay 4, 2022
QueenVictoria, I have been trying to include both volume and mass (both grams and ounces) in the recipes I've been posting lately. I worry a bit, especially with baking recipes, when I do that however because I don't know how the people making my recipes measure ingredients by volume, so I know there could be issues affecting results. That said, I believe that making it possible for everyone who sees my recipes to try them is a good thing. I hope others reading this - especially the recipe style czars at Food52 -- will do the same. ;o)
NancyMay 5, 2022
Hear, hear!
Meanwhile, have a conversion chart nearby and maybe learn a few basic measures (tbsp is often but not always 15 ml or 15g, cup about 235g, liter 34 oz or 4 1/4 cup) to get you started cooking those recipes with only metric measurements
Meanwhile, have a conversion chart nearby and maybe learn a few basic measures (tbsp is often but not always 15 ml or 15g, cup about 235g, liter 34 oz or 4 1/4 cup) to get you started cooking those recipes with only metric measurements
702551May 4, 2022
The vast majority of recipes here are posted by community members. It's up to each author to decide which measurements to provide. You are free to use of the many online unit conversion tools.
Stella Parks has a great rant -- it's more of screed -- about the stupidity of volumetric Imperial measurements. And it's not just accuracy, it's also about efficiency.
Measure out a pound of flour -- about three and a half cups -- into a mixing bowl. Carefully dip your measuring cup into the flour bin and level off with a knife. Repeat twice then switch to the half cup. Maybe thirty seconds?
Or put the measuring bowl on a scale, press tare, and dump out a pound (454 g) of flour. It might take you two seconds. Parks uses this specific example.
Then add 1/2 cup of honey (170 g). Pour or spoon honey into a half cup measure then pour/spoon it into your mixing bowl. I bet you've spent a couple of minutes and you've soiled your half cup measure which you'll have to wash if you need want to use it again.
Or just press tare and dump 170 g of honey into the bowl. Might be ten seconds.
Next up: sauerkraut.
Same thing, measure out 12 cups of shredded cabbage and the appropriate number of tablespoons of kosher salt. How much did you pack your cabbage into the cup? Maybe you only got 10 cups and you need to convert the tablespoons of salt. Or maybe the head of cabbage is bigger.
Or weigh out the cabbage in grams. Then measure out kosher salt at 2% by weight. If it's 947 grams of cabbage; you need 19 g of kosher salt. I always use a whole head each time I make sauerkraut and each one weighs differently.
I salt most of my meat roasts. Typically I'll do about 0.3% to 0.5% for most meats so I just weigh it out and calculate the kosher salt. No stupid Imperial volumetric measurement conversions.
Remember that a kitchen scale can be purchased for maybe $15-20 and they will save you hours of time both in portioning out ingredients as well as the ridiculousness of Imperial measurement conversions when scaling up or down.
Stella Parks has a great rant -- it's more of screed -- about the stupidity of volumetric Imperial measurements. And it's not just accuracy, it's also about efficiency.
Measure out a pound of flour -- about three and a half cups -- into a mixing bowl. Carefully dip your measuring cup into the flour bin and level off with a knife. Repeat twice then switch to the half cup. Maybe thirty seconds?
Or put the measuring bowl on a scale, press tare, and dump out a pound (454 g) of flour. It might take you two seconds. Parks uses this specific example.
Then add 1/2 cup of honey (170 g). Pour or spoon honey into a half cup measure then pour/spoon it into your mixing bowl. I bet you've spent a couple of minutes and you've soiled your half cup measure which you'll have to wash if you need want to use it again.
Or just press tare and dump 170 g of honey into the bowl. Might be ten seconds.
Next up: sauerkraut.
Same thing, measure out 12 cups of shredded cabbage and the appropriate number of tablespoons of kosher salt. How much did you pack your cabbage into the cup? Maybe you only got 10 cups and you need to convert the tablespoons of salt. Or maybe the head of cabbage is bigger.
Or weigh out the cabbage in grams. Then measure out kosher salt at 2% by weight. If it's 947 grams of cabbage; you need 19 g of kosher salt. I always use a whole head each time I make sauerkraut and each one weighs differently.
I salt most of my meat roasts. Typically I'll do about 0.3% to 0.5% for most meats so I just weigh it out and calculate the kosher salt. No stupid Imperial volumetric measurement conversions.
Remember that a kitchen scale can be purchased for maybe $15-20 and they will save you hours of time both in portioning out ingredients as well as the ridiculousness of Imperial measurement conversions when scaling up or down.
702551May 4, 2022
Here's a pork loin roast that I salted and vacuum sealed for future sous vide cooking.
Let's say I eat it and I decide it needs more salt. I make a little note to myself to increase to 0.45% salt by weight. The next time I buy a pork loin roast, I weigh it out in grams then calculate out the kosher salt by multiplying by 0.0045. Done.
No fumbling around through cookbooks and trying to do stupid ounces/pounds and teaspoons/tablespoons conversions. I'm already finished salting the meat before I could walk to my bookshelf and pull out the right cookbook.
Let's say I eat it and I decide it needs more salt. I make a little note to myself to increase to 0.45% salt by weight. The next time I buy a pork loin roast, I weigh it out in grams then calculate out the kosher salt by multiplying by 0.0045. Done.
No fumbling around through cookbooks and trying to do stupid ounces/pounds and teaspoons/tablespoons conversions. I'm already finished salting the meat before I could walk to my bookshelf and pull out the right cookbook.
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