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Cooking Measuring Techniques – The Key To Consistent RecipesUsing the correct cooking measuring techniques to measure ingredients is the key to consistent results when preparing a recipe with the end result being a tasty dish.
Once you’ve chosen your measuring cups and measuring spoons, using them correctly to measure ingredients is the next step. The method used to measure various ingredients depends on what the ingredient is. Using consistent techniques is especially important in baking, where even the slightest deviation can cause the finished product to not turn out as it should.
Measuring Liquids For measuring liquids clear glass measuring cups with pour spouts are the preferred tool, the measuring cup should be placed on a level surface and once the desired amount of the liquid has been added, you want to bend down to check the level of the liquid at eye level, lifting the cup will cause the liquid to slosh around in the cup and the accuracy of the measure will be harder to see.
A good technique for measuring liquids such as honey, corn syrup or molasses is to lightly spray the inside of the measuring cup with cooking spray which will allow the honey to slide easily out of the cup, and also makes cleaning the cup easier. Measuring Dry Ingredients When measuring dry ingredients a metal or plastic measuring cup that can be leveled off is the preferred choice. When measuring a dry ingredient such as flour, sugar or corn meal the ingredient should be loosened up with a fork first, then lightly added to the measuring cup and leveled off with a flat item such as a knife or flat spatula. Ingredients such as brown sugar are generally packed down into the measuring cup and leveled off, since this type of sugar has a slightly moist feeling.
For using measuring spoons the technique is that of using a measuring cup, and that is to add the ingredient to the spoon and level the spoon to remove the excess to obtain the precise amount needed of the ingredient. Measuring Butter and Margarine The easiest type of ingredient measurement is when the butter or margarine comes in a stick, since there are measurements on the wrapper which allow you to just cut the desired amount using the markings on the wrapper. When measuring butter, margarine or vegetable shortening in a can or tub, these ingredients are treated like dry ingredients due to their consistency and packed into the measuring cup or measuring spoon and leveled off. By following these easy techniques you will achieve consistency in your measurements each and every time and the result will be a perfect finished product.
For some great sections on cooking measuring techniques, some great references are: • The Taste of Home Cookbook – All New Edition from Taste of Home Books, Reiman Media Group • The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book, Edited by Susan Westmoreland, Hearst Books, New York
Cooking Basics
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Cooking Measuring Techniques
