Calibrating a measuring cup

[Richtee]

My tablespoon holds a pound of rub... is that too much?

That's gonna make for some HOT Whangs!

[Mark R]

That's gonna make for some HOT Whangs!

Rich, hush - think of the sales.........

[Richtee]

Rich, hush - think of the sales.........

oops. Crap. I really suck at this, don't I?

[dsgarner06]

oops. Crap. I really suck at this, don't I?

[Bama BBQ]

Using weight vs volume - there's an app for that. I use convert-me.com to convert ingredients to weight. Plus it's 10x faster than using measuring cups and spoons.

And that's without even saying something like use a "heaping teaspoon." How accurate is that!?!?!

[Mark R]

Using weight vs volume - there's an app for that. I use convert-me.com to convert ingredients to weight. Plus it's 10x faster than using measuring cups and spoons.

And that's without even saying something like use a "heaping teaspoon." How accurate is that!?!?!

That is a cool app! Butt in the South a "heaping teaspoon." is a precise measurement, butter be!

[Bama BBQ]

I saw a demo on chef steps that had several people measure a cup of flour. Every one of them weighed differently. The accuracy was +/- 10%.

But when they used a scale to weigh a specific portion of flour, accuracy was +/- 1%.

And people wonder why a recipe fails -- there's inaccuracy built-in to the way we measure.

[Richtee]

And people wonder why a recipe fails -- there's inaccuracy built-in to the way we measure.

I don't wonder. But then again I ain't "people" ;{)

[Mark R]

I don't wonder. But then again I ain't "people" ;{)

That's a keeper!
I guess I'm not either, silly me I convert everything to grams.

[dcarch]

Try this also with your oven, or smoker:

Get a few cups and fill them with cooking oil. Place the cups in various places in your oven, top rack, middle rack, bottom rack, center, front, back, etc.

Set your oven temperature and in 30 minutes use your probe thermometer to measure each cup.

You will be surprised.

dcarch

[Bearcarver]

I don't wonder. But then again I ain't "people" ;{)

Hunkies are People Too.


Bear

[erain]

And the best cooks I know do not use measuring cups and spoons. Go figger...

I use measuring devices to try and nail down some of my moms old recipes, but i go to her house and she is dumping ingredients in straight from the container and never fails. hers is always better...

[Mark R]

I saw a demo on chef steps that had several people measure a cup of flour. Every one of them weighed differently. The accuracy was +/- 10%.

But when they used a scale to weigh a specific portion of flour, accuracy was +/- 1%.

And people wonder why a recipe fails -- there's inaccuracy built-in to the way we measure.

That was another part of the lab, repeatability. I didn't want to bore you with the details.
I should say the weighing has it place, and places it isn't practical. Like a commercial restaurant, sometime you don't have time to find the measuring cup much less have a scale for EVERYONE to work with.
But I have time and I try to be as precise as I can.

[sweet_magnolia]

And the best cooks I know do not use measuring cups and spoons. Go figger...

I use measuring devices to try and nail down some of my moms old recipes, but i go to her house and she is dumping ingredients in straight from the container and never fails. hers is always better...

I agree! And I'm starting to do the same as my Mom. I suppose if my job depended on it, I would want to be exact but for just me and family I just eyeball it.

[Mark R]

And the best cooks I know do not use measuring cups and spoons. Go figger...

I use measuring devices to try and nail down some of my moms old recipes, but i go to her house and she is dumping ingredients in straight from the container and never fails. hers is always better...

Yup, some stuff just works better that way. Depends on the kinda cookin your doin. As I said before, most of the time it's just not that critical. But with some things it is.