How do you measure 'cups' in recipes?

ImaMum

Sun, May 11 2014, 4:33 am

Hi,

So most recipes on this site (and a lot of others online and in usa recipe books) call for ingredients measured in 'cups' and I just wonder how you do this?!

I'm from the UK and I am used to measuring in grams/lb/oz/ml etc and using scales.

I have a plastic measuring jug that has cup measurements on it but this seems difficult to use and hard to read and it gets really greasy and annoying what with all the oil/mayo/flour etc.

How do you American mothers do this? do you have some sort of measuring cups or something (I havent seen these in the shops)?

Can you recommend anything I should use or buy instead?

Thanks!

(PS Sorry to generalise on the Americans, it could well be Israelis, Aussies, French etc too!!)

DrMom

Sun, May 11 2014, 4:35 am

Yes, measuring cups. A cup is standard unit of volume in the Imperial system.

2 cups = 1 pint, 2 pints = 1 quart, 4 quarts = 1 gallon, etc.

1 cup = 237 ml.

They have Pyrex measuring cups if you prefer that to plastic.

ven

Sun, May 11 2014, 4:43 am

im from belgium and I also need to do the math to get it into grams . there are online converters to online . ps : the whole of europe uses this

imasinger

Sun, May 11 2014, 4:47 am

Here is a chart for you. Sorry, some of the tables didn't copy well.

http://www.jsward.com/cooking/.....shtml

Quote:

Converting Recipes to Metric Measures

The instructions and tables presented below will walk the reader through converting a recipe to metric measures. It is important to note that these conversions only work with U.S. recipes. Customary measures like cups, pints, quarts, and gallons mean different things in different countries. For example, if you try to convert a British or Australian recipe to metric using these instructions, it may flop.

For the sake of keeping things simple, I have slightly rounded off the measurements stated below. All conversions should be sufficiently accurate for all recipes. For exact conversions, see the Appendices.

Liquids (and Herbs and Spices)

Liquids can be converted to liters or milliliters with the following table. Small volumes (less than about 1 fluid ounce or 2 tablespoons) of ingredients such as salt, herbs, spices, baking powder, etc. should also be converted with this table. Do not use this table to convert other non-liquid ingredients.

Volume Conversions: Normally used for liquids only
Customary quantity Metric equivalent
1 teaspoon 5 mL
1 tablespoon or 1/2 fluid ounce 15 mL
1 fluid ounce or 1/8 cup 30 mL
1/4 cup or 2 fluid ounces 60 mL
1/3 cup 80 mL
1/2 cup or 4 fluid ounces 120 mL
2/3 cup 160 mL
3/4 cup or 6 fluid ounces 180 mL
1 cup or 8 fluid ounces or half a pint 240 mL
1 1/2 cups or 12 fluid ounces 350 mL
2 cups or 1 pint or 16 fluid ounces 475 mL
3 cups or 1 1/2 pints 700 mL
4 cups or 2 pints or 1 quart 950 mL
4 quarts or 1 gallon 3.8 L
Note: In cases where higher precision is not justified, it
may be convenient to round these conversions off as follows:
  1 cup = 250 mL
  1 pint = 500 mL
  1 quart = 1 L
  1 gallon = 4 L
Weight

Weights can be converted with the following table. Note that the ounces referred to in this table are not the same as fluid ounces.

Weight Conversions
Customary quantity Metric equivalent
1 ounce 28 g
4 ounces or 1/4 pound 113 g
1/3 pound 150 g
8 ounces or 1/2 pound 230 g
2/3 pound 300 g
12 ounces or 3/4 pound 340 g
1 pound or 16 ounces 450 g
2 pounds 900 g
Other non-liquid ingredients

Non-liquid ingredients specified in American recipes by volume (if more than about 2 tablespoons or 1 fluid ounce) should be converted to weight with the following table. If you need to convert an ingredient that isn't in this table, the safest thing to do is to measure it with a traditional measuring cup and then weigh the results with a metric scale. In a pinch, you can use the volume conversion table, above.

Weights of common ingredients in grams
Ingredient 1 cup 3/4 cup 2/3 cup 1/2 cup 1/3 cup 1/4 cup 2 Tbsp
Flour, all purpose (wheat) 120 g 90 g 80 g 60 g 40 g 30 g 15 g
Flour, well sifted all purpose (wheat) 110 g 80 g 70 g 55 g 35 g 27 g 13 g
Sugar, granulated cane 200 g 150 g 130 g 100 g 65 g 50 g 25 g
Confectioner's sugar (cane) 100 g 75 g 70 g 50 g 35 g 25 g 13 g
Brown sugar, packed firmly (but not too firmly) 180 g 135 g 120 g 90 g 60 g 45 g 23 g
Corn meal 160 g 120 g 100 g 80 g 50 g 40 g 20 g
Corn starch 120 g 90 g 80 g 60 g 40 g 30 g 15 g
Rice, uncooked 190 g 140 g 125 g 95 g 65 g 48 g 24 g
Macaroni, uncooked 140 g 100 g 90 g 70 g 45 g 35 g 17 g
Couscous, uncooked 180 g 135 g 120 g 90 g 60 g 45 g 22 g
Oats, uncooked quick 90 g 65 g 60 g 45 g 30 g 22 g 11 g
Table salt 300 g 230 g 200 g 150 g 100 g 75 g 40 g
Butter 240 g 180 g 160 g 120 g 80 g 60 g 30 g
Vegetable shortening 190 g 140 g 125 g 95 g 65 g 48 g 24 g
Chopped fruits and vegetables 150 g 110 g 100 g 75 g 50 g 40 g 20 g
Nuts, chopped 150 g 110 g 100 g 75 g 50 g 40 g 20 g
Nuts, ground 120 g 90 g 80 g 60 g 40 g 30 g 15 g
Bread crumbs, fresh, loosely packed 60 g 45 g 40 g 30 g 20 g 15 g 8 g
Bread crumbs, dry 150 g 110 g 100 g 75 g 50 g 40 g 20 g
Parmesan cheese, grated 90 g 65 g 60 g 45 g 30 g 22 g 11 g
Length

Lengths may be converted with the following table. Keep in mind that 1 cm = 10 mm.

Length Conversions
Customary quantity Metric equivalent
1/8 inch 3 mm
1/4 inch 6 mm
1/2 inch 13 mm
3/4 inch 19 mm
1 inch 2.5 cm
2 inches 5 cm
3 inches 7.6 cm
4 inches 10 cm
5 inches 13 cm
6 inches 15 cm
7 inches 18 cm
8 inches 20 cm
9 inches 23 cm
10 inches 25 cm
11 inches 28 cm
12 inches or 1 foot

ven

Sun, May 11 2014, 4:50 am

thats just great thanks for the chart !

ImaMum

Sun, May 11 2014, 5:32 am

Hey, thanks so much for the quick replies.

I know I can google how to convert each time but I just really wondered how you actually measure, so that I dont have to convert each time!

Dr Mum mentioned using measuring cups, is that what most of you use?

Like when for example a challah recipe has loads of cups of flour or something to be able to take challah, do you measure 1 cup loads of times? And as mentioned on another thread, do you sift each cup?

Or when you make a salad dressing and it has 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup oil or whatever, how do you measure this?!

Hope this makes sense..!

Thanks Very Happy

Rubber Ducky

Sun, May 11 2014, 5:59 am

I have a salad dressing glass bottle with ounce increments on the side that I use for that.

I usually measure oils and liquids (and some solids) in a Pyrex measuring cup. Pyrex cleans easily and I have more than 1 size (1-cup and 3-cup).

I keep measuring scoops in my sugar and flour. They hold 1 cup and have markings for smaller amounts.

And I have metal and also plastic measuring cups in various sizes. Good for measuring mayo and shortening as well as small amounts of sugar and flour.

busydev

Sun, May 11 2014, 6:08 am

yeah measuring cups/spoons.
if I wasnt on my phone I would post a link, but im sure ppl can (target or bed bath and beyond would have examples for you to see.)

imasoftov

Sun, May 11 2014, 7:39 am

busydev wrote:

yeah measuring cups/spoons.

this

DrMom

Sun, May 11 2014, 8:02 am

ImaMum wrote:

I don't understand the question. If your measuring cup capacity = 1 cup, and your rcipe calls for 4 cups, fill it up 4x. If you have a larger measuring cup (say, 2 cups), fill it up 2x.

There are markings on the side of the cup showing 1/2 or 1/4-cup increments, so you use those for 1/2 cup mayo, etc.

What am I missing? Question

nylon

Sun, May 11 2014, 8:26 am

Americans have 2 kinds of measuring cups: liquid, which are the same as European measuring jugs except they have both cups and ml on them, and dry cups for sugar, flour, etc. Don't measure flour in a jug. It's safer to convert it to grams. A dry cup is exactly 1 cup (or 1/2 cup, etc) and you scoop and level with a knife. Flour already varies in terms of grams per cup depending on how you put it in; trying to eyeball it with a line off a measuring jug is guaranteed to make it off when you bake.

I hate using measuring cups and got used to baking by weight (it's becoming increasingly popular in the USA for baking) so I convert all my recipes and they work fine. I can do it in my head now.

If you want American style cups Lakeland have them: http://www.lakeland.co.uk/4338.....-Cups (my SIL bought a set like this for American recipes)

amother

Sun, May 11 2014, 8:37 am

I have american cups and live in the uk, they are available everywhere, argos, john lewis or amazon, or kosher kingdom in red/green and blue if you are so inclined! They are cheap and take up very little room, so not like buying a kenwood.

Personally I find it easier to just use cups, but sometimes convert, I google it each time Very Happy

amother

Sun, May 11 2014, 8:40 am

I get that it's more precise to measure dry ingredients by weight but how exactly is it easier or neater?
And what difference does it make for liquids if you're going according to the Imperial or metric measurement? In both cases the liquid needs to be transferred to a measuring cup, no?

zaq

Sun, May 11 2014, 11:22 am

There are two different types of measuring cups: dry and liquid. Dry ingredients are measured in cups that look like miniature saucepans. One spoons the ingredients into the cup (usually sold in sets of 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 cup, sometimes also 1/8 cup) and then "levels" the measure by sliding a straightedge like the flat of a knife blade along the top to ensure that the cup is full to the rim but not over. For some ingredients like brown sugar one packs the ingredient into the cup, but for flour one simply spoons lightly without pressing down.

measuring spoons are used the same way, both for solid and liquid ingredients, though one doesn't "level" liquids.

For liquids one uses a clear measuring cup with markings on the side. One fills the cup to the desired measure and holds it up to eye level to make sure the level is correct. Liquids in glass containers have a "meniscus" which means the surface curves a bit as the liquid "climbs" the sides of the container. One reads the bottom of the meniscus, not the top. Water in plastic does not have this.

http://chemistry.about.com/od/.....s.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_g0U3vxr18

Smart people figure out that you measure oil first and then honey or other sticky materials; the oil helps the honey slide out in its entirety. One also measures sugar before cocoa because the sugar will slide out in its entirety and leave the cup or spoon clean while the cocoa will stick and contaminate any overage.

Yes. you do measure out individual cups over and over, which, if you;re used to weighing and just pouring out of the container onto the scale, does seem very inefficient. However, one can learn conversions. I would never measure out 12 tablespoons of cocoa, for example, because I know that 12 T. equals 3/4 cup. I still have to measure twice: 1/2 c. plus 1/4 c.

I can see where weighing would be less work, certainly require washing fewer utensils, and the real pros usually weigh. You can readily convert recipes you want to try by either using conversion charts, or, better yet, custom-converting by measuring out the volumes and weighing them on your scale.

ImaMum

Sun, May 11 2014, 1:48 pm

Hi All

Thanks for taking the time to explain.

It does seem to be more work (and washing up!) measuring multiple cups rather than a set weight on a scale, and I would have thought a weight would be more accurate than cups.

In anycase, thanks for the links, I will purchase myself some measuring cups and see how I go!

Thumbs Up

Mrs Bissli

Sun, May 11 2014, 3:18 pm

Just for your info, I try to measure all dry ingredients first before using my measuring cups/spoons on liquid items. I normally use just one measuring cup. There are cookbooks that have conversion tables on the back, some of my recipes have dual measurements (as in x grm /y cups sugar).

allrgymama

Sun, May 11 2014, 3:31 pm

If you really want to do it the right way, you would use a liquid measuring cup for liquids and a solid measuring cup for solids.

A liquid measuring cup has a spout at the end and the solid cups usually come on a ring together and are flat on top.

When measuring flour, make sure to 'fluff' it first.

I don't measure my flour first because I have a five pound recipe and I buy 5 lb bags of flour and just dump the whole thing in. When I used to sift, I sifted as much at a time as fit into my sifter.

amother

Mon, May 12 2014, 1:56 am

I use the smallest increment cup multiple times, to save on washing up! And I use my dry cup measures to measure liquid as well. It seems to work out fine, challah, baking etc have never been a problem. So usually I just need to wash up a one cup and a quarter cup measure, nothing else. Really not a biggie when I also have several bowls and other utensils to wash. You must need to wash up whatever you measure in?

When I read about it my head kind of explodes, so I'm just going to keep doing what it do, which is easy and works.

Raisin

Mon, May 12 2014, 3:57 am

I use a large pyrex glass jug that has oz, ml, and cups shown on the side. It fits around 3 cups in. I know it is not correct, but I use it for both wet and dry ingredients and most stuff comes out fine.

I also have scales that I use for recipes that come with weights. For some reason, I don't have mazel with scales, mine keep breaking. (and they are not cheap ones) Both the battery and manual type. I think I am on scale number 8 by now...

I find cups easier to use for small quantities.

For large recipes it is easier to figure out the weight. My challa recipe is 5lbs and much easier to weigh out 5lbs (flour comes in 2kg bags) then measure out 20 cups.

greenfire

Mon, May 12 2014, 8:12 am

http://www.amazon.com/MIU-Fran.....+cups

I have a measuring cup set ... similar to this ... I keep the 1/2 cup in my sugar canister & the whole cup in my flour canister ... so I never need to measure these out ...

makes for ease in baking ... less thinking involved [then again I just throw things together]