Chapter 5 · Measuring, recipes and mise en place
5.4 Reference: measurement and conversion tables
The tables below are for looking up, not memorizing. Use the first table when you need an exact conversion, and the rounded tables for quick kitchen work.
Exact conversions
| Start from | To find | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| ounces | grams | 28.35 |
| pounds | kilograms | 0.45 |
| grams | ounces | 0.035 |
| kilograms | pounds | 2.2 |
| teaspoons | milliliters | 5.0 |
| tablespoons | milliliters | 15.0 |
| fluid ounces | milliliters | 29.57 |
| milliliters | fluid ounces | 0.034 |
| cups | liters | 0.24 |
| pints | liters | 0.47 |
| quarts | liters | 0.95 |
| gallons | liters | 3.785 |
Mass and volume factors.
For temperature, there are two rules. To change Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32 first, then multiply by 5/9. To change Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply by 9/5 first, then add 32.
Rounded weights
| Grams | Ounces | Pounds |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1 | |
| 120 | 4 | |
| 240 | 8 | |
| 480 | 16 | 1 |
| 960 | 32 | 2 |
| 1,000 (1 kg) | 36 | 2¼ |
Rounded for quick use.
Rounded volumes
| Kitchen measure | Milliliters | Fluid ounces |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ teaspoon | 1 | 1/24 |
| ½ teaspoon | 2 | 1/12 |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 | 1/6 |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 | ½ |
| 1 cup | 240 | 8 |
| 2 cups (1 pint) | 480 | 16 |
| 4 cups (1 quart) | 960 | 32 |
| 4 quarts (1 gallon) | 3.75 liters | 128 |
Rounded for quick use.
Temperature landmarks
| Celsius | Fahrenheit |
|---|---|
| 0° | 32° |
| 50° | 122° |
| 100° | 212° |
Three temperatures worth knowing on both scales.
Figure 5.4Two temperature scales
Useful equivalents
| Item | Equal to |
|---|---|
| 1 gallon | 4 quarts, or 8 pints, or 16 cups, or 128 fluid ounces |
| 1 coffee cup | usually about 6 fluid ounces |
| 1 standard measuring cup | 8 fluid ounces |
| 1 "fifth" bottle | about 1½ pints (exactly 26.5 fluid ounces) |
| white of 1 large egg | about 1 ounce on average |
| juice of 1 lemon | 1 to 1¼ fluid ounces |
| juice of 1 orange | 3 to 3½ fluid ounces |
Equivalents for planning and buying.
Figure 5.5What makes a gallon
Scoop sizes
| Scoop number | Portions per quart | One level scoop holds |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6 | 2/3 cup |
| 8 | 8 | 1/2 cup |
| 10 | 10 | 2/5 cup |
| 12 | 12 | 1/3 cup |
| 16 | 16 | 1/4 cup |
| 20 | 20 | 3 1/5 tablespoons |
| 24 | 24 | 2 2/3 tablespoons |
| 30 | 30 | 2 1/5 tablespoons |
| 40 | 40 | 1 3/5 tablespoons |
Level measures for each scoop.
Ladle sizes
| Ladle holds | Share of a cup | Ladlefuls in a liter | Ladlefuls in a quart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 fl. oz. | 1/8 | 34 | 32 |
| 2 fl. oz. | 1/4 | 17 | 16 |
| 2 2/3 fl. oz. | 1/3 | 13 | 12 |
| 4 fl. oz. | 1/2 | 8.6 | 8 |
| 6 fl. oz. | 3/4 | 5.7 | 5 1/3 |
Ladle portions.
Canned goods
| Can size | Average weight | Cups per can (average) | Cans in a case |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. ¼ | 4 oz. | 1/2 | 1 or 2 dozen |
| No. 300 | 14 oz. | 1 3/4 | 1 or 2 dozen |
| No. 1 tall (No. 303) | 16 oz. | 2 | 2 or 4 dozen |
| No. 2 | 20 oz. | 2 1/2 | 2 dozen |
| No. 2½ | 28 oz. | 3 1/2 | 2 dozen |
| No. 3 | 33 oz. | 4 | 2 dozen |
| No. 3 cylinder | 46 oz. | 5 2/3 | 1 dozen |
| No. 5 | 3 lb. 8 oz. | 5 1/2 | 1 dozen |
| No. 10 | 6 lb. 10 oz. | 13 | 6 |
Common can sizes.
Sources
This chapter is written from these open textbooks:
- Culinary Foundations — Cheramie & Thibodeaux, Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, Nicholls StateCC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- Basic Scientific Food Preparation Lab Manual — Dept. of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State UniversityCC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- Introduction to Baking and Pastries — Rink & Thibodeaux, Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, Nicholls StateCC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- Fruits, Vegetables and Farinaceous Products — Thibodeaux & Bienvenu, Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, Nicholls StateCC BY-NC-SA 4.0