Food Scales

[bakechef]

I have always used scales for cooking but recently started using cup measures. I was a bit flummoxed when confronted with measuring out "1 cup of butter". How do you measure cups in something that is neither dry (like flour and sugar), nor liquid? I suppose you have to wait for the butter to soften enough to scoop into the cup? Anyway, I thought most US recipes called for "sticks" of butter rather than cups?

All I can say is, it was messy! (But I managed).

Oh and yes, the tare feature is marvellously useful.

There are conversions for everything online! 1 cup of butter is 8 ounces, which is 2 sticks. I like weighing so that I don't have to mash things into a cup and then scrape them out and clean them.

I convert all of my recipes to weight as I use them. The trouble with older American recipes is that they are done by volume and techniques for measuring by volume have changed, what used to be scoop and level is now fluff and gently scoop into the cup and level. Weight is so much more accurate!

 

[KatyCooks]

Thanks Andy and Bakechef! (I think you are both saying the same thing?) (I'm used to grams so not entirely sure!)

And yes, butter is definitely easier to measure by weight!

 

[bakechef]

Thanks Andy and Bakechef! (I think you are both saying the same thing?) (I'm used to grams so not entirely sure!)

And yes, butter is definitely easier to measure by weight!

I like grams, even more accurate! Most scales do both, so I'm covered either way!

 

[KatyCooks]

I like grams, even more accurate! Most scales do both, so I'm covered either way!

We are as one on this subject bakechef!

But I'm still glad I got a set of cup measures - apart from butter, it means I can easily do US recipes without having to convert everything first.

 

[Andy M.]

Katy we are both saying the same thing. I agree grams are the best for weights but since recipes often come with volume measures (as you've disccovered), they're good to know.

 

[KatyCooks]

Katy we are both saying the same thing. I agree grams are the best for weights but since recipes often come with volume measures (as you've disccovered), they're good to know.

I thought so Andy - but when it comes to numbers I can be a bit "dyslexic"! (You'd never think I spent the last 20 years using spreadsheets and analysing sales and service levels!)

But yes, I am feeling rather smug about my set of cup measures - nobody else I know has any! (Mind you, that is probably because nobody else I know enjoys cooking...)

 

[taxlady]

1 cup of butter weighs ~227 grams.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

You looked that up, right? Otherwise you are confusing weight and volume.

Have I ever lied to you before?

If you try to Google it, you're going to find out that 2 ounces of macaroni yields 1 cup of cooked, but not how much dry. Put a 1/2 cup measure on your scale, tare it, then fill it with some pasta shape that fits in a measuring cup. Farfalle works well. So does Orecchiette.

 

[Caslon]

My small cheapo made in China scale can measure down to 6 -7 grams quite accurately. I only wish it would project the lcd output beyond itself, somehow. I end up having peeking under the dish to read the readout window, most every time.

 

[Mad Cook]

Have I ever lied to you before?

If you try to Google it, you're going to find out that 2 ounces of macaroni yields 1 cup of cooked, but not how much dry. Put a 1/2 cup measure on your scale, tare it, then fill it with some pasta shape that fits in a measuring cup. Farfalle works well. So does Orecchiette.

Oh dear, I "measure" my spaghetti by eye although I do have little gauge with three holes in it representing I, 2 or 3 portions but I don't bother with it.

Moving on to where you talk about baking with cups. I cook in ounces so the conversion isn't too much of a hassle but lately when baking I have used a cup measure to "fluff up" and scoop, then level flour to put on the scales. I never get the same measurement twice which I find very confusing.

 

[Mad Cook]

I thought so Andy - but when it comes to numbers I can be a bit "dyslexic"! (You'd never think I spent the last 20 years using spreadsheets and analysing sales and service levels!)

But yes, I am feeling rather smug about my set of cup measures - nobody else I know has any! (Mind you, that is probably because nobody else I know enjoys cooking...)

Dyslexia has a "sister" condition with number called dyscalculia. Dyscalculics have many of the same problems as dyslexics. For example, I struggle with numbers, confuse left and right (when setting the table I have to actually hold each knife and fork as I would when eating with them, in order to lay them the right way round and I have friends who won't let me navigate when we are travelling), can't follow a charted knitting pattern although I have no problems when the pattern is written out in words and when reading a map I have to have the direction of the map pointing in the direction I'm moving - so the map is often upside down! Oddly enough I don't have problems with spread sheets either.

Dyscalculia can present on its own but is occasionally combined with dyslexia and dyspraxia (a specific speech disability). In most cases dyscalculia is not connected with low intellectual development although it can be.

 

[taxlady]

Oh dear, I "measure" my spaghetti by eye although I do have little gauge with three holes in it representing I, 2 or 3 portions but I don't bother with it.

Moving on to where you talk about baking with cups. I cook in ounces so the conversion isn't too much of a hassle but lately when baking I have used a cup measure to "fluff up" and scoop, then level flour to put on the scales. I never get the same measurement twice which I find very confusing.

Don't use Imperial ounces for US recipes, they aren't the same size.

Not getting the same weight consistently for flour by volume is why weight is more accurate. Depending on, among other things, humidity, the flour will fluff or pack together more.

 

[Andy M.]

My small cheapo made in China scale can measure down to 6 -7 grams quite accurately. I only wish it would project the lcd output beyond itself, somehow. I end up having peeking under the dish to read the readout window, most every time.

I had the same issue. Plus it's dark under there so it's hard to read the numbers for two reasons. I solved the problem by getting this. The display pulls out and lights up.

 

[GotGarlic]

I have always used scales for cooking but recently started using cup measures. I was a bit flummoxed when confronted with measuring out "1 cup of butter". How do you measure cups in something that is neither dry (like flour and sugar), nor liquid? I suppose you have to wait for the butter to soften enough to scoop into the cup? Anyway, I thought most US recipes called for "sticks" of butter rather than cups?

All I can say is, it was messy! (But I managed).

Oh and yes, the tare feature is marvellously useful.

Hi, Katie. Butter here is generally sold in a 1-pound box with the butter divided into four sticks, each separately wrapped in paper with measurements marked on the paper, so it's easy to determine how much you need. I also have a push-up measuring cup that makes it easy to measure soft, sticky items like peanut butter and honey.

 

[Mad Cook]

Don't use Imperial ounces for US recipes, they aren't the same size.

Not getting the same weight consistently for flour by volume is why weight is more accurate. Depending on, among other things, humidity, the flour will fluff or pack together more.

Don't use Imperial ounces for US recipes, they aren't the same size. I think you may be confusing fluid ounces, which are slightly different, with ounces by weight, which aren't. An ounce by weight of solids, eg butter, sugar, flour, etc., is 1/16th of a pound or approx. 28 grammes in both the USA and the UK. An imperial fluid ounce is 0.96 US fluid ounce. We only use fluid ounces for measuring liquids. There is, of course a big difference (4 ounces between the Imperial pint and the US pint (not sure, off hand, where the Canadian pint stands in this)

Not getting the same weight consistently for flour by volume is why weight is more accurate. Yes, of course. That's why we do it I've noticed on Food Network that American cooks seem to be going over to weighing for baking, presumably because of accuracy.

 

[Mad Cook]

Hi, Katie. Butter here is generally sold in a 1-pound box with the butter divided into four sticks, each separately wrapped in paper with measurements marked on the paper, so it's easy to determine how much you need. I also have a push-up measuring cup that makes it easy to measure soft, sticky items like peanut butter and honey.

I like the idea of your butter coming in stick with all that info on the wrapping paper. And the measure thingy is a fantastic idea. Measuring sticky stuff is a pain when you have to faff about with spoons and scales and mess

 

[taxlady]

Don't use Imperial ounces for US recipes, they aren't the same size. I think you may be confusing fluid ounces, which are slightly different, with ounces by weight, which aren't. An ounce by weight of solids, eg butter, sugar, flour, etc., is 1/16th of a pound or approx. 28 grammes in both the USA and the UK. An imperial fluid ounce is 0.96 US fluid ounce. We only use fluid ounces for measuring liquids. There is, of course a big difference (4 ounces between the Imperial pint and the US pint (not sure, off hand, where the Canadian pint stands in this)

Not getting the same weight consistently for flour by volume is why weight is more accurate. Yes, of course. That's why we do it I've noticed on Food Network that American cooks seem to be going over to weighing for baking, presumably because of accuracy.

Canada used to use Imperial measure, but switched to metric in the '70s. Beer is still sometimes sold in Imperial pints, but not much else.

I was thinking fluid measure and yes the ounces are close, I guess I was thinking more of pints/quarts/gallons, which are noticeably different. And of course, the number of ounces in a US fluid quart isn't the same as in an Imperial quart.

I only mentioned measuring flour by volume because you wrote, "... lately when baking I have used a cup measure to "fluff up" and scoop, then level flour to put on the scales. I never get the same measurement twice which I find very confusing."

 

[AlisonC]

I had the same issue. Plus it's dark under there so it's hard to read the numbers for two reasons. I solved the problem by getting this. The display pulls out and lights up.

Andy, I have the same scale and love it! Really good product.