Conversions

"A home cook who relies too much on a recipe is sort of like a pilot who reads the plane’s instruction manual while flying."

-Alton Brown

This section is just a list of some helpful conversions. You can reference it as you cook and, I'd imagine, eventually memorize them so you won't even need to reference them. This kind of information is so useful to know, and I feel like it makes cooking a lot easier. For example, I often come across recipes that call for something like a half tablespoon. I do not have a half tablespoon measuring spoon, but since I know the conversion between tablespoon and teaspoon, I can still get what I need without having to eyeball it. Additionally, knowing, for example, how many tablespoons make up a cup, with some basic math you can figure out how many equal a quarter cup, and save yourself from having to dirty up additional dishes as you go. I'm pretty notorious for checking out the smallest unit of measure in a recipe and using just that one spoon or cup as long as it is reasonable. Something calls for a half teaspoon of an herb, two teaspoons of some spices, a tablespoon of something else, and a quarter cup of something on top of that? You can bet that I am only using the half tablespoon to measure everything out, at least up until that quarter cup issue (and sometimes, even then!). Further, not everyone cooks or writes in the same measure. That shouldn't deter you from trying something new, though!

Note that I don't have all conversions here. This is for a number of reasons - some are just so specific that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Others, though, are just too nuanced for me to feel comfortable explaining it. Flour, for example, doesn't always compute well from cups to grams if you're not careful. Like I mentioned over in my pita recipe, there are some basic ways that you can switch between the two, but then there's the issue of different flours weighing different amounts based on their density. 1 cup of all purposes does not necessarily equal 1 cup of whole wheat when we're talking strict weight, here. This information is available on the web, of course, but I encourage you to defer to the experts for this - and I don't count myself amongst them.

Common Conversions to Memorize

1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

4 Tablespoons - 1/4 cup

1 teaspoon = 5 mL

1 Tablespoon = 15 mL

1 Tablespoon = 1/2 fluid ounce

1 fluid ounce = 1/8 cup

1 cup = 250 mL

1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

1 cup = 1/2 pint

1 pint = 500 mL

2 pints = 1 quart

1 quart = 0.95 L

4 quarts = 1 gallon

1 gallon = 3.8 L

So, as a thought exercise here. Say a recipe calls for a quarter cup of oil. You're already deep into this thing, but your quarter cup measurer is dirty, still caked in something that you did the other day, and never cleaned off. No judgment, we've all done it. Problem is, your tablespoon measurer is also out of commission for some reason. So, what to do? Using the conversions above, you'll realize not all hope is lost! Since you know that four tablespoons equal that quarter cup, and three teaspoons equal one tablespoon, you can do some quick mental math to figure out that twelve tablespoons (3 tsp x 4 Tbsp) will also equal that quarter cup. Might take some time to measure out, but you're still well on your way!

Below are some additional, helpful conversions for your referencing pleasure. Expect to see more things added to this list as they occur to me. And for sure know that this is not an exhaustive list. Just those that come to mind most often while I'm in the kitchen.

Common Weight Conversions

4 ounces = 1/4 pound

16 ounces = 1 pound

1 ounce = 28 grams

1/4 pound = 113 grams

1/3 pound = 150 g

3/4 pound = 340 grams

1 pound = 450 grams

2 pounds = 900 grams

Common Metric Conversions

1 teaspoon = 5 mL

1 Tablespoon or 1/2 fluid ounce = 15 mL

1 fluid ounce or 1/8 cup = 30 mL

2 fluid ounces or 1/4 cup = 60 mL

1/3 cup = 80 mL

1 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 pint = 240 mL

2 cups or 1 pint or 16 fluid ounces = 475 mL

4 cups or 2 pints or 1 quart = 950 mL

4 quarts or 1 galon = 3.8 L