Converting old recipes to grams

I'm looking to convert all the measurements in my mother's recipes to grams for every ingredient. Is there a site that you like for cooking equivalent measurements so that I can simply use grams on my scale for all ingredients? Is there anything I should we aware of in dry vs. liquid ingredients for measuring in grams?

Thanks! Alex

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michaelnatkin

Hey @Aldoogie - there are definitely reference sites out there. Sometimes I use http://www.wolframalpha.com/ to quickly check a volume to weight conversion. We also plan to add volume to weight conversions on ChefSteps in the fairly near future, in the sense that you will be able to add a recipe using volume measurements and then press a single button and see it all in grams (or millileters or pounds and ounces if you are into that sort of thing).

Tim_Sutherland_52834

The way I do this is to make the recipe and weigh every ingredient as I go. If the recipe works out to my liking I keep it, if it needs improvement I add or subtract the ingredients I think need it. This is much easier to do for savory dishes as you can taste as you go. Baking recipes suck as you only find you after cooking if it worked.

Note that if your Mother has recipes that came from Commonwealth countries, the size of teaspoons, tablespoons and cups are different than those used in the US.

I also know from using some of my mother's recipes she does not follow what is written. For one muffin recipe she doubles the amount of raisins as written, because in tastes better (this was worked out the second time the recipe was made - over 40 years ago), but has never bothered to write that down because she always remembers as the recipe is made at least once a month. My Grandmother's recipes are even worse and she doesn't answer my ouija board questions.

Matthew_Snyder_68770

I saw an infographic a few weeks ago, it was like '40 maps that will help you understand the world'. One of the maps showed the countries that do not use the metric system. It was Liberia, Myanmar, and the United States.

*facepalm*

Brendan_Lee_56950

I've lived in the US for about 10 years now and the only thing I've adapted myself to is Fahrenheit and that was out of necessity. Ounces make my brain hurt more than anything though.

Tim_Sutherland_52834

Who ever thought this up was drunk, did it as a joke and they are still laughing.

3 teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon
2 Tablespoons = 1 fl oz
16 Tablespoons = 1 Cup
8 fl oz = 1 cup
2 Cups = 1 Pint
2 Pints = 1 Quart
4 Quarts = 1 Gallon (US)

The next morning with a hangover they developed the US weight system.

DiggingDogFarm_65362

It was drunk Europeans. : )

Brendan_Lee_56950

It had to be aliens.

Alex_36374

Density is the critical issue here. Not all cups are alike. You can't simply say one cup of dry something will be 226.8 grams; for example: ground almonds are 95g and Croutons are 30g per cup respectively.

Brendan_Lee_56950

I would say you are going to have to take three different measurements and average the weight and use that as "your" cup measure for every given ingredient. It'll be a pain in the ass but eventually you will be able to scale recipes accordingly.

DiggingDogFarm_65362

Yup, there's also the issue of the recipe creator's technique, some are scoopers and some are spooners when filling measuring cups, so the measurements will be different for the same ingredient. That's why Tim's suggestion is good (make the recipe and weigh every ingredient as you go.) That's the way I've always done it..

Alex_36374

Pretty big list here - http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list