Cooking is a true art and requires a lot of measuring to get a recipe just right. Whether you are a sous chef, a home chef or a world-renowned chef, you’ll want to have these 20 essential cooking charts, measurements, conversions & equivalents in your back pocket.

How to Half a Recipe

1 cup halved is ½ cup
¾ cup halved is 6 tablespoons
2/3 cups halved is 1/3 cup
½ cup halved is ¼ cup
1/3 cup halved is 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
¼ cup halved is 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon halved is 1 ½ teaspoon
1 teaspoon halved is ½ teaspoon
½ teaspoon halved is ¼ teaspoon

Veggie Cooking

Tips for steaming vegetables:

Asparagus 8-10 minutes
Brussels Sprouts 8-10 minutes
Broccoli 5-6 minutes
Cabbage 5-8 minutes
Cauliflower 3-5 minutes
Sliced carrots 4-5 minutes
Corn on the cob 4-7 minutes
Mushrooms 4-5 minutes
Potatoes 10-12 minutes

Mass & Volume Equivalents

16 ounces = 1 pound
1 lb of all purpose flour = 4 cups
1 lb butter = 2 cups
1 lb granulated sugar = 2 ¼ cups
1 lb cornstarch = 3 ¼ cups
1 lb honey = 1 1/3 cups

Vegan Egg Substitutions

These can be substituted for one egg:

½ banana mashed
2 tbs peanut butter
¼ applesauce
2 tbs baking powder + 2 tbs water + 1 tbs oil

Meat Cooking Temperatures

Beef

Rare 120 degrees – 125 degrees
Medium-rare 130 degrees – 135 degrees
Medium 140 degrees – 145 degrees
Medium-well 150 degrees – 155 degrees
Well done 160 degrees+

Poultry

Chicken & Turkey 165 degrees – 175 degrees

Pork

150 degrees

Best Apples for Baking

-McIntosh

-Braeburn

-Rome Beauty

-Granny Smith

How to Stack a Smoothie in the Blender

Liquids
Solids
Frozen
Greens

What to Refrigerate or Keep at Room Temperature

Refrigerate

Beans
Berries
Apples
Broccoli
Carrots
Celery
Cherries
Grapes
Jalapenos
Leafy Greens
Zucchini
Eggplant

Room Temperature

Avocados
Bananas
Apricots
Citrus
Garlic
Kiwi
Melons
Onions
Pears
Peaches
Pineapple
Potatoes

Tablespoons to grams

1 tablespoon salt = 20 g
1 tablespoon flour = 10 g
1 tablespoon rice = 15 g
1 tablespoon grated cheese = 8 g
1 tablespoon cocoa powder = 7 g
1 tablespoon butter = 15 g
1 tablespoon honey = 10 g
1 tablespoon granulated sugar = 15 g
1 tablespoon sifted icing sugar = 8 g
1 tablespoon dry breadcrumbs = 12 g
1 tablespoon oil = 14 g

Types of Cuts

Batonnet ~ 1/2”x1/2”x3”
Medium Dice ~ ½”x1/2”x1/2”
Allumette ~ ¼”x1/4”x2”
Small Dice ~ ¼”x1/4”x1/4”
Julienne ~ 1/8”x1/8”x2”
Brunoise ~ 1/8”x1/8”x1/8”

Flavors

Alkalize Celery, Kale, Cucumber, Red Pepper, Spinach

Healing Herbs Mint, Watercress, Cilantro, Parsley, Dill

Sweeten Apples, Pears, Beets, Carrots

Detox Lemon, Broccoli, Dandelion, Garlic

Freezer Storage Times

Meat

Steaks: 6-12 months
Chops: 4-6 months
Joints: 9-12 months
Mince: 3-4 months
Bacon: 1 month
Sausages: 1-2 months
Soups: 4 months
Stock: 4-6 months
Stews: 4-6 months

Poultry

Whole: 1 month
Part: 6-9 months
Eggs (not in shell): 9 months

Fish

Lean: 6 months
Oily: 2-3 months
Breaded: 4-6 months
Cooked: 4-6 months
Smoked: 2 months
Seafood: 2 months

Dairy

Ice cream: 2 months
Yogurt: 1-2 months
Butter: 2 months
Margarine: 12 months
Yogurt: 1-2 months

Basic Foods

Pizza: 1-2 months
Veggies: 8 months
Fruit 12 months
Rice: 6 months
Flour: 12 months
Bread: 3 months
Herbs: 12+ months
Spices: 12+ months
Nuts: 9-12 months

10 Essential Cooking Tips You Should Know

Don’t overcrowd your pan
Let red meat sit before cutting it
Keep spices in a cool, dark spot
Shut the stove off before your eggs are done
Chop herbs with salt
Use pasta water to create sauce for your pasta
Always keep essentials handy (milk, butter, eggs, etc.)
Add salt to water to make it boil faster
Keep the root of an onion intact to assist with slicing
Wrap vegetables loosely in a dry paper towel and place them in a re-sealable plastic bag to keep them fresh longer.

Meg Hall is the premier Los Angeles caterer. Contact us today to discuss the menu for your next event! Keep an eye out for our next blog post for more essential cooking tips and tricks!