A memo of utensil weights
You will no doubt have come across this problem while cooking: after starting a recipe, when you already have some ingredients in a pan and have maybe cooked them, you need to know the weight of the pan's contents so that you can take half out, or add the same weight of sugar, for example.
28 K 4.6/5 (20 reviews)
Last modified on: May 9th 2011
A memo of utensil weights
This would be much simpler if you could just weigh the full pan, but unfortunately the weight of the pan itself would be counted by the scales and mess up the sums.
A precise example: you weigh the pan which registers 750 grams, but this 750 grams is the weight of the contents + the weight of the pan itself (which, of course, you don't know).
There are two solutions to this problem:
1) You pour the contents into another empty pan on the scales, which you set to zero (if you have adjustable or add-and-weigh scales), but this has two disadvantages: it makes more washing up for nothing and it wastes time.
2) You consult your memo of utensil weights. This is a little document which contains the weight of each of your utensils.
Going back to our earlier example, the full pan weighs 750g and it weighs 350g empty; conclusion: the contents weigh 750 – 350 = 400g! No extra washing up, just a simple subtraction which takes no more than 10 seconds.
Obviously, you need to keep this memo to hand, and of course, you need to have made it beforehand. So it's worth spending a little time weighing your utensils (pans, moulds, tins, bowls, other containers…) and noting the weight carefully for each one.
With this system, there is no need to describe or name the item and no need to write the weight again as this can be read on the photo.
So, when I need to know the weight of a utensil, just a quick glance at the photo memo and I have the answer.
See what it looks like for yourself:
It doesn't really matter what method you use, the important thing is to make a note of the weight of your utensils, and to keep it handy – you will find it very useful and the hour or so it will take you to make it will be repaid in the time and washing up saved later.
A precise example: you weigh the pan which registers 750 grams, but this 750 grams is the weight of the contents + the weight of the pan itself (which, of course, you don't know).
There are two solutions to this problem:
1) You pour the contents into another empty pan on the scales, which you set to zero (if you have adjustable or add-and-weigh scales), but this has two disadvantages: it makes more washing up for nothing and it wastes time.
2) You consult your memo of utensil weights. This is a little document which contains the weight of each of your utensils.
Going back to our earlier example, the full pan weighs 750g and it weighs 350g empty; conclusion: the contents weigh 750 – 350 = 400g! No extra washing up, just a simple subtraction which takes no more than 10 seconds.
Obviously, you need to keep this memo to hand, and of course, you need to have made it beforehand. So it's worth spending a little time weighing your utensils (pans, moulds, tins, bowls, other containers…) and noting the weight carefully for each one.
Paper memo
The simplest method is just to use a sheet of paper: one column for “name” (such as "big pan"” , "blue bowl" , "glass flan dish" …) and another column for “weight” . This is simple to do and read, and once done, it can be kept in a drawer ready for use, which could be soon.Photo memo
But with a digital camera, you can do something even quicker and easier. This is how I created my utensil memo:- I weighed the utensil
- I placed it on a wipe-clean board and wrote the weight in grams large and clear
- I photographed it, checking that both the utensil and the weight could be seen clearly
- I arranged all the photos before printing them in a convenient format
With this system, there is no need to describe or name the item and no need to write the weight again as this can be read on the photo.
So, when I need to know the weight of a utensil, just a quick glance at the photo memo and I have the answer.
See what it looks like for yourself:
It doesn't really matter what method you use, the important thing is to make a note of the weight of your utensils, and to keep it handy – you will find it very useful and the hour or so it will take you to make it will be repaid in the time and washing up saved later.
Lasts posts
Oven height
When we put a dish or cake in the oven, we naturally tend to put it on the middle shelf, and that's what we usually do. But in some cases, this position and height can be a little tricky, so let's find out why.October 8th 20259535
The importance of sieving
In recipes that use a fine powder (flour, powdered sugar, etc.), you'll often see the advice to sift before using it. To sift is to pass the powder in question through a sieve (a very fine strainer) before incorporating it into your recipe. It's often advice, but is it really useful?September 3rd 20256,6653
The grease spray
As soon as you have something in a recipe that sticks to the mold, the question always arises as to how difficult it is to remove from the mold. There's nothing more frustrating than breaking your cake when unmolding it, because part of it has stuck in the mold. The classic way to avoid this is...August 26th 20256,0685
Cake moulds
When we make a cake, or a cake of the same rectangular shape, we usually take out our usual mould and tell ourselves that the recipe is anyway "for a cake", but is it really that simple?August 25th 20256,2345
Thinning out herbs
If you need to add a long-stemmed herb (tarragon, mint, verbena, thyme, etc.) to a recipe, you'll probably only need the leaves and not the stem, so you'll need to remove the leaves. Leaf removal means keeping only the beautiful leaves, and eliminating the ugly stems and leaves, but how do you do...August 8th 20254,3955
Other pages you may also like
The so-called "nervous" meats
You've probably heard this before, we're talking about "nervous" meat, or meat with nerves, to describe what is indicated by the blue arrow on the left. This is a piece of beef, and what we call a nerve is not a nerve, it is in fact collagen (chemists sometimes call it a "collagen sink"), a...April 16th 202135 K4.5
Fruits which can ruin your jelly
There are many ways of making a fruit mousse, but one of the simplest is to prepare a fruit jelly (basically a fresh fruit coulis with gelatine) and then mix this jelly before it sets completely with whipped cream. The result is perfect for filling a charlotte, for example. But do beware;...March 6th 201377 K4.0
The right weight of pastry for a pie
Let's try to solve a thorny problem: How much dough will I need when I make my next pie? You're planning to make a pie, you're going to use your favourite mould or circle, but how much pastry will you need to fill it completely with a well spread pastry, without being too thin, or on the contrary...March 20th 202066 K4.3
What happens to the bread when you make it?
This bread that we eat every day, and that our baker makes for us, what happens during its manufacture so that it becomes bread? I will try to answer this question, and to summarize the complex alchemy that takes place.May 28th 202114 K4.9
Well-cooked meat
Have you ever noticed that if you like your meat well done, it invites strange looks? For instance, in a restaurant, when asked “How would you like that cooked?” If you reply, “Well done,” it is almost as if you are swearing….May 21th 201133 K 14.4
Post a comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.