Q:How can I cut a recipe in half?
How can I cut a recipe in half?
A:The simplest method -- reducing all ingredients by half -- works for most recipes, particularly ones that don't require much precision or chemistry, like soups, stews, casseroles, and simple sauces. Example: If the recipe calls for one cup of a liquid or dry ingredient, reduce the amount to a half cup. (Be sure you're using liquid and dry measuring cups for the appropriate ingredients.) ORIGINAL (HALF) 1 cup (1/2 cup)3/4 cup (1/4 cup + 2 Tbl.) 2/3 cup (1/3 cup) 1/2 cup (1/4 cup) 1/3 cup (2 Tbl. + 2 tsp.)1/4 cup (2 Tbl.) 3 Tbl. (1 Tbl. + 1 1/2 tsp.) 2 Tbl. (1 Tbl.) 1 Tbl. (1 1/2 tsp.) When you're baking or preparing any dish that requires more precision to cook properly, you might have to convert the recipe based on the weight of the ingredients. Measuring by weight is more accurate than measuring by volume. For example, one cup of flour weighs approximately 4.25 ounces. To cut the recipe in half, you should weigh out 2.12 ounces of flour. Want to cut by more than half? If you know the end weight or quantity of a recipe you want to cut, you can also scale the ingredients using a simple conversion calculation. Example: The recipe makes eight cups of spaghetti sauce, but you only want to make three cups.
Step 1: Divide the new amount by the old (for example, 3 ÷ 8=.375)
Step 2: Multiply all ingredients in the recipe by the conversion number (in this case, .375). EGGS: If the cut recipe requires less than one large egg, beat the egg until the yolk and white are blended. Let the bubbles settle, then measure out two tablespoons. SALT, PEPPER & SPICES: Use a scant half of the original amount when measuring seasonings for a recipe you cut in half, then adjust seasonings to taste. (It's easier to add than to subtract.)TEMPERATURE: Use the original temperature recommended in the recipe.TIME: Cooking time will not be exactly half the time listed in the recipe. It is usually more than half. Example: If the original recipe says to bake for one hour, the actual cooking time for the smaller recipe might be around 40 to 45 minutes.
The simplest method -- reducing all ingredients by half -- works for most recipes, particularly ones that don't require much precision or chemistry, like soups, stews, casseroles, and simple sauces.
Example: If the recipe calls for one cup of a liquid or dry ingredient, reduce the amount to a half cup. (Be sure you're using liquid and dry measuring cups for the appropriate ingredients.)
ORIGINAL (HALF) 1 cup (1/2 cup)3/4 cup (1/4 cup + 2 Tbl.) 2/3 cup (1/3 cup) 1/2 cup (1/4 cup) 1/3 cup (2 Tbl. + 2 tsp.)1/4 cup (2 Tbl.) 3 Tbl. (1 Tbl. + 1 1/2 tsp.) 2 Tbl. (1 Tbl.) 1 Tbl. (1 1/2 tsp.)
When you're baking or preparing any dish that requires more precision to cook properly, you might have to convert the recipe based on the weight of the ingredients. Measuring by weight is more accurate than measuring by volume. For example, one cup of flour weighs approximately 4.25 ounces. To cut the recipe in half, you should weigh out 2.12 ounces of flour.
Want to cut by more than half? If you know the end weight or quantity of a recipe you want to cut, you can also scale the ingredients using a simple conversion calculation.
Example: The recipe makes eight cups of spaghetti sauce, but you only want to make three cups.
- Step 1: Divide the new amount by the old (for example, 3 ÷ 8=.375)
- Step 2: Multiply all ingredients in the recipe by the conversion number (in this case, .375).
EGGS: If the cut recipe requires less than one large egg, beat the egg until the yolk and white are blended. Let the bubbles settle, then measure out two tablespoons.
SALT, PEPPER & SPICES: Use a scant half of the original amount when measuring seasonings for a recipe you cut in half, then adjust seasonings to taste. (It's easier to add than to subtract.)
TEMPERATURE: Use the original temperature recommended in the recipe.
TIME: Cooking time will not be exactly half the time listed in the recipe. It is usually more than half. Example: If the original recipe says to bake for one hour, the actual cooking time for the smaller recipe might be around 40 to 45 minutes.
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FAQs
If you're sautéing or searing a halved recipe, keep the heat and cook time the same but size down your pan. If you're cooking a halved recipe in the oven, keep the oven temperature the same but size down your cooking vessel and reduce the cook time by 1/3 — but check on it as you go.
How do you cut cooking measurements in half? ›
How to cut a recipe in half easily.
- ½ of 1 cup = ½ cup.
- ½ of ¾ cup = 6 tablespoons.
- ½ of ⅔ cup = ⅓ cup.
- ½ of ½ cup = ¼ cup.
- ½ of ⅓ cup = 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons.
- ½ of ¼ cup = 2 tablespoons.
- ½ of 1 tablespoon = 1½ teaspoons.
Breaking everything down into tablespoons and teaspoons makes dividing measurements a little easier and helpful to know what cup measurements are made of.
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons.
- 3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons.
- 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons.
- 1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.
- 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons.
- 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons.
Your best bet is to lightly whisk the whole egg in a small bowl until incorporated and then measure out half the amount. Generally, half a large egg is 2 tablespoons (or if you have a scale, a vastly more accurate 25g).
What happens if you cook half and half? ›
Can you boil half and half? No: there isn't enough fat for the mixture to stay hom*ogenized, and you'll end up with curdles. It's best to add the half and half as the last ingredient when your soup or sauce is finished. Then heat it gradually to a simmer to ensure that the half and half doesn't curdle.
Does half and half thicken when heated? ›
Half-and-half can be incorporated in recipes, but because of the lower fat content, it cannot be used to make whipped cream since it won't hold its peaks. It also won't thicken a sauce the way that heavy or whipping cream does. Half-and-half is commonly used as a coffee creamer.
How do you split 3 4 teaspoons in half? ›
To find half of 3/4 teaspoon, you can simply divide the fraction by 2, which involves dividing the numerator (the top number, which is 3) by 2 while keeping the denominator (the bottom number, which is 4) the same. This results in 3/8 teaspoon, as 3/4 divided by 2 equals 3/8.
What is the cut in method recipe? ›
Often a recipe will call for you to "cut in" butter or shortening—usually when making biscuits, scones, or some other pastry that needs to be flaky. "Cutting in" means incorporating the butter into the flour in such a way that little lumps of the raw butter remain whole within the flour mixture.
What is a tablespoon cut in half? ›
Download Chart
| Original Amount | Half the Amount | One-Third the Amount |
|---|
| 1 tbsp | 1-1/2 tsp | 1 tsp |
| 1 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp |
| 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/8 tsp |
| 1/4 tsp | 1/8 tsp | Dash |
6 more rowsDec 27, 2021
It's a relative measurement. That means one part changes relative to each recipe that calls for it. It can be a teaspoon, an ounce, a cup, or anything else. The important thing is that each part the recipe calls for is equal to the other parts called for.
The half of half is called quarter. When we have a thing and we do 1/2 of that,it is called half. And half of the half that is 1/2*1/2 is 1/4 is called quarter.
How do you divide 3 eggs in half? ›
If a recipe calls for 3 eggs and you want to divide the recipe by 1/2, you'll need 1 1/2 eggs. The "one" part is easy—it's right there at your fingertips. The 1/2 egg can be measured out by whisking another egg and using only 1/2 of it, or by using 2 tablespoons.
What does 2 eggs separated mean in a recipe? ›
Separating eggs is a process, generally used in cooking, in which the egg yolk is removed from the egg white. This allows one part of the egg to be used without the other part, or each part to be treated in different ways. Recipes for custard call for egg yolks, for example.
What is equivalent to half an egg? ›
How Much Is Half an Egg? Most baking recipes call for a large egg, which weighs approximately 1.75 ounces without the shell. A cracked egg measures close to 1/4 cup by volume. So, half an egg will measure two tablespoons by volume or close to an ounce when weighed (.
What happens to the cooking temperature when you double a recipe? ›
And in the oven, it'll take longer to cook, say, 2 sheet pans of cookies than 1. There's simply more not-yet-oven-temperature stuff in there, initially reducing the oven's temperature more drastically. Plus more volume of stuff for that heat, once it recovers, to permeate.
What is the purpose of cutting in in baking? ›
Cutting in
This technique combines fat and flour in a way that preserves shards of fat in the mixture. These shards create a flaky, tender texture in the baked cookie by getting between the layers of flour/liquid in the dough, and keeping them separate as they bake.
Can you cook something halfway then cook it later? ›
Mar 23, 2023
Never brown or partially cook meat or poultry to refrigerate and finish later because any bacteria present would not have been destroyed. It is safe to partially cook meat and poultry in the microwave or on the stove only if the food is transferred immediately to the hot grill to finish cooking.
How does the cut of meat affects the cooking method? ›
Generally, tender cuts of meat are cooked minimally using dry-cooking methods, including grilling, sautéing, or roasting. In contrast, tough cuts are cooked with moist heat methods like simmering, stewing, and braising. Poultry, including chicken and turkey, are relatively tender and are also cooked in similar ways.
