Cooking Basics
Like any new skill, cooking takes time and practice. Learning and understanding of cooking basics will help you practice the skills you need to become a star in the kitchen.
Sharpen your cooking skills with these helpful tips:
- Start by picking a recipe and planning each step.
- TIP: Use this guide to see what fruits and vegetables are in season right now to help pick ingredients and recipes.
- Gather all the ingredients and utensils you need.
- Dry and liquid measuring cups are different from each other. Use a dry measuring cup for ingredients like flour, sugar, baking soda, or baking powder. Liquid measuring cups are for oil, water, milk, melted butter, or any other fluid.
- If you don’t have the tools above, use your hand to help measure portion sizes.
Measuring Portion Sizes
Measurement Conversion Chart:
Use this chart to reference cooking measurement equivalents. This can be used for measuring liquids in a recipe.
| 1 Tablespoon = | 3 Teaspoons | 0.5 fluid ounce |
| 1/8 Cup = | 2 Tablespoons | 1 fluid ounce |
| 1/4 Cup = | 4 Tablespoons = | 2 fluid ounces |
| 1/3 Cup = | 5 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon | 2.65 fluid ounces |
| ½ Cup = | 8 Tablespoons = | 4 fluid ounces |
| 2/3 Cup = | 10 Tablespoons + 2 Teaspoons | 5.3 fluid ounces |
| ¾ Cup = | 12 Tablespoons = | 6 fluid ounces |
| 1 Cup = | 48 Teaspoons = | 8 fluid ounces |
| 1 Cup = | 16 Tablespoons = | 8 fluid ounces |
| 1 Pint = | 2 Cups = | 16 fluid ounces |
| 1 Quart = | 4 Cups = | 32 fluid ounces |
| 1 Gallon = | 4 Quarts = | 128 fluid ounces |
Cooking Terms:
- Al Dente: Italian to describe pasta that is cooked until it offers a slight resistance to the bite.
- Baste: Foods moistened during cooking by pan drippings or by sauce for flavor and to prevent the food from drying out.
- Braise: To brown meat in a small amount of fat, then cook slowly in a covered container with a small amount of liquid.
- Broil: To cook on a grill under strong, direct heat.
- Cored: With the stem and hard center part removed.
- Cream: To stir or mix ingredients until they are soft and creamy.
- Diced: Cut up into cubes or squares about the size of dice.
- Fillet: To remove the bones from meat or fish. A fillet (or filet) is the piece after it has been boned.
- Minced: Finely chopped.
- Marinate: To allow food to stand in oil and acid mixture to add flavor or tenderize.
- A Pinch: Small amount you can pinch between your finger and thumb.
- Pitted or Seeded: With the pits or seeds removed.
- Poach: To cook food in hot liquid.
- Sauté: To cook something gently in a little oil.
- Simmer: To cook at a very gentle boil. A liquid is simmering when bubbles form slowly and break just below the surface.
- Stir Fry: To cook and stir small pieces of food quickly in a small amount of oil until just tender.
- To Taste: Taste it to see whether you want to add more or less of an ingredient.
- Toss: To mix together lightly.
Cooking Abbreviations:
c = Cup
t or tsp. = Teaspoon
T or Tbsp. or Tbs. = Tablespoon
oz. = Ounces
lb. = Pound