Eyeball it or exact measurements?

Rosyrain

Rosyrain

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When you use herbs and spices in your cooking do you pull out measuring spoons and measure exactly what the recipe calls for, or do you eyeball the measurements? I typically eyeball the measurements and use the quantity that feels right unless I am working with a brand new recipe.
 
herbs and spices are an individual taste so i would do it by eye,but in pastry dishes i would use measurements
 
That's a good one. I use a set of measuring spoons that I have had donkeys years if I am following a recipe first time around. I still use them all the other times, but I'll be less careful as to how heaped a teaspoon is etc once I know how a recipe tastes and have modified it to our tastes.

As for baking, ironically I know that 7 very heaped dessert spoons (as in as much as you can get on them heaped) equals 8oz of flour so won't bother weighing that out at all!
 
I always weigh stuff out, I'm ot the best judge of weight and volume and have wrecked a few dishes in my time by not bothering to get the scales out.
 
I eyeball most measurements when cooking. A few times I have over applied the salt shaker but most of the time I am right on.
 
All my recipes that I am cooking had been cooked into many trial and error until I came up with the right taste and I had copies of all my final recipes with exact measurement of cups and spoons. So I just follow it and I do not eyeball when it comes to measuring herbs and spices for my recipes.
 
I don't use measuring cups that often, and if I do, I usually use only the 1 cup one and just fill it up about 1/3 or 1/2 if I need those amounts. I prefer eyeballing it because I am going to adjust the recipe anyway. I kind of like that there is some variation in things from time to time when I make them because of this. Surprises can be fun and I learn a lot from it.
 
I eyeball it most of the time, since I don't have any measuring equipment in my kitchen. When I was on exchange in Sweden I did have a measuring cup though, and only found it useful when I baked (probably because baking requires exact measurements more than savory cooking in my experience)
 
After I have made a recipe once, it will never be the same again after that, and most of the time I do not bother with the measuring spoon as I have developed an eye for measurements. If I am baking something, I almost always pull out the spoons and do exact measurements because it is too easy to mess up a baked product.
 
When it comes to spices, I do not worry with measurements, I just average everything out. There may be times when I would put more of something and other times when I would put less. I find that if the spice is nearing the end, I would put a little less than usual. If it is a full bottle, I tend to dust out a little more. I think the amount of spice used is an individual thing. Some people like their food highly seasoned, while others don't.
 
I use the eyeball method with pretty much ALL cooking related measurements. I don't think cooking is or should be an exact science, so I never bother with the small details. If I'm following a recipe then I do take a look at all the different amounts but like I said, just eyeball it and it's definitely close enough.
 
crimsonghost747 said:
I use the eyeball method with pretty much ALL cooking related measurements. I don't think cooking is or should be an exact science, so I never bother with the small details. If I'm following a recipe then I do take a look at all the different amounts but like I said, just eyeball it and it's definitely close enough.
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I agree, I think the main thing is not to put too much straight away, because you might end up with an overspiced dish. I find that what chefs do is they add spices as they taste. So if you taste it and it needs more salt, THEN you salt a little. Recipes are not made for every person's palate, you really do have to season it to your own preference
 
In the beginning I religiously measured it out but it didn't always suited my tastes, the final product. So I tend to measure the said amount out for the recipe but if it is something I love, I add a little more than the recipe is calling for. That works perfectly for me.
 
I pretty much do as I like in my kitchen when it comes to cooking and it never really involves measuring. I am trying hard to think about when last I measured anything and it's not coming to mind. Definitely with cooking I use my better judgement and taste as I go along. When it comes to baking, that's another story. I have to measure if I want success.
 
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