How to Convert Dry Unit Measurements

Chefs know that converting between units of measurements is often necessary when scaling recipes up and down. Dry measurements and liquid measurements are not the same. For example, there are cups in dry measure and cups in liquid measure, but they aren't equivalent.

Instructions

1. Measure large quantities according to the relationship between cups to bushels as follows: 1 bushel = 4 pecks = 8 gallons = 32 quarts = 64 pints = 128 cups. Recipes, such as jams and jellies, which quote ingredient quantities in dry measurements, will probably fall into one of these values.

2. Equate small quantities such as are used in baking or in the kitchen by the following: 1 pint = 1/2 quart = 2 cups = 16 oz. = 32 tbsps = 96 tsps. Using these equalities, you should be able to convert any measurement given into a different unit of measure.

3. Convert 1 gallon to tbsps. Select the 2 equalities that are given in Steps 2 and 3. 1 gallon = 16 cups and 1 cup = 16 tbsps. Putting these together you arrive at the answer: 1 gallon = 16 cups = 16 times 16 tbsps = 256 tbsps.

Tips & Warnings

• Always make sure you know whether you are dealing with dry measurements or liquid measurements.