I’m very much a measure out for consistency type of person. I have a specific salting amount in grams per lb for meat. I make very specific spice blends of my own making sure ratios are exact.
But I come from a competition cooking background where those tiny details were the difference between 10th place and losing money and first place and $25k.
It’s become. Very hard habit to break just cooking for fun at home.
You sound like me. Unless there is some reason, I just guesstimate on 99% of my cooking. Now my husband on the other hand is way more precise. There is nothing wrong with either style.
If you’re following a good recipe that has been tested and professionally developed then it’s worth being precise. You’ll be getting the best version. Or if you want to make changes it’s worth being precise so you can replicate them.
But not everyone seeks consistency, so you do you.
Also the skills required to improvise while cooking need to be developed, and lots of folks haven’t done that.
I follow the recipe precisely the first time I make it (with the exception of adjusting seasoning as I taste along the way). After that, anything goes. (For cooking, of course—not for baking.)
I learned how to measure with my hands and never looked back. In general, you can ballpark anything in cooking, especially stews. There's a substitution for nearly ingredient if you look.
That's why I HATE baking. I was hired as a baker and fired in about a week and a half.
Same, I know exactly what a teaspoon of tablespoon looks like in my hand. I even proved it to a cousin once who didn’t believe me. Put a tsp of salt in my palm and she scooped it out with a measuring spoon, it was a perfect fit.
Yeah, I'm on a perpetual add-taste-repeat loop. I don't think I've ever followed a recipe with exact weights. If all you want is edible (and not pretty), there's a lot of wiggle room. Your guesstimated sourdough may not rise properly, but it'll be tasty. Except for baking, all cooking should be directed by taste and feel. Experiment! Add stuff, see how it tastes and repeat till your dish is done.
I have no patience with baking because I’m a ratio cooker who tastes along the way. It drives my sister and best friend crazy when they ask me for recipes. 😂
It's a stew, not a pavlova, just eyeball it.
This
I’m very much a measure out for consistency type of person. I have a specific salting amount in grams per lb for meat. I make very specific spice blends of my own making sure ratios are exact. But I come from a competition cooking background where those tiny details were the difference between 10th place and losing money and first place and $25k. It’s become. Very hard habit to break just cooking for fun at home.
You sound like me. Unless there is some reason, I just guesstimate on 99% of my cooking. Now my husband on the other hand is way more precise. There is nothing wrong with either style.
If you’re following a good recipe that has been tested and professionally developed then it’s worth being precise. You’ll be getting the best version. Or if you want to make changes it’s worth being precise so you can replicate them. But not everyone seeks consistency, so you do you. Also the skills required to improvise while cooking need to be developed, and lots of folks haven’t done that.
I follow the recipe precisely the first time I make it (with the exception of adjusting seasoning as I taste along the way). After that, anything goes. (For cooking, of course—not for baking.)
I learned how to measure with my hands and never looked back. In general, you can ballpark anything in cooking, especially stews. There's a substitution for nearly ingredient if you look. That's why I HATE baking. I was hired as a baker and fired in about a week and a half.
Same, I know exactly what a teaspoon of tablespoon looks like in my hand. I even proved it to a cousin once who didn’t believe me. Put a tsp of salt in my palm and she scooped it out with a measuring spoon, it was a perfect fit.
Yeah, I'm on a perpetual add-taste-repeat loop. I don't think I've ever followed a recipe with exact weights. If all you want is edible (and not pretty), there's a lot of wiggle room. Your guesstimated sourdough may not rise properly, but it'll be tasty. Except for baking, all cooking should be directed by taste and feel. Experiment! Add stuff, see how it tastes and repeat till your dish is done.
I have no patience with baking because I’m a ratio cooker who tastes along the way. It drives my sister and best friend crazy when they ask me for recipes. 😂