Adjusting the servings: Considerations for scaling a recipe
Scaling a Recipe
You found a recipe that might be something tasty, and healthy, something you'd really like. One problem. The recipe serves 8, and there's only one or two of you. What now?...A: Scale the recipe to fit the servings needed.
Scaling a recipe is increasing or decreasing the amount of food produced by a recipe by proportionately increasing or decreasing the ingredient measurement.
Though there are no strict guidelines that govern the scaling on a recipe, there are some practical considerations that can help you be successful in your recipe portion adjustment.
Changing a recipe's yield: Points to consider
Your recipe calls for a dozen muffins, or a pint of spaghetti sauce. The recipe tells you how much food the recipe will yield. If the amount of food is more or less than you want, you may need to scale the recipe up or down to fit your desired number of servings.
Though recipes for casseroles, stews, and other main dishes lend themselves to simply increasing or decreasing all ingredients, there are others that don't.
Examples: baked goods - especially those that require leavening agents such as baking powder, baking soda, or yeast. Baked goods recipes may not turn out well if doubled, tripled, or quadrupled.
Points of Consideration to be aware of before increasing or decreasing the number of servings a recipe provides:
Equipment. When you scale a recipe, match your equipment to the volume of the food. Larger batches need bigger bowls and larger or extra baking pans, for example. Likewise, smaller batches require smaller bowls and baking pans.
Cooking times. Cooking times may stay the same. For instance when preparing muffins, it won't matter if you bake one dozen or six dozen muffins, the cooking time remains the same. Some recipes, however, may require longer cooking times. A casserole that serves four will need much less baking time than one that has been tripled to serve 12.
Cooking temperature. In most cases, you won't have to change the cooking temperature when you scale a recipe. The exception is when you have multiple items in the oven. This may require a slightly higher baking temperature.
Seasonings. Spices and other seasonings, including salt, don't always need to be increased or decreased in the same proportion as the other ingredients. Instead add seasonings to taste until you get the results you want.
Alcohol. In recipes, alcohol, such as white wine or rum, can quickly overpower the flavor of the food if you use too much. So don't increase alcohol as you would other ingredients. Rather, add small amounts and taste as you go until you're satisfied with the results.
Best practices for scaling a recipe:
For best results, be familiar with your original recipe, experiment with your adjustments and make separate batches, if necessary.
Make the original recipe first. Know how the recipe should look and taste before you make any adjustments. The original is then a benchmark for comparing the success of the adjusted recipe. Plus, the original may yield more or less than you're expecting, and you may not need to adjust the servings after all.
Test first, then serve. You may not find success when scaling a recipe for the first time. So test your scaled dishes first, before serving them. Experiment with what works and what doesn't work. Ingredients interact with each other differently, and you may have to adjust cooking methods, temperatures or times accordingly.
Make food in batches. If you're increasing a recipe and lack time to experiment, make several individual batches. This way you end up with the amount you need based on the original recipe. Baking separate batches also reduces waste because you can cook food as needed, which ensures the freshness of your food.
No tried-and-true rules dictate how to scale a recipe. But experience and common sense can help you find success.
Being single and living alone, it's important for me to cook in smaller portions and not waste food.
One of my pet peeves is the the fact that often smaller portions of food at the grocery counter are priced proportionately higher as if I'm being penalized. Another is that many food items are packaged for families and while many things can be frozen or stored for later consumption, many items cannot.
Just thought I'd share this short article on the art of cooking for two..
Whether you are cooking for two out of a sense of romance or necessity you will find that there are many resources online and off when it comes to finding the perfect combinations for those terrific twosomes. One thing to keep in mind however is that when cooking for two, it is sometimes best if two are doing the cooking. This gives cooking an opportunity to become a communication event rather than a chore.
Despite the fact that there are many resources and recipes available to those that are cooking for two there are also equal occasions to take traditional recipes that are designed to feed four and make them an opportunity to stretch your food dollars even further. By cooking traditional meals for four and feeding a portion you have managed to cook two meals for the time investment of one. It's a good deal for many, particularly those that do not relish the idea of cooking at all, much less of cooking for two.
Young couples and older couples alike often find that it is easier and almost as inexpensive to hit the fast food or other casual dining establishments than it is to prepare a nice healthy meal for two at home. The one thing they often forget is that cooking for two can be an interesting way to bring a little romance into the evening when done right of course.
Cooking is an art that most people have forgotten as it is also a necessary act unless you wish to live on sushi and raw vegetables. Even in these situations however there is typically some degree of preparation that is involved in the process. Food is beautiful and can be beautifully arranged if you are of the mind to do so. This means that you can spend a great deal of time not only creating new and delicious foods, but also visually appealing food combinations as well.
When cooking for two you will have the most opportunity for experimentation when it comes to food as any other time in your life. You have the option of trying great new cuisines and the knowledge that if you do not like the food, you are not wasting multiple servings. You can try to mix and match flavors and textures. You can make works of art on your plate or go for the guts, gore, and eyeballs galore. Cooking for two opens doors that aren't necessarily available when cooking for larger crowds with more limiting tastes.
Cooking for two is a great way to get your partner involved in the cooking process as well. When cooking for two you can discover the many great things that you both enjoy and those that aren't so appealing to one or the other of you. Make sure that when you are cooking for two that you invite an open and honest dialog about the things that you like and dislike about the meals being prepared. This will help you discover things to add to your regular menu as well as things to avoid making a part of your dinner rotation.
Perhaps the greatest thing about cooking for two is the fact that you can afford to enjoy special occasion cuisine more often when you are only feeding two than when you are feeding larger crowds. Bring on the steaks and lobster tail. Learn how to make shrimp scampi and filet mignon. Take the time, when cooking for two, to prepare those dishes that you love most. After all, it is really living when you live to dine rather than when you dine to live.
Cooking for two is so much more than a cliché. It is a great way to explore the culinary universe while exposing your palates to some wonderful surprises along the way. The Internet, bookstores, and libraries are filled with books about cooking for two. Take advantage of the opportunity to do just that and you'll be amazed at the world of flavors you've invited into your kitchen.
Thanks for sharing an article that was a nice introduction, a way to make it easy for me to share this little story of mine.
I just got my son a 12 entree dinner preparation at one of those places where you come in with a group and prepare, or pre-prepare your meals in a class-like setting. All the ingredients are already assembled. My son and his fiancee both work full time and attend college full time. I'm concerned that they establish a habit of eating well, and eating at home both for the better diet and for the savings. Savings of time (batch preparation for fast, easy later consumption without traveling out) and money.
I'll be anxious to hear if they pick up some ideas on budgeting time and ingredients for this kind of preparation on a routine basis, hopefully enjoying the process as much as the results.
Re: Adjusting the servings: Considerations for scaling a recipe
Many times freezing portions/leftovers will cause vegetables to become limp and soggy, and meat to become discolored and dry. One solution is to flash freeze the portions...nice to have a CO2 flash freezer on hand.
Scaling a recipe down to fewer portions than a recipe calls for isn't as tough as it sounds. There are many guides online, and usually a guide can be found in the appendix or index of most cookbooks. An experienced cook can just eyeball measure the needed ingredients. Many of the meals I concoct are done using the eyeballing method.
Just try to make it taste good to you...and of course, keep it healthy.
OnYourMark, LLC is a full-service web design, production, programming, hosting and Internet marketing company with audio, photography and video services in our studio on Main Street in Sussex, Wisconsin or at your location.
We serve clients in industry, healthcare, eCommerce, professional services, real estate and construction, information services, hospitality, advertising agencies, and more...throughout Wisconsin and the USA. Please contact OnYourMark for a free, no-obligation consultation about increasing your inquiries and sales while decreasing your costs via the web.
Cooking For Two
Linear Mode
