Not all pounds are created equal
By CeCe Sullivan
Seattle Times Home Economist
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BARRY WONG / THE SEATTLE TIMES |
| Not all pound
measurements are the same for
example, one pound of powdered sugar is equal to 4¾ cups, but a pound
of brown sugar is only 2¼ cups. |
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What's in a pound? That depends on what you're measuring. For instance, a pound of shelled almonds is different in cup measurement than a pound of pine nuts. And all sugars are not created equal, in taste or in weight. Unless you have an accurate scale, figuring out a pound can frustrate the home cook. So we put together a chart as a guideline. Refer to it the next time you're cooking from a chef's recipe, or figuring out how much to buy for a holiday party. Keep in mind that every item listed is based on a one-pound measurement.
BAKING
Flours
All-purpose (unsifted), 3 ½ cups
All-purpose (sifted), 4 cups
Bread, 3 ½ cups
Cake (sifted), 4 ¾ cups
Pastry (sifted), 4 ½ cups
Rye, 3 ¼ cups
Self-rising (sifted), 4 cups
Whole wheat, 3 ½ cups
Cornmeal (coarse), 2 2/3 cups
Sweeteners
Honey, molasses, corn syrup, 1 ½ cups
Granulated sugar, 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons
Superfine, 2 cups
Brown sugar (packed), 2 ¼ cups
Powdered (sifted), 4 ¾ cups
Cubes, 4 cups (96 cubes)
Chocolate
Bulk, 4 cups grated
Bulk, 2 cups melted
Chips, 2 ½ cups
Crackers
Graham, 66 (16 finely crushed equals 1 cup)
Soda, 160 (22 finely crushed equals 1 cup)
Nuts
Almonds (shelled), 3 ½ cups meat
Almonds (unshelled), 1 ¾ cups meat
Brazil (shelled), 3 cups meat
Brazil (unshelled), 1 ½ cups meat
Chestnuts (peeled), 35 to 40, 2 ½ cups
Hazelnuts (shelled), 3 cups meat
Hazelnuts (unshelled), 1 ½ cups meat
Peanuts (shelled), 4 cups meat
Peanuts (unshelled), 3 to 3 ½ cups meat
Pecans and walnuts (shelled), 3 ½ cups meat
Pecans and walnuts (unshelled), 2 ½ cups meat
Pine nuts, 2 2/3 cups
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JULIE NOTARIANNI / THE SEATTLE TIMES |
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PRODUCE
Fruits
Apples, 3 medium
Apples (chopped or sliced), 3 cups
Apricots, 12 to 14 medium
Apricots (sliced), 2 ½ cups
Apricots (chopped), 2 cups
Bananas, 3 medium
Bananas (mashed), 1 ½ cups
Grapes (stemmed), 3 cups
Grapefruit, 1 large
Grapefruit (sections), 1 cup
Grapefruit (juice), 2/3 cup
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JULIE NOTARIANNI / THE SEATTLE TIMES |
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Kiwis, 4 to 5 large
Kiwis (sliced), 1 ½ cups
Lemons, 4 medium (3 tbsp. juice per lemon)
Limes, 5 medium (1 ½ to 2 tbsp. juice per lime)
Melons (cubed), 3 cups
Oranges, 1 ½ medium
Oranges (juice), ¾ cup
Oranges (diced), 1 cup
Papayas, 1 large
Papayas (peeled and sliced), 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups
Peaches and nectarines, 3 to 4 medium
Peaches and nectarines (sliced), 2 to 3 cups
Pears, 2 medium
Pears (diced), 1 ½ cups
Pears (sliced), 2 cups
Pineapple, ½ small
Pineapple (diced), 1 ¾ cups
Pineapple (sliced), 2 cups
Plums, 8 medium
Plums (sliced), 2 cups
Rhubarb, 8 stalks
Rhubarb (chopped), 4 cups
Rhubarb (cooked), 2 cups
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JULIE NOTARIANNI / THE SEATTLE TIMES |
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Berries
Blackberries, 2 cups
Blueberries, 2 ½ cups
Raspberries, 3 ½ cups
Strawberries (whole), 3 cups (1½ pints)
Strawberries (crushed), 2 cups
Cherries (unpitted), 4 cups
Cherries (pitted), 2 ½ cups
Cherries (chopped), 2 cups
Cranberries, 4 cups fresh
(Note: A 12-ounce package equals only 3 cups)
Dried fruit
Apricots, 3 ¼ cups
Coconut (unsweetened, shredded ), 5 cups
Coconut (sweetened, shredded), 4 cups
Figs, 2 2/3 cups
Dates (whole pitted or chopped), 4 cups
Prunes, 2 cups
Raisins, 3 cups
Vegetables
Artichokes, 2 small
Asparagus (fresh), 16 to 20 medium spears
Asparagus (chopped, 1-inch pieces), 3 cups
Avocado, 2 medium
Avocado (diced), 1 ½ to 2 cups
Avocado (mashed), 1 cup
Green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces), 3 cups
Green beans (cooked), 2 ½ cups
Fava beans (shelled), ¾ cup
Runner beans (shelled), 1 cup
Beets (trimmed), 2 large
Beets (trimmed, diced or sliced), 2 cups
Bell peppers, 2 ½ large
Bell peppers (diced), 2 ¼ cups
Bell peppers (sliced), 3 cups
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JULIE NOTARIANNI / THE SEATTLE TIMES |
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Broccoli, 1 ½ bunches
Broccoli (florets), 5 cups
Brussels sprouts, 4 cups
Carrots, 4 medium
Carrots (shredded ), 3 cups
Carrots (diced), 3 ½ cups
Carrots (sliced), 4 cups
Cabbage (head), ½ large
Cabbage (raw shredded), 4 ½ to 5 cups
Cabbage (cooked), 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups
Cauliflower (head), 1 medium
Cauliflower (florets), 5 cups
Celery (ribs), 8 to 10 ribs
Celery (chopped or sliced), 3 ½ cups
Corn (ear), 1 large
Corn (kernels), ¾ cup
Cucumber, 2 medium
Cucumber (sliced or diced), 4 cups
Eggplant, 1 large
Eggplant (cubed), 5 cups
Mushrooms, button or cremini, 20 to 24
Mushrooms, button or cremini (sliced), 4 ½ to 5 cups
Mushrooms, button or cremini (cooked), 2 ½ cups
Peas (shelled), 1 cup
Spinach (loose leaves), 5 quarts
Spinach (cooked), 1 ¼ cups cooked
Tubers
Parsnips, 4 medium
Parsnips (sliced), 2 ½ cups
Potatoes (baking), 2 medium
Potatoes (red), 4 medium
Potatoes (mashed), 2 cups
Potatoes (cooked), 2 ¼ cups
Potatoes (raw, sliced or diced), 3 ½ to 4 cups
Sweet potatoes, 2 medium
Sweet potatoes (mashed), 2 cups
Sweet potatoes (sliced or diced, raw), 3 ½ to 4 cups
Sweet potatoes (cooked), 2 ¼ cups
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JULIE NOTARIANNI / THE SEATTLE TIMES |
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Onions
Green onions, 4 bunches
(Note: 1 bunch = ¼ to 1/3 cup sliced white, 1 inch greens)
Leeks, 6 large
Leeks (sliced white and light green part), 6 cups
Onions red, sweet, white, yellow, 2 medium
Onions (sliced), 4 cups
Onions (chopped), 3 ½ cups
Shallots (chopped), 2 cups
(Note: 1 medium shallot equals 2 tablespoons chopped)
Squash
Pumpkin (cubed), raw 2 ½ cups
Pumpkin, cooked and mashed, 1 ¾ cups
Squash, winter (butternut, acorn, etc.), cooked 1 cup
Squash, spaghetti (shredded), 1 ½ cups
Squash, summer (zucchini), 3 medium
Squash, summer (sliced), 4 cups
Squash, summer (shredded, loosely packed), 6 cups
Tomatoes
Tomatoes, slicing (diced), 2 large equals 2 cups
Tomatoes, plum or roma, 5 medium
Tomatoes, cherry 29
DRIED BEANS AND PEAS
Beans, kidney, lima (dry), 2 cups
Beans, kidney, lima (cooked), 6 cups
Beans, navy, pinto, black (dry), 2 cups
Beans, navy, pinto, black (cooked), 5 to 6 cups
Lentils (dry), 2 ¼ cups
Lentils (cooked), 6 cups
Split peas (dry), 2-1/3 cups
Split peas (cooked), 7 cups
PASTA
Couscous (dry), 3 ½ cups
Couscous (cooked), 9 ½ cups
Egg noodles (dry), 10 cups
Egg noodles (cooked), 9 cups
Fettuccini (cooked), 9 cups
Linguine (cooked), 8 cups
Spaghetti (cooked), 9 cups
Macaroni (dry), 3 ¼ cups
Macaroni (cooked), 7 cups
Rice-shaped (dry, orzo), 2 cups
Rice-shaped (cooked, orzo), 3 cups
Tubes, small (dry, penne), 4 cups
Tubes, small (cooked, penne), 7 cups
Tubes, large (dry, rigatoni), 5 cups
Tubes, large (cooked, rigatoni), 8 cups
GRAINS
Barley, pearl (uncooked), 2 cups
Barley, pearl (cooked), 8 cups
Bulgur (uncooked), 2 ½ cups
Bulgur (cooked), 6 cups
Quinoa (uncooked), 2 cups
Quinoa (cooked), 8 cups
RICE
Long-grain brown (uncooked), 2 cups
Long-grain brown (cooked), 6 ½ cups
Long-grain white (uncooked), 2 cups
Long-grain white (cooked), 6 cups
Short grain (uncooked), 2 ¼ cups
Short grain (cooked), 6 ¾ cups
Wild rice (uncooked), 2 2/3 cups
Wild rice (cooked), 7 cups
MEAT AND POULTRY
Beef
Roast, bone-in: 1 ½ to 2 cooked, trimmed servings
Roast, boneless: 3 cooked, trimmed servings
Pork
Ham (cooked, diced), 3 cups
Bacon, 16 slices
Chops, centercut, boneless, 2
Chops, on bone, 4 to 5
Tenderloin, 3 to 4 servings, or 2 cups cubed
Italian sausage links, 5
Lamb
Chops, on bone, 5 small
Roast, bone-in (cooked) 1 ½ to 2 trimmed servings
Roast, boneless, 3 cooked, trimmed servings
Poultry
Breasts, boneless and skinless, 2 large halves
Breasts, boneless, skinless, raw (cubed), 2 1/3 cups
(Note: ½ breast, with bone = ¾ pound, or 1 ¼ cups cubed)
Roast chicken, 1 cup meat
Turkey, cooked (sliced or cubed), 3 cups
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JULIE NOTARIANNI / THE SEATTLE TIMES |
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SEAFOOD
Crab, 2 cups meat
Crab (in shell), 1 cup meat
Clams (manila or littleneck), 20 to 25 smaller
Fillets (flaked), 2 cups
Lobster, shelled, ¾ cup meat
Oyster (extra small), 18 to 24
Oyster (small), 15 to 18
Oyster (medium), 10 to 12
Scallops, 2 cups
Shrimp, prawns (medium), 31 to 40
Shrimp, prawns (large), 10 to 15
Shrimp, prawns (tiger), 6 to 8
Swordfish, tuna, 2 steaks
MISCELLANEOUS
Coffee, 40 to 50 six-ounce brewed cups
Milk, powdered, 3 cups
Cheese (cheddar, swiss, provolone, etc.)
Bulk (cubed), 4 cups
Bulk (grated), 4 cups
Bulk (1/8-inch-thick slices), 10
Sources: "The Complete Whole Grain Cookbook" by Carol Gilles; "The Bread Baker's Apprentice" by Peter Reinhart; "The Joy of Cooking" by Irma S. Rombauer; Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker; The Seattle Times test kitchen.