When To Use A 2-Oz Ladle Vs A 4-Oz Ladle

When we start learning how to cook, most of us have only a very general knowledge of cooking utensils. It's enough to know that a ladle is something we need to scoop stuff up with, and beyond that, we may simply acknowledge that there are big ones and little ones. As long as we have one of these kitchen essentials in the tool drawer, it's all good, right? Eventually, however, we might start shopping in kitchen supply stores to upgrade our equipment and move beyond the basics. At this point, we come smack up against the knowledge that ladles can be more complicated than we ever imagined. If offered a choice of a 2-ounce or 4-ounce size, which one is best, or is it necessary to buy both? And why must everything be so complicated?

Fear not, we're here to explain the different ladle sizes and which is used for what. If you are using the implement to ladle out a portion of soup or stew, the 4-ounce size is your best bet as a scoop or two ought to do. Should you be pouring pancake batter, however, you're going to want a smaller 2-ounce ladle, unless you have an extra-large frying pan and are planning on making Paul Bunyan-sized flapjacks. There are also other less-standard ladle sizes like tiny 1-ounce ones used for sauces or 8-ounce ones capable of scooping up entire servings of casserole.

It's not the end of the world if you only have one size of ladle on hand. If your ladle is a smaller-sized one, you'll simply have to do twice as much scooping. If it's a larger size, you can always eyeball a half-bowlful. But what if you have no ladle at all? That, too, is something that can be worked around.

One of the best substitutes for a ladle is a dry measuring cup since you can be very precise in your sizing here. A 2-ounce scoop equates to ¼ cup, while a 4-ounce scoop is ½ cup. (The actual weight of the ingredients may vary, but this is the case with ladles, too, since the ounce measurements refer to volume.) You can also use a 1-cup measure for a super-sized 8-ounce scoop. A standard coffee mug can serve the purpose of a ladle, as well. These typically hold about 12 ounces, so they could work to scoop up soup, if a bit messily. As mugs don't have long handles, however, you'll need to be very careful if the liquid you're scooping is hot. Still, they'll do in a pinch, at least until you can get your hands on the right size ladle for your needs.