Last Updated on June 7, 2022 by Share My Kitchen
Different cooks can do different things. Some cooks cook instinctively, while others measure the ingredients more accurately. Cooks who cook by eye using a knob of butter. However, for baking, it is a more precise process that requires exact measurement. Therefore, this approach is only good for cooking. Since a knob of butter is usually used in recipes that don’t require precision.
When To Use A Know Of Butter?
Most of the time it is used to indicate the amount of butter required to grease a pan. It is possible to require a large or small knob of butter for certain recipes. So when you have to use this amount of butter in a recipe, it is your judgment call.
However, this terminology that is often used in recipes might confuse you. It is also possible that you are curious about how much butter a knob contains and how to measure it. So if you are here to find out what a knob is and how to measure it, this article is for you.
Let’s all untangle this famous phrase, and discuss its origin and measurement methods.
What is a knob of butter?
A knob of butter, a term used in cooking, refers to an undetermined amount of butter. This is used when the exact amount of butter for a recipe is not necessary. Sometimes, the recipe will instruct you to use a dollop of butter instead of a knob of butter.
How Much is a knob of butter?
A knob of butter is approximately two tablespoons or an unspecified amount of butter. But the accepted amount of butter is enough to cover the size of a skillet or the pan when it is melted.
It is typically cut at the end of the butter stick, without measuring.
People usually say that it is roughly equivalent to two tablespoons, or it is the same size as a thumb. But, it is just basically a lump of butter used to coat a skillet or pan.
Why is knob of butter confusing?
In some recipes, a small knob or a large knob are often referred to. This means you should use a generous dollop or a small amount of butter. You could also use one to four tablespoons. A tiny knob of butter could be as little as half a teaspoon. However, if you are measuring, a knob of butter would be between one and two tablespoons.
Many cooks will add a lot of butter to their dishes, especially towards the end of cooking.
This is to make things taste richer and better. However, butter is bound to melt, so you shouldn’t add too much. Regarding the number of calories, a knob of butter contains approximately 200 calories. This is because a tablespoon of butter contains about 100 calories.
It is approximately equal to two tablespoons of butter, so it contains around 200 calories. That is similar to two medium-sized bananas.
How do you measure a knob of butter?
Many people believe that using more fat is better for cooking, baking, and spreading.
So when it comes to a knob of butter, one of the most frequently asked questions is “How do I measure it?”
Cooking isn’t as precise as baking where proper measurement is an essential part. It is possible to add an eyeballed amount of ingredients into a dish, such as a knob of butter, a pinch of salt, etc.
Picture this: you have everything you need to create the perfect meal for your family, but you don’t know how to start measuring them. It is possible to eyeball the amount of butter to add or just enough butter to the recipe.
How can you determine how much an eyeballed amount is or the sufficient amount?
Let’s discuss different ways to measure a knob of butter.
Divide the butter into tablespoon sections
When measuring a knob butter, there is one rule to remember:
You should measure between 12 and 25 grams of butter. This is approximately one to two tablespoons. Additionally, it is up to you to decide if you want a small knob or a big knob of butter for your dish.
Then, cut the butter into portions about the size of a tablespoon to take a knob of butter as needed when cooking. Divide your butter stick in two halves.
Next, each half should be cut in half. Then, cut the quarter in half. Now you have eight sections, and each section equals one tablespoon. You can use two sections to make a knob of butter. This is the easiest method to cut butter sticks into tablespoon-sized pieces.
Measurements can be found on the sides of the butter wrapper
The butter stick wrapper may have the measurement printed on it. This will help you measure butter for cooking.
Check every side of the wrapper to see the marking lines. When you find the marking lines, each section of the butter wrapper should be equal to one tablespoon.
Standard butter sticks come in 120ml, or eight tablespoons butter. However, it is important to confirm the number of tablespoons contained in your butter stick.
What is the history of a knob of butter?
You might be wondering how this infamous term originated as it is often used in cookbooks. This term comes from the centuries-old cookbooks written for people who knew a lot about cooking and had some cooking skills.
These cookbooks assumed readers could count quantities like ‘knob’ or ‘gill’ to get an idea of how much they needed.
A knob is a shorthand term of an eyeball amount. It is about one to two tablespoons in size or about 1/2 cup.
This is the reason why precise measurements of ingredients in these cookbooks are not often written. While this assumption was true in the 1800s, it is not valid in modern times. However, don’t fret because you have the internet!
