test measures for sauce

Does anyone know where I can find some type of chart of measures that I can use to break down a recipe to fit a test batch of 2 #10 cans of sauce?

That “recipe” is it given in weight measures or volumetric measures?
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

It is in weight measures. The recipe I’m working with is for 6 #10 cans so I’m trying to break it down so I can try it out on 2 cans.

Good, that makes it possible. Here’s what you need to do.

  1. Add up to weights of all of the ingredients. This will give you the total weight of the sauce.
  2. Divide the weight of each, individual ingredient by the total weight of the sauce and multiply this X 100. This will give you the (true %) of each ingredient.
  3. Now, all you have to do is to decide how much sauce you want to make. Plug in any weight.
  4. Using a calculator, enter the new sauce weight, then press “X” and enter the percent value you want to find the weight for of each ingredient and press the"%" key. Read the weight of that ingredient in the display window.
    Example:
    Tomato Puree: 12.5 pounds
    Crushed Tomato: 6.5 pounds
    Olive Oil: 0.25 pounds
    Water: 5 pounds

Total weight: 24.25 pounds
12.5 divided by 24.25 = 0.515 X 100 =51.5%
6.5 divided by 24.25 = 0.268 X 100 = 26.8
0.25 divided by 24.25 = 0.0103 X 100 = 1.03
5 divided by 24.25 = 0.206 X 100 = 20.61%
Now you have the percent of each ingredient as based on the total weight of the sauce.
Now all you need to do is to decide how much sauce you want to make and calculate the weight of each ingredient.
We want to make 12-pounds of sauce (you can plug in ANY number you want.
12 X 51.5 press the “5” key and read 6.18-pounds
12 X 26.8 press the “%” key and read 3.21-pounds
12 X 1.03 press the “%” key and read 0.123-pounds (0.123 X 16 = 1.97-ounces) call it 2-ounces.
12 X 20.61 press the “%” key and read 2.47 pounds

There you have your new sauce formula in correct amounts for a 12-pound batch size. By doing things this way you can make ANY batch size and it will always be absolutely correct.
Sorry to bore you with so kmuch math, but once you get used to it I think you 'll find it to be pretty easy to work with.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

Spices may or may not fit the % of weight model. Most do from my experiences, and it is a good starting point. Recipe may need minor adjustments as some don’t perfectly multiply or divide up. Often it depends on the recipe and the volatiles levels in the spices/herbs.

Spices/herbs are all over the board with regard to potency. How fresh are they, how have they been stored, how are you storing them, where were they grown? These are all things that can/will affect these ingredients, but still, if it takes 1-ounce of oregano to flavor 20-pounds of sauce, how many ounces (of the same oregano) will it take to flavor 40-pounds of sauce?
Math, pure and simple.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

I will believe you. Mainly because I just realized we are talking weight ratios as opposed to volumes. Multiplying up 3 tsp is different than multiplying up 2 ounces by weight. I thanks you for the correction and waking me up this afternoon.

Hey! It’s a Friday, and a Leap Year Friday to boot! Strange things are supposed to happen today.
Tom Lehmann/TDD

you mean, like records gross sales? Lunch was a blockbuster, so I have hopes for the dinner madness.

Yes, you do have hope, they can’t take that away from us.
Tom Lehmann/TDD

Hmmm. Nothing so far. Hold on, there is some guy at the door with a goalie’s mask on…

Hate to keep bragging, but hit top Friday gross sales night ever . . . and sealed off a top gross sales for any month to date. Love that Friday 29th deal!!