How do you track your cooks?

[BKYDBBQ]

Wondering how those that keep records of their cooks do it.

I use 3x5 note-cards. My record keeping has grown over the years. Originally it was just times, now it includes seasonings, ambient temps and humidity, etc.

I like note-cards over a notebook because I can easily sort them by types of meat. Example, I can easily pull out all of my past rib cooks easily and review them prior to cooking ribs.

I have also recorded pork butt, brisket, and 1/2 chickens weights before and after the cook to determine how much is lost during the cook.

Please don't judge me on handwriting, my grandfather was an old school country doctor and I inherited handwriting from him.

[barelfly]

I use to use a note book for all my cooks, then slowly got away from that. Now my FireBoard helps with tracking, which is really nice to have digitally.

The other way is with Paprika, I can make adjustments or notes in the app which is usually what I do more so than using FireBoard for the non-thermo tracking cooks.

[klflowers]

I don't. Probably why there are only a couple things I make the same way twice. I rarely follow recipes as written, but I never write down the changes I make.

[texastweeter]

If its bad, drink some Jack first.

[mrteddyprincess]

Roy tracks my cooks. And if I have enough wine, he'll talk to me and tell me about them.

B

[Richard Chrz]

I wish I was that organized!

[surfdog]

Give me a minute…I gotta look up that word.

[texastweeter]

With the bathroom scales.

[Bkhuna]

Counting the number of Imodium required afterwards should be tracked.

[Sweaty Paul]

Sadly, as close to tracking as I get is using my Fireboard... because...temperatures matter.

Beyond that, I'm a creature of habit, and, when I find a thing that works, I continually repeat it! I work really hard to get outside of my comfort zone.

PCT

[Richard Chrz]

Agreed, I learn something, then start moving it right away, can drive my wife crazy.. her favorite comment series goes like this to me… “this is really good, do not change it!….. but I know you don’t know how to do that,… “

[Mosca]

I don’t. I open the fridge/freezer, look at what’s there, and make something out of it.

[texastweeter]

The home version of iron chef

[surfdog]

texastweeter I used to play “Iron Chef” with my boys when they were younger. “Go pick out three ingredients and we’ll make dinner.” Granted, it was mostly me making dinner but it was still fun. Especially when they thought they had stumped me. LOL

[texastweeter]

Lol, we still do! surfdog

[captainlee]

I used to, basically noting weight, cook time until stall, finish time and pit temp. I still have the notebook for a quick reference, mainly weight and cook time. I have probably recorded about 10 to 15 cooks for each protein. I haven't recorded in a long time now.

[jerrybell]

I use a spreadsheet and record the weight, details of the rubs, brines, preparation steps and, wood types. During the cook I record periodic readings for outside air temperature, internal meat temperature, smoker temperature, and overall cook time. I used to do this every cook but don't always now that I have most of my regular rotation cuts dialed in the way I like them.

[KimO]

I use fireboard which records the meat and ambient temperatures throughout the cook. I add notes to include, outside temperature, meat type and weight. I note each step in the cook and the time recorded for reference later along with how it turned out.

[SheilaAnn]

When I remember…..

[SheilaAnn]

As I read through comments, paprika definitely gets used for adjustments to original recipes. Mostly spice/heat level measurements or scaling from 342 servings to 2-3. 🤣

[surfdog]

Soooo, I have to ask…especially with regards to scaling. What measuring system do you use?

At home, “I” do everything metric…she’s still stuck on fractions and ounces and tablespoons and yada yada yada.

FWIW, I also converted every kitchen I worked in to metric. To convince the staff I always divided them into teams and had them convert some random recipe with mismatched measurements and let ‘em go. Is that fluid ounces or weight? Random internet recipes that she finds sometimes give me fits.

[Lynn Dollar]

I use some type of Thermoworks device on almost every cook. And they all are on the TW Cloud. Not only do I have record of the cooking temps, but there's an area for notes on the cook.

But I rarely revisit past cooks.

[Skip]

I have most recipes in Paprika and just add notes to those recipes when necessary.

[dubob]

Tracking cooks is a completely foreign concept to me. I cook it; I eat it. End of story.

[surfdog]

This. Unless it’s completely shambolic, I pretty much just move on.

[radiodome21]

I don’t anymore. I did when I started to use my kettle and WSM for smoking foods. More for the charcoal management than anything else. But I’ve got the WSM down pat now haven’t smoked anything in my kettle in over a year. Plus I use my Grilla Silverback when I’m lazy for it’s too cold out.