# Why Write Stuff Down



## Danno44 (Sep 20, 2018)

Well I made a very rookie mistake.  My last smoke I make spare ribs and pork loin.
Everything turned out great, family really enjoyed it.
I also decided to try my hand at making my own rub.
On one pork loin I used my store bought “Butt Rub” which is good.
On the other loin I made up a simple rub, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika.
Everyone said my rub was much better.
But I didn’t write down the proportions.  :mad:
I have since acquired a notebook to keep track of smokes, rubs, recipes etc.
As mentioned here frequently, write stuff down, you never know when you hit a home run and want to repeat it.


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## oldsmokerdude (Sep 20, 2018)

Ouch. I'm a huge proponent of writing (logging) everything. Of course my recipes are stored with notes about small changes I make and the outcome, but also I log my cooks: meat, smoke wood, ambient temp and weather, preparations, cook process, etc. I find it helps when I want to replicate something or fine tune an otherwise good cook.


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## ravenclan (Sep 20, 2018)

oldsmokerdude said:


> Ouch. I'm a huge proponent of writing (logging) everything. Of course my recipes are stored with notes about small changes I make and the outcome, but also I log my cooks: meat, smoke wood, ambient temp and weather, preparations, cook process, etc. I find it helps when I want to replicate something or fine tune an otherwise good cook.



oldsmokerdude,

i do the same thing. I have a separate notebook for "type" of meat, brisket,ribs,pork butt and so on. I do this so i can keep my notes straight and not have to hunt for my notes.


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## HalfSmoked (Sep 20, 2018)

Lesson learned. We probably have all made that mistake and doing later doesn't work either.

Warren


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## William89 (Sep 20, 2018)

Been there lol. I always told myself "ya better write that down so you remember".... And then 2 weeks go by. Finally got myself into the habit of making notes though.


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## Bearcarver (Sep 20, 2018)

LOL---I write everything down!!
If I didn't I wouldn't be able to do my Step by Steps very good.
I even write stuff down that doesn't mean much & may never be needed, but it's better than missing something I needed.

Bear


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## zwiller (Sep 20, 2018)

Totally into the notebook but not anal about it.  Game changer.  Grab your note book when chowing down and critique.  Ask the family.  Was that a little too hot and reduce cayenne, etc.  I use it for everything.  Salsa, breakfast, you name it.  

You REALLY wanna hit homeruns?  Do a bunch of back to back smokes with same protein and take notes.  I did 8 back to backs butts for daughters grad party and I have it nailed and I am brutally critical of my work.  Strangely, despite injecting and other tricks using oak was really the key.


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## gmc2003 (Sep 20, 2018)

I hardly ever write any measurements down unless it's something new to me or I'm experimenting. I learned to cook from my mother and grandmother who never measured anything. So when I learned it was always done by eye and taste. A pinch here, a splash there, and a dollop of this. Not the best way of doing it, but it works.

Chris


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## Danno44 (Sep 20, 2018)

gmc2003 said:


> I hardly ever write any measurements down unless it's something new to me or I'm experimenting. I learned to cook from my mother and grandmother who never measured anything. So when I learned it was always done by eye and taste. A pinch here, a splash there, and a dollop of this. Not the best way of doing it, but it works.
> 
> Chris


Exactly how I learned from my grandmother too.  She made the best egg salad, but never wrote down anything either and almost 10 years later I still haven’t been able to replicate hers even though I know all the ingredients she used.  
I have been told I make the best sloppy joes, and folks ask for recipe every time I take it to a pot luck, and I tell them there isn’t one.  I have several ingredients and I add them all according to taste.
Hopefully I’ll remember to use my notebook going forward.  Well that and actually measure stuff out and not just pour spices in a bowl freehand like I normally do....o_O


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## foamheart (Sep 20, 2018)

Bearcarver said:


> LOL---I write everything down!!
> If I didn't I wouldn't be able to do my Step by Steps very good.
> I even write stuff down that doesn't mean much & may never be needed, but it's better than missing something I needed.
> 
> Bear



LOL you're like me, you start to write it down and forget what you are writing!!!! Start looking for the pencil that's in your hand? You old fart!

oldschoolbbq told me to take notes when I first came to the site. Actually gave me three website that had printed sheets. I just checked and they seem to all be gone now.

I used to write it all down, I have pages of stuff on the computer I have not added to my cookbook yet. Yes, I have a cookbook! Mom's, Pop's Grandma's, everyone's bestest recipes. I started it 20 years ago then decided to buy a cookbook software. BTW I have shamelessly stolen for all you guys, but I always give you credit.

But I babble, I hardly even use a recipe anymore, my favorites I know, and most of what I do is all now just salt and pepper anyway. Tasso, Sausage, Andouille, stixs and tasso are different, so are brines. Shorter way to say it, except for cured meats and brines.


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## HalfSmoked (Sep 20, 2018)

I write somethings not everything. Like Foamy been doing some of them for so long no need for written recipe. I have my grandmothers cook book but I have a problem with it. You see its hard to understand because it will call for $.02 worth of this or $.05 worth on that.

Warren


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## TomKnollRFV (Sep 20, 2018)

I admit my method is I sort of use SMF as my place to leave notes, along with my google photo albums. Despite buying a basic note book, I keep using here and google albums for my notes.. LOL


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## kelbro (Sep 20, 2018)

I don't think that I've ever done any cook exactly the same way twice. I go by taste and looks.

I have some of the basics down pat after so many years but I'm always tweaking. The cooks almost always seem better each time. If I see or taste a need in one of my written-down recipes, I will revise my printed copy. Problem is that I have online copies stashed in multiple places and usually don't go re-write those. I know that I should.


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## schlotz (Sep 20, 2018)

I got tired of the analog process over the years. Notebooks, papers, missing pages, scribbled notes, etc... Now all recipes and their ever increasing notes are stored on the computer in one single application. I religiously add notes for each smoke etc... A side benefit is I have instant access to all my recipes on the associated phone app when I'm at the grocer and can't remember what I used last time. For those that have a MAC, you might want to check out MacGourmet.


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 20, 2018)

I frequently cook something new, off the top of my head. Hits get written down after the family reviews. Helps a lot because my crew like consistency and complains if Pot Roast, etc does not taste the same every time. Additionally the kids will call saying they want to make something and need the recipe...JJ


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## foamheart (Sep 20, 2018)

HalfSmoked said:


> I write somethings not everything. Like Foamy been doing some of them for so long no need for written recipe. I have my grandmothers cook book but I have a problem with it. You see its hard to understand because it will call for $.02 worth of this or $.05 worth on that.
> 
> Warren



I mean most folks have never even seen a box of sugar..... let along have to guesstimate  how much it weighed..... Some of Mom's have prices also.


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## kelbro (Sep 21, 2018)

schlotz said:


> I got tired of the analog process over the years. Notebooks, papers, missing pages, scribbled notes, etc... Now all recipes and their ever increasing notes are stored on the computer in one single application. I religiously add notes for each smoke etc... A side benefit is I have instant access to all my recipes on the associated phone app when I'm at the grocer and can't remember what I used last time. For those that have a MAC, you might want to check out MacGourmet.



That's a good one. For Microsoft users, One Note is a fantastic tool. Cut and paste your favorite recipe onto a new page. Easy to look them up on your phone when you're at the grocery store.


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## ravenclan (Sep 21, 2018)

HalfSmoked said:


> I write somethings not everything. Like Foamy been doing some of them for so long no need for written recipe. I have my grandmothers cook book but I have a problem with it. You see its hard to understand because it will call for $.02 worth of this or $.05 worth on that.
> 
> Warren



my dad found his grandmothers hand written cook book and it has the same style of recipe's , $.02 of this and that and also she called out "sweet milk" which i am not sure of. it sure is cool to look back at the time period as to how things was cooked and what they ate during the time period. nothing went to waste.


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## HalfSmoked (Sep 21, 2018)

For sure there was no waste. We always had enough food for months. These kids today don't even know what a pantry is most new houses don't even have one. Raised a garden and canned everything (we still do) Killed most of our own meat. Ah the good old days.

Warren


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## chopsaw (Sep 21, 2018)

I write everything down ,,, just can't read my hand writing .


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 21, 2018)

ravenclan said:


> my dad found his grandmothers hand written cook book and it has the same style of recipe's , $.02 of this and that and also she called out "sweet milk" which i am not sure of. it sure is cool to look back at the time period as to how things was cooked and what they ate during the time period. nothing went to waste.



Sweet Milk is as it comes from the cow, cream mixed, shaken, in. This being Sweet compared to Cultured Buttermilk or Sour Milk more commonly used in baking. Kids and adults alike, drank sweet milk while some of the older folks drank ice cold buttermilk. Definately an aquired taste but Buttermilk is  pretty darn good with spicy foods...JJ


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## zwiller (Sep 21, 2018)

I totally dig "food forensics" and learning what makes old recipes.  IE lemon juice in milk ain't nothing like real buttermilk.  Why did grandmas pancakes taste so much better?  REAL buttermilk.   

So many levels of "writing things down".  I am pretty much converted to recipes based on weight now.  Wanna blow your mind?  Compare SP in weight and SP in volume.


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## Xendau (Sep 21, 2018)

I always write things down... I used to use Moleskine pocket notebooks in the kitchen/grill/smoker... transfer to computer & USB drive for keeping.

I always had issues with staining and bleeding if it got wet. (As things get messy in professional and home kitchens some times)

I recently found these on Kickstarter: https://www.bookblock.com/stone/

Its a notebook that has paper made from stone. Water proof, grease/oil proof, lays flat...

There are arguments about the stone paper not being as environmentally kind as some sell it to be... But if it means not cutting a tree down... Thats good enough for me.

So I am transferring all my favorite recipes into the two I bought and any recipes I havent added to my laptop and back up usb, I will do.

If you use paper notebooks to jot things down, you might look into these... definitely worth the price.


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## noboundaries (Sep 21, 2018)

I learned to cook using the palm of my hand as a measuring device for salt, pepper, sugar, and spices. I used my instincts for wet ones as I poured them from the container. Works great for anything but baking, which is why I never really did much baking. It felt too structured, and I preferred a more freeform creativity for cooking.

Then I married a German woman, one who is a super-taster and very structured. She left most of the cooking to me, but often wanted me to repeat flavors, or a dish, I threw together based on what we had in the cabinet at the time. She insisted I start writing things down, especially my freeform dishes.

I've never been a fan of handwritten recipes, so I started using a recipe book software program. It took me a while to get used to recognizing a tablespoon, teaspoon, etc in the palm of my hand, but with time it became habit. I have 823 recipes in 9 cookbook files (BBQ, Main, Pizza, Italian, etc). Half are family recipes or my own creation. The other half are recipes I've copied and modified to my preferences. Now it is a habit to build a recipe after cooking a dish we love.


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## Xendau (Sep 21, 2018)

Ive had that discussion with an old roommate of mine... she was of the mind that using recipes meant you werent cooking or cooking with love. I explained to her that recipes are indeed cooking. And to use them was not anti-cooking or not cooking from a loving place. Nor were they always restrictive... as you can always alter and "play" with recipes.

I explained to her that a recipe's sole purpose is so that a cooked item and/or meal can be replicated. Do I still cook from the hip and not write things down? Sure... and they most ALWAYS never turn out the way I recalled them, or I wish I had written down ingredients or amounts I used.

Funny story, (she is Indonesian) she tried making a Indonesian dish for me, her mom would make for her. Her exact words, "This just taste the same, my mom's is much better." I then reminded her our recipe discussion. ;)

I hate saying... "This is missing something..." and I agree with chef jimmyj



chef jimmyj said:


> ...my crew like consistency and complains if Pot Roast, etc does not taste the same every time. Additionally the kids will call saying they want to make something and need the recipe...JJ


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## HalfSmoked (Nov 25, 2018)

Miss Piggy Thanks for the like it is greatly appreciated. 

Warren


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