Cooking diary method?

CheeseheadinAZ

I've been documenting cooks the old fashion way, in a spiral notebook.  Anyone have any better suggestions? 

MrHand

looseleaf binder?

Tony_T

If you have a smartphone, use one of the note apps

AVEngineer

I have been playing with the Pitt Pal app for iPhone. It could do more if I used a pit controller but I don't. I find myself making notes along the way to document things and try to always note time into cook, and whichever temp seems appropriate, pit or meat.  

Jstroke

I am not an app guy for notes. I like a small flip-over-top notebook like I used in school for assignments. This way I can keep it in my pocket when cooking. 

JMCXL

I use a 3 ring binder with the clear insert sheet holders for each receipt  ( I have a bunch from old kid projects) this allows them to stay clean when I take them out for a cook. my family make fun of me but all is good

XC242

Don't need no stinkin notebook, I've got one of them thar photototographic memories... Uh, now what were we talkin about again???

matoch

I'm slowly working on my own IOS app to create a cooking log. I need to do something when I'm not cooking

Theophan

I'm a nerd, so of course I do it all on my computer!    I used to keep a regular word file with how each cook went, sorted by what type of meat, etc., but then I moved it into EverNote so it'd be on my phone as well, anywhere I go.

I just can't imagine using paper for this kind of thing anymore.  I LOSE stuff right and left, my desk is a black hole.  But if it's on my computer and my phone, I know right where it is.

SciAggie

I keep a moleskine journal and write down recipes that have become "mine" over time. I also jot down thoughts and reflections. I keep a ton of stuff digitally, but much of what I consider original and personal I keep in the journal. I guess I just like the nostalgia of a notebook. I even use a fountain pen...

bgebrent

Smoke signals my friend.  Your cooks are amazing, keep posting them here.

Eggingaround

I use Evernote for everything. Syncs across all platforms so you have it anywhere anytime. 

Sweet100s

Theophan said:

I used to keep a regular word file with how each cook went,

Great topic @CheeseheadinAC.  

Theopan, that is still my approach.  My Word file is up to 800 pages of recipes and cook notes.

>> Theophan said:

>> but then I moved it into EverNote so it'd be on my phone as well, anywhere I go.

I use Evernote a ton and love it.

However, I was thinking about switching approaches to Google Docs in order to have family easily access it. 

>> Theophan said:

>> I just can't imagine using paper for this kind of thing anymore. 

Me either... 

However, I do usually print out the recipe before starting a cook.
I almost always copy/paste it with a couple edits to minimize "oops"

Ex: 
2 tablespoons becomes 2 Tables
2 teaspoons becomes 2 teas

Much easier to visually distinguish.  Started that after adding 2 Tables of salt when the recipe called for 2 teas.

tarheelmatt

I need to take more notes and document.  Everything else comes from my head. 

Sea2Ski

My wife made a 3 ring binder for me for x-mas one year.  It is divided into 10 sections: beef, pork, poultry, ribs, charcuterie, duck, etc.. all the major categories that you would want notes for.  Things like hamburgers, sausages, chicken parts etc are not recorded. Things like bacon, sausage recipes, whole birds and roasts etc are written down. By doing this, I have really dialed in my cooking time and can pretty much nail the nail time. If I want to cook a 4.75 lb pork rib roast, I can see how long to do it for and be within 10 or so minutes. Boneless will obviously be shorter, but I can get that timing separately as well.

I keep track of the meat weight (if a roast or bird), amount/type of wood used,  seasoning, dome temp, time put on the grate, time/temp removed and if I used a brine or did anything special. For giggles, I also put price so that in years I can look back and say "wow.... look how cheap it was...."
At the very bottom, I have two ratings. One is the one from my wife/guests (if family- they know I am nuts) and one from me since mine is usually lower than theirs. Sometimes I put post cook notes - but only if there is something really bad that I need to remember, like too much salt or pulled too late etc... Or something I definitely want to remember.

Takes all of 3-5 more minutes per cook to do.

JethroVA

I just use the Notes function on my iPhone

Griffin

The wife and I have a 3 ring binder and use those clear plastic sleeves for recipes we use a lot and I started a blog mainly for me but also to help out others. Some people like it, I think, although I haven't been as active on it the past few years.

kwdickert

Ladies and Gentleman, may i present to you....

drive.google.com

It has an app and can be done from the web also. Keep recipes on you at all times. Edit on the go, etc. It's fantastic and extremely shareable or as lock tight as you want!

Edit: also holds pictures and links so you can have the ultimate way to reference things on the fly.

Fred19Flintstone

Signs I may need my eyes checked:

- I just renewed my driver's license and now I'm required to wear glasses while driving.

- I saw this thread title and wondered what the "dairy method" was.

CheeseheadinAZ

Ok just looked at Evernote and I'm intrigued. Like the fact you can add pictures too something you obviously lack with the old fashion journal. For current users of Evernote if you have any learnings/tips/methods you have gained with use, please share.  Kwdickert, I'm going to dive into drive.google.com and check that out too.  Thanks everyone for sharing!!...I think a diary is one of the best ways to improve cooks over time.  And it's always fun to see all of the stuff you have cooked over time.

AVEngineer

matoch said:

I'm slowly working on my own IOS app to create a cooking log. I need to do something when I'm not cooking

I'm in for beta testing if it ever comes to that and you are serious about creating one. 

RRP

Similar to what Griffin said I have 2 large plastic 3 ring notebooks and use plastic covers exclusively on the recipes and then they are divided into tabs of
Beef
Pork
Chicken
Fish
Pizza
Veggies
Rubs/Sauces
Other
Techniques

I like to make notations on the pages and/or slip scraps of paper in the covers. What I have learned over the years if I don't make anything I have saved to try in at least 2 years time I read it and either fix it soon thereafter or pitch it! 99% get pitched so I like to think of my 2 volumes as my living/working cookbooks. 

onedbguru

Every cook is a new experience. I just "wing" it... 

CheeseheadinAZ

@RRP can you provide a pic of your notebook?

RRP

CheeseheadinAZ said:

@RRP can you provide a pic of your notebook?

I'm not sure if you are pulling my leg or not, but at this stage I'll play along. BTW these are 1.5" binders and what I failed to mention was once I have adapted a recipe to our liking then typically I do go ahead and convert it to WORD so that future changes can be easily updated and saved.

dldawes1

I have 3 pocket folders with almost 2-1/2 years of cook notes, cook logs, times and temps, etc. in them. Also have favorite recipes and instructions. 

I'm not an organized person. Some files are on laptop, some in email, some at work on computer, etc etc.

hapster

Evernote and Instagram... But most of the time I'm just making it up as I go

DoubleEgger

Wow. Documenting cooks? You guys put a lot more effort into this than I do.  I fly by the seat of my pants. I have a few "best of the best" recipes in a 20 yr old envelope. That's it. 

CheeseheadinAZ

@RRP wasn't pulling your leg. Impressive!! Nice work!  I know some wing it and some like to write it. I'm a bit of a detail geek so I like the documentation. Thanks for sharing. 

CheeseheadinAZ

@hapster Thanks, since I've already done the notebook route I'm going to give Evernote a try. 

Legume

I have to be honest, I half expected a handcrafted wood binder.  Kinda disappointed.