Keeping good notes

[Wayne Copeland]

Remember last summer when your wife/husband told you that the ribs/chicken/pork or brisket was the best that you had ever cooked? Or family and friends said that it was the best they ever tasted? Can you duplicate what you did to garner that long awaited compliment? If your like most of us, you probably can't remember exactly what you did to the meat to get that exact same result....so keep a journal. After every contest, I get a copy of the judges tally sheet, which tells me (based on points) how they liked my products appearance, taste and tenderness. During the cooking phase of the contest, I keep notes on a little spread sheet I developed that records the times I marinated, applied rub, brined and/or seasoned my meats. I also record my pit temps, turning temp/times, glaze times, etc. I also record what types of wood I used and what type of seasonings I applied to which meat. Then I compare the judges tally sheet to my spread sheet and try to arrive at some consensus as to how I think I either did or should have done. Keeping these records in a spiral notebook, with recent copies of the KCBS Bullsheet, helps me be consistent...I can then either change or duplicate my cooking strategies. Just food for thought........

[bbqkid]

This is good advise.

Thanks....

[Wayne Copeland]

Glad to be of help in any way we can, BBQKID.

[Wayne Copeland]

Another tip I think is important in your record keeping process is to write down the ambient temp and humidity, as this will keep you up to speed when cooking in similar weather in the future. You will need to adjust the damper, wood amounts, charcoal amounts, etc. in cold, wet weather versus hot, dry weather. Wayne

[Smokey]

There's nothing more damn frustrating than cooking when it's damp.