Tips & Tricks
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I also use a spreadsheet to document and print my recipes. I have it setup to calculate exact weights of all ingredients based on the actual pounds of meat used in the batch. I print the results then measure each ingredient and place each on a serving tray. As I add each ingredient I remove it from the serving tray leaving only what still needs to be added. By doing this I no longer miss things like ECA that gets added later than some of the other ingredients.
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I also use a spreadsheet to document and print my recipes. I have it setup to calculate exact weights of all ingredients based on the actual pounds of meat used in the batch. I print the results then measure each ingredient and place each on a serving tray. As I add each ingredient I remove it from the serving tray leaving only what still needs to be added. By doing this I no longer miss things like ECA that gets added later than some of the other ingredients.
bpschuebel said in Tips & Tricks:
I also use a spreadsheet to document and print my recipes. I have it setup to calculate exact weights of all ingredients based on the actual pounds of meat used in the batch. I print the results then measure each ingredient and place each on a serving tray. As I add each ingredient I remove it from the serving tray leaving only what still needs to be added. By doing this I no longer miss things like ECA that gets added later than some of the other ingredients.
Spreadsheet recipes are great for adjusting batch size. I do the same thing for calculating ingredients for dry rub bacon and dry jerky seasonings.
Nice to have some flexibility and convenience where the meat block weight may vary, and you don’t have to manually crunch the numbers to scale the ingredient weights.
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I also use a spreadsheet to document and print my recipes. I have it setup to calculate exact weights of all ingredients based on the actual pounds of meat used in the batch. I print the results then measure each ingredient and place each on a serving tray. As I add each ingredient I remove it from the serving tray leaving only what still needs to be added. By doing this I no longer miss things like ECA that gets added later than some of the other ingredients.
bpschuebel y’all gotta start using the Metric System for weights and measures. You can almost do the calculations in your head. I list the spices etc in grams/kilogram after weighing all the meat in grams and dividing by a 1000 to get the number of kilograms I’ve got it made in the shade. Just got a batch of moose salami ready to smoke.
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bpschuebel y’all gotta start using the Metric System for weights and measures. You can almost do the calculations in your head. I list the spices etc in grams/kilogram after weighing all the meat in grams and dividing by a 1000 to get the number of kilograms I’ve got it made in the shade. Just got a batch of moose salami ready to smoke.
Brianzipperdog123 I noticed that Alton Brown on his new shows has gone completely metric.
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bpschuebel y’all gotta start using the Metric System for weights and measures. You can almost do the calculations in your head. I list the spices etc in grams/kilogram after weighing all the meat in grams and dividing by a 1000 to get the number of kilograms I’ve got it made in the shade. Just got a batch of moose salami ready to smoke.
Brianzipperdog123 I agree, metric is much easier and grams are much more accurate than ounces for the smaller quantity items.
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How about some tips and tricks to help you out when making something. Not really a how to make something but a tip or trick out there for something you have always struggled with. I will start it off.
I always write my recipe down before I start. Before I did this, I seemed to have stuff left over that I forgot to put in. I also use colored ramekins if I am making more than one thing at a time. It keeps me from getting ingredients mixed up.
Grimpuppy What you are referring to is Mise en place It is a French culinary phrase which means “putting in place” or “everything in its place”.
Good chefs and cooks pre measure everything needed for a recipe and have it ready to add when called for.
It greatly improved my productivity and kept things better organized.
I also recommend this as well. Thanks for this topic and hint.
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bpschuebel y’all gotta start using the Metric System for weights and measures. You can almost do the calculations in your head. I list the spices etc in grams/kilogram after weighing all the meat in grams and dividing by a 1000 to get the number of kilograms I’ve got it made in the shade. Just got a batch of moose salami ready to smoke.
Brianzipperdog123 You are so right. It’s taking me a while (like a few years) to convert all my recipes to metric, but worth the effort.
It is convenient and makes scaling up or down much easier.
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Brianzipperdog123 You are so right. It’s taking me a while (like a few years) to convert all my recipes to metric, but worth the effort.
It is convenient and makes scaling up or down much easier.
Chef I am converting mine to metric as I make them, measure and then put on scale to weigh, taking some time but I think in the long run will be better to set up a spread sheet to work off of.
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I have a spray bottle of star sans mixed up and ready. Every surface and every tool gets misted prior to using to sanitize and improve product shelf life. This habit carried over from my homebrewing hobby.
keend0 great tip. I know I always keep a small, 1 quart bucket with dissenfective and a clean towel to keep everything wiped down and clean.
Been cooking for a lot of years and never got anyone sick. I want it to stay that way.
BTW Pine Oil works great as well as a weak bleach solution.
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Chef I am converting mine to metric as I make them, measure and then put on scale to weigh, taking some time but I think in the long run will be better to set up a spread sheet to work off of.
bocephus said in Tips & Tricks:
Chef I am converting mine to metric as I make them, measure and then put on scale to weigh, taking some time but I think in the long run will be better to set up a spread sheet to work off of.
I know the calculator in my android smart phone has a really simple to use units converter for converting lbs to grams or just about any other units you can imagine. Just plug in the number in one column and the metric equivalent shows up in the other column. It is just as simple to go from metric to standard as well.
I use it almost every day.
Paul
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bocephus said in Tips & Tricks:
Chef I am converting mine to metric as I make them, measure and then put on scale to weigh, taking some time but I think in the long run will be better to set up a spread sheet to work off of.
I know the calculator in my android smart phone has a really simple to use units converter for converting lbs to grams or just about any other units you can imagine. Just plug in the number in one column and the metric equivalent shows up in the other column. It is just as simple to go from metric to standard as well.
I use it almost every day.
processhead Great tip. Weight and mass can usually be converted with a calculator or many little apps and programs.
It is the volume that gives people more of an issue. I have looked up or measured the relative density of my common ingredients and use that factor to help me do all the recipe conversions.
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Another great tip is to get all your recipes on to a recipe program of some type.
I have migrated all mine to Recipe Keeper. Can import and export, share files, scale up or down, add pictures and even convert the collection into a book for printing.
It was very inexpensive and I fine it far superior to even the Professional Restaurant programs that run in the $1000’s
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processhead Great tip. Weight and mass can usually be converted with a calculator or many little apps and programs.
It is the volume that gives people more of an issue. I have looked up or measured the relative density of my common ingredients and use that factor to help me do all the recipe conversions.
Chef said in Tips & Tricks:
processhead Great tip. Weight and mass can usually be converted with a calculator or many little apps and programs.
It is the volume that gives people more of an issue. I have looked up or measured the relative density of my common ingredients and use that factor to help me do all the recipe conversions.
Agree. Volume to weight conversion can vary a lot. For spices, the coarseness of the grind, absorbed moisture, inconsistent measuring techniques can all contribute to errors between what volume I might measure and the corresponding weight.
For some ingredients volume works. Water is probably a good example where volume and weight are going to be close enough for most purposes.
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Here’s a tip for those who buy bulk. Flour, rice, grits, corn meal, most grains and even pasta have weevils or weevils eggs in it. It is just life. All it takes is for one egg to hatch and over time they can show up in abundance.
By placing your storage containers like bags or plastic containers in a freezer for 4 days, you can kill all weevils and weevils eggs for good.
Then longer term storage is not a problem for a few years. I do add an Oxygen absorber in the storage container.
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bpschuebel y’all gotta start using the Metric System for weights and measures. You can almost do the calculations in your head. I list the spices etc in grams/kilogram after weighing all the meat in grams and dividing by a 1000 to get the number of kilograms I’ve got it made in the shade. Just got a batch of moose salami ready to smoke.
Brianzipperdog123 I totally agree, I only use pounds/oz to weigh the meat block, all other ingredients are measured in grams.
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Brianzipperdog123 I totally agree, I only use pounds/oz to weigh the meat block, all other ingredients are measured in grams.
bpschuebel I am in the process of converting recipes, as I make them I weigh out my measurements to convert. Also working on spreadsheets to just add meat block and ingredients will fill in.
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An update on the recipe program “Recipe Keeper”. Just Tuesday they added a feature to turn all your recipes into a printed book, converting it to a PDF. Lots of great options.
https://recipekeeperonline.com/ -
An update on the recipe program “Recipe Keeper”. Just Tuesday they added a feature to turn all your recipes into a printed book, converting it to a PDF. Lots of great options.
https://recipekeeperonline.com/Chef said in Tips & Tricks:
An update on the recipe program “Recipe Keeper”. Just Tuesday they added a feature to turn all your recipes into a printed book, converting it to a PDF. Lots of great options.
https://recipekeeperonline.com/I need to take a close look at this. I have been trying to get Margaret to type all my hand written recipes for years now & she says she needs a program vs just doing it on Word for Windows or something. This may be the ticket, even if I can find time to type it.
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Chef said in Tips & Tricks:
An update on the recipe program “Recipe Keeper”. Just Tuesday they added a feature to turn all your recipes into a printed book, converting it to a PDF. Lots of great options.
https://recipekeeperonline.com/I need to take a close look at this. I have been trying to get Margaret to type all my hand written recipes for years now & she says she needs a program vs just doing it on Word for Windows or something. This may be the ticket, even if I can find time to type it.
calldoctoday I find it very helpful. I can create a shopping list, scale up or down, now even generate a cook book. I have it on my computer, but also on my phone and it automatically syncs. I now always have my recipes with me so if I want to add something to the menu when I’m shopping, I can look at the ingredients and pick them up.
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