At my house, recipes are viewed as more guidelines than rules, especially when it comes to grilling. There are just so many different aspects to the prefect grilled food, it can be sometimes hard to create (much less follow) a meaningful recipe. From the temperature to the cut of meat and the kind of sauce used, everything can change slightly how a dish comes out.
So, as a way of trying to make some sense of all of it, I recommend starting your own Grill Journal. You can try and get fancy with it if you like, but I recommend simply buying a regular journal or notebook with a nice sturdy cover and filling in the following for everything you grill:
- Date
- Type and cut of meat (frozen, fresh / weight )
- Meat prep (trim, marinade, injection, brine, rub)
- Cooker temp (target/actual)
- Type of fuel (wood, charcoal / starter)
- Ambient temp (temperature outside when you started)
- Time to cook (how long it was on the grill)
- Cooking Notes (how many times turned, temp issues, etc)
- Finishing (seasoning, sauce, etc)
- Taste (flavor, texture, etc)
- Suggested improvements
It might seem like a lot, but doing just that will help you better track what changes you need to make and help teach you how to make adjustments based on various different factors. I have even known people to create a section for each kind of meat or each style, and then you can compare easier. Personally, I’m not quite that organized.
So, do you have a grilling journal? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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