Smoking Database

[BaldEagleOne]

I usually follow a recipe pretty closely, but often modify it. The next time I do the same smoke, I wonder how it was smoked the last time, and did I like it. I'm too techie to write things down, so I looked around for a for a database. A possibility was a contact database like ACT!, but that's way, way overkill. Couldn't find anything, so I learned enough about MS Access to build my own database. Attached is a freshly designed report. I say freshly because it still needs tweaking. Let me know if anyone wants this database which can be emailed. You'll have to know something about Access, but it's pretty easy and there are a lot of helpful tutorials on Youtube.

 

[smokerjim]

Looks pretty nice , wish I could use stuff like that but I still write on the back of paper plates or something.

 

[schlotz]

While somewhat old school, I do use MacGourmet for all my recipes and make notes about each of my smokes attached to its recipe.

 

[bauchjw]

That’s really cool. I’m the opposite of Techie, but I can definitely appreciate it!

 

[pushok2018]

Looks nice... I certainly can use it but I am wondering if a record for each smoke can be saved in this database individually? Also, can this database be organized for different folders like fish, pork , beef, poultry...??

 

[bill ace 350]

I usually follow a recipe pretty closely, but often modify it. The next time I do the same smoke, I wonder how it was smoked the last time, and did I like it. I'm too techie to write things down, so I looked around for a for a database. A possibility was a contact database like ACT!, but that's way, way overkill. Couldn't find anything, so I learned enough about MS Access to build my own database. Attached is a freshly designed report. I say freshly because it still needs tweaking. Let me know if anyone wants this database which can be emailed. You'll have to know something about Access, but it's pretty easy and there are a lot of helpful tutorials on Youtube.

Looks like a form, not a report.
Is it relational?
You could build a form with a subform.
that way you could, for example, display "Brisket" on the main form, and all recipes and cook details for each Brisket you cooked in a datasheet on the subform.

 

[BaldEagleOne]

Looks nice... I certainly can use it but I am wondering if a record for each smoke can be saved in this database individually? Also, can this database be organized for different folders like fish, pork , beef, poultry...??

Sure. Item Smoked is a dropdown list into which you can add anything. You can make a Query to just list, for example, tri tip, and you'll get all the tri tip recipes.

 

[BaldEagleOne]

Looks like a form, not a report.
Is it relational?
You could build a form with a subform.
that way you could, for example, display "Brisket" on the main form, and all recipes and cook details for each Brisket you cooked in a datasheet on the subform.

Yeah, it's a form and Access is relational. You can query any field or dropdown menu item

 

[bill ace 350]

Yeah, it's a form and Access is relational. You can query any field or dropdown menu item

Sorry, i meant to ask if your database was relational.

 

[jcam222]

That’s pretty cool. I’ll PM you my email address. Wouldn’t mind checking it out. I pretty Access literate. Well I know just enough to be dangerous lol.

 

[1MoreFord]

As a fellow Camp Chef owner I see you have a field for the smoke number.

I'd like to see multiple fields for temp adjustments and smoke numbers as I tend to start my cooks low for max smoke and then bump it up as the cook progresses. Maybe also fields for length of time at each temperature.

BTW in your example it appears your total cook time is not working correctly.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Nice, but how to you quantify the meat quality from month to month, or year to year? Hard to make chicken salad out of chicken sh$t.

 

[ConrodM]

That’s pretty BadA$$!! I’m using a modified xcell spreadsheet to log my smoking sessions. Will be happy to upload if anyone wants.

 

[BaldEagleOne]

Nice, but how to you quantify the meat quality from month to month, or year to year? Hard to make chicken salad out of chicken sh$t.

Not sure I understand, but from your idea, I could enter another field -- Grade -- for meat quality and select Prime, Choice Wagyu, grass-fed, etc.

 

[BaldEagleOne]

Looks pretty nice , wish I could use stuff like that but I still write on the back of paper plates or something.

However you do it, keeping track of smokes might turn out to be helpful in the future.

 

[bill ace 350]

Sure. Item Smoked is a dropdown list into which you can add anything. You can make a Query to just list, for example, tri tip, and you'll get all the tri tip recipes.

It would be easier to apply a filter to your form than to build and modify a query.