diff --git a/web/src/dinners/api.ts b/web/src/dinners/api.ts
index 095ca20..b0a39e5 100644
--- a/web/src/dinners/api.ts
+++ b/web/src/dinners/api.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient, type QueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query'
+import { useIsMutating, useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient, type QueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import { useApi } from '../api/index.ts'
 import { isRecord } from '../api/errors.ts'
 
@@ -39,8 +39,9 @@ export type NewRegular = { name: string } | { recipe_url: string }
 // RegularPatch is a PATCH /api/v1/dinners/{id} body; every field is optional.
 export type RegularPatch = Partial<{ name: string; method: Method; minutes_total: number; difficulty: Difficulty }>
 
-// ManualRecipe is a recipe the household types in.
-export type ManualRecipe = { ingredients: string[]; steps: string[]; minutes?: number; method?: Method }
+// ManualRecipe is a recipe the household types in; the server needs its
+// minutes and method.
+export type ManualRecipe = { ingredients: string[]; steps: string[]; minutes: number; method: Method }
 
 // RecipeFix is a POST /api/v1/dinners/{id}/ground body: exactly one way to
 // ground the dinner.
@@ -144,11 +145,13 @@ function dinnerPath(id: string): string {
 
 // useRegulars is the household's Regulars, in the server's order. While any
 // of them is still finding its recipe it is read again every
-// GROUNDING_POLL_MS, except while a change is in flight (whose settling
-// reads it again anyway), so a poll never overwrites an optimistic change.
+// GROUNDING_POLL_MS, except while any change is in flight (whose settling
+// reads it again anyway), so a poll never overwrites a change being saved.
+// Watching the changes in flight re-renders the hook as each one starts and
+// settles, which pauses and resumes the poll.
 export function useRegulars() {
   const { apiFetch } = useApi()
-  const queryClient = useQueryClient()
+  const changing = useIsMutating({ mutationKey: REGULARS_MUTATION_KEY }) > 0
   return useQuery({
     queryKey: REGULARS_LIST_KEY,
     queryFn: async () => {
@@ -160,7 +163,7 @@ export function useRegulars() {
     select: shown,
     refetchInterval: (query) => {
       const list = query.state.data
-      if (list === undefined || queryClient.isMutating({ mutationKey: REGULARS_MUTATION_KEY }) > 0) return false
+      if (list === undefined || changing) return false
       return list.some((regular) => regular.grounding_status === 'pending') ? GROUNDING_POLL_MS : false
     },
   })
diff --git a/web/src/settings/RegularsSettingsPage.test.tsx b/web/src/settings/RegularsSettingsPage.test.tsx
index 83a8718..ba7371c 100644
--- a/web/src/settings/RegularsSettingsPage.test.tsx
+++ b/web/src/settings/RegularsSettingsPage.test.tsx
@@ -447,6 +447,34 @@ describe('RegularsSettingsPage', () => {
       expect(within(row('Pizza night')).getByText('Oven · 35 min')).toBeInTheDocument()
     })
 
+    it('saves a typed-in recipe only once its method and minutes are set', async () => {
+      const server = stubServer([PIZZA], {
+        'GET /api/v1/dinners/d3/recipe-candidates': () => jsonResponse(200, CANDIDATES),
+      })
+      await renderPage()
+
+      openRow('Pizza night')
+      fireEvent.click(fixSheet().getByRole('radio', { name: 'Type it in' }))
+      const save = fixSheet().getByRole('button', { name: 'Save recipe' })
+      fireEvent.change(fixSheet().getByLabelText('Ingredients, one per line'), { target: { value: '1 pizza dough' } })
+      expect(fixSheet().getByText('Choose a method and minutes to save.')).toBeInTheDocument()
+      expect(save).toBeDisabled()
+
+      fireEvent.change(fixSheet().getByLabelText('Method'), { target: { value: 'oven' } })
+      expect(save).toBeDisabled()
+      fireEvent.change(fixSheet().getByLabelText('Method'), { target: { value: '' } })
+      fireEvent.change(fixSheet().getByLabelText('Minutes'), { target: { value: '35' } })
+      expect(save).toBeDisabled()
+
+      // Even a submit that skips the button sends nothing.
+      fireEvent.submit(save.closest('form')!)
+      expect(sent(server.fetchMock)).toEqual([])
+
+      fireEvent.change(fixSheet().getByLabelText('Method'), { target: { value: 'oven' } })
+      expect(fixSheet().queryByText('Choose a method and minutes to save.')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+      expect(save).toBeEnabled()
+    })
+
     it('switches to editing the Regular', async () => {
       stubServer([PIZZA], { 'GET /api/v1/dinners/d3/recipe-candidates': () => jsonResponse(200, CANDIDATES) })
       await renderPage()
@@ -480,6 +508,67 @@ describe('RegularsSettingsPage', () => {
     expect(reads(server.fetchMock)).toBe(3)
   })
 
+  // held answers a request only when release is called, so a test can look
+  // at the page while a save is in flight.
+  function held(answer: () => Response) {
+    let release = () => {}
+    const response = new Promise<Response>((resolve) => {
+      release = () => resolve(answer())
+    })
+    return { respond: () => response, release: () => release() }
+  }
+
+  it('pauses the refresh while an edit is being saved, then resumes', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ['setInterval', 'clearInterval'] })
+    const edited = { ...TACOS, name: 'Fish tacos' }
+    const patch = held(() => jsonResponse(200, edited))
+    const server = stubServer([TACOS, CHILI], { 'PATCH /api/v1/dinners/d1': patch.respond })
+    await renderPage()
+
+    openRow('Beef tacos')
+    const sheet = within(screen.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Edit Beef tacos' }))
+    fireEvent.change(sheet.getByLabelText('Name'), { target: { value: 'Fish tacos' } })
+    fireEvent.click(sheet.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save changes' }))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(sent(server.fetchMock)).toHaveLength(1))
+
+    await act(() => vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(GROUNDING_POLL_MS * 3))
+    expect(reads(server.fetchMock)).toBe(1)
+
+    server.regulars = [edited, CHILI]
+    patch.release()
+    // Settling reads the list once, then the refresh carries on.
+    await waitFor(() => expect(reads(server.fetchMock)).toBe(2))
+    await act(() => vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(GROUNDING_POLL_MS))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(reads(server.fetchMock)).toBe(3))
+  })
+
+  it('pauses the refresh while a recipe fix is being saved, then resumes', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ['setInterval', 'clearInterval'] })
+    const fixed = { ...PIZZA, grounding_status: 'grounded' as const, grounding_error: null }
+    const ground = held(() => jsonResponse(200, fixed))
+    const server = stubServer([CHILI, PIZZA], {
+      'GET /api/v1/dinners/d3/recipe-candidates': () => jsonResponse(200, { candidates: [] }),
+      'POST /api/v1/dinners/d3/ground': ground.respond,
+    })
+    await renderPage()
+
+    openRow('Pizza night')
+    const sheet = within(screen.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Fix recipe' }))
+    fireEvent.click(sheet.getByRole('radio', { name: 'Paste a link' }))
+    fireEvent.change(sheet.getByLabelText('Recipe link'), { target: { value: 'https://example.com/pizza' } })
+    fireEvent.click(sheet.getByRole('button', { name: 'Use this recipe' }))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(sent(server.fetchMock)).toHaveLength(1))
+
+    await act(() => vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(GROUNDING_POLL_MS * 3))
+    expect(reads(server.fetchMock)).toBe(1)
+
+    server.regulars = [CHILI, fixed]
+    ground.release()
+    await waitFor(() => expect(reads(server.fetchMock)).toBe(2))
+    await act(() => vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(GROUNDING_POLL_MS))
+    await waitFor(() => expect(reads(server.fetchMock)).toBe(3))
+  })
+
   it('does not poll when no Regular is finding its recipe', async () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ['setInterval', 'clearInterval'] })
     const server = stubServer([TACOS, PIZZA])
diff --git a/web/src/settings/RegularsSettingsPage.tsx b/web/src/settings/RegularsSettingsPage.tsx
index 98db463..6464606 100644
--- a/web/src/settings/RegularsSettingsPage.tsx
+++ b/web/src/settings/RegularsSettingsPage.tsx
@@ -550,15 +550,13 @@ function ManualEntry({ onSubmit }: { onSubmit: (manual: ManualRecipe) => void })
   const stepsId = useId()
   const minutesError = minutesProblem(minutes)
   const ingredientLines = lines(ingredients)
-  const canSave = ingredientLines.length > 0 && minutesError === null
+  const missing = method === '' || minutes === ''
+  const canSave = ingredientLines.length > 0 && !missing && minutesError === null
 
   function onSave(event: FormEvent<HTMLFormElement>) {
     event.preventDefault()
     if (!canSave) return
-    const manual: ManualRecipe = { ingredients: ingredientLines, steps: lines(steps) }
-    if (minutes !== '') manual.minutes = Number(minutes)
-    if (method !== '') manual.method = method
-    onSubmit(manual)
+    onSubmit({ ingredients: ingredientLines, steps: lines(steps), minutes: Number(minutes), method })
   }
 
   return (
@@ -609,6 +607,7 @@ function ManualEntry({ onSubmit }: { onSubmit: (manual: ManualRecipe) => void })
         />
       </div>
       {minutesError && <p className={styles.problem}>{minutesError}</p>}
+      {ingredientLines.length > 0 && missing && <p className={styles.problem}>Choose a method and minutes to save.</p>}
       <Button type="submit" disabled={!canSave}>
         Save recipe
       </Button>