When I first started using a smoker one of my biggest questions was “How long should I smoke this brisket, turkey, butt, etc.?”.
It turns out that I was asking the wrong question. I should have been asking what temperature should I smoke too?
To turn out consistently good BBQ you must cook to a temperature.
First, cooking to a temperature is first a matter of safety. How many times have you pulled a burger or chicken off the grill and when you bite into it it is still bloody red inside?
Some min/ sample temps
And second, cooking to a temperature gives you the consistency you need to turn out good BBQ every time you cook.
When planning your cook time there are some rules of thumb you can use.
Brisket 1.5 hours/lb
Turkey
Pork Butt
But every piece of meat will cook differently so be sure to leave some extra time in your schedule.
So if you’re not cooking by time what temps should you cook to?
Once again here are some rules of thumb…
Brisket 1.5 hours/lb
Turkey
Pork Butt
But every person has their own preferred doneness for meat. We suggest keeping a log and tracking you preference for your finished temps.
How do you measure temp? Cheapie, thermapen, probe put some pics
Be sure to insert your probe or thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.