Loading ...How To: Manage Your Meat With A Smoking Timetable
You’ve purchased your first WSM
Before you use the chart below as gospel, keep these tips in mind:
- The timeline below is assuming a 225-250 degree F cook. Cooking in a higher range (250-275) will certainly shorten these cook times.
- Everytime you open your smoker to take a peek, mop your ribs, or flip your brisket, it can add over 15 minutes to your time!
- Calibrate your thermometers regularly and make sure they are in good working order. For ongoing monitoring, I recomend the Maverick ET-7 Remote Thermometer
- Always remember there can be hot and cold spots to your smoker. Not so much with a bullet style WSM, but with a hefty offset, temperatures can vary as much as 25 degrees F left to right, front to back.
- If your pork butts or brisket are done ahead of time, a great way to hold them is wrapped in foil, again in blankets and placed in a cooler. I’ve cooked for a company picnic and held briskets over 5 hours using this method and they were still steaming hot when I needed them.
- Even if you get caught with hungry guests and 3 hours to go, ultimately you are the Pitmaster and you should act like it. Inform your guests how you simply cant rush something this good, throw some ABT’s or other shorter cook appetizers on to tide ‘em over and if all else fails, get ‘em drunk.
| What’s cook’n: |
Size |
Approximate time |
You know it’s done when… |
| Baby back ribs (pork) |
1.5 lbs |
3 to 5 hours |
The meat pulls from the bone 1/2 to 1 inch |
| Baby back ribs (pork) |
1 3/4 to 2 1/4 lbs |
4 to 6 hours |
The meat pulls from the bone 1/2 to 1 inch. |
| Beef brisket |
8 to 12 lbs trimmed |
12 to 18 hours |
The internal temperature reaches 185 to 195 degrees F to slice. 195 to 205 to shred. You insert a fork into the thickest part of the meat and give it a 1/4 turn with ease. |
| Beef tenderloin |
3 to 4 lbs |
3 1/2 to 4 hours |
The internal temperature reaches 130 to 140 degrees F medium rare; 150 degrees F medium; 160 degrees F well done. |
| Chicken breast |
1/4 to 1/2 lb |
1 to 3 hours |
The internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. |
| Fish fillets |
1/4 to 1/2 lb |
1 1/2 to 2 hours |
The fish begins to flake. |
| Pork butt |
6 to 8 lbs |
8 to 12 hours |
The internal temperature reaches 195 to 205 degrees F to pull; 165 to 185 degrees F to slice. |
| Pork loin |
8 to 10 lbs |
12 to 15 hours |
The internal temperature reaches 155 to 160 degrees F. |
| Pork Sausage |
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inch diameter |
1 to 3 hours |
The internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. |
| Pork tenderloin |
1 1/2 to 2 lbs |
2 1/2 to 3 hours |
The internal temperature reaches 155 to 160 degrees F. |
| Spareribs (pork) |
2 1/2 to 3+ lbs |
5 to 7 hours |
The meat pulls from the bone 1/2 to 1 inch. |
| Whole chicken |
2 1/2 to 3 lbs |
3 to 5 hours |
The internal temperature (breast and thigh) reaches 165 degrees F. |
| Whole chicken |
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs |
3 to 5 hours |
The internal temperature (breast and thigh) reaches 165 degrees F. |
| Whole duck |
4 to 5 lbs |
3 1/2 to 4 hours |
The internal temperature (breast and thigh) reaches 165 degrees F. |
| Whole fish |
4 to 6 lbs |
3 1/2 to 4 hours |
The fish begins to flake. |
| Whole hog |
up to 100 lbs |
90-120 minutes per 10 lbs |
The internal temperature (hindquarters) reaches 185 degrees F. |
| Whole hog |
over 100 lbs |
60-100 minutes per 10 lbs |
The internal temperature (hindquarters) reaches 185 degrees F. |
| Whole pork shoulder |
12 to 16 lbs |
24 to 32 hours |
195 to 205 degrees F to pull; 165 to 185 degrees F to slice. |
| Whole turkey |
10 to 12 lbs |
7 to 8 hours |
The internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. |
-The Founding Father
