Meat smoker calculator

To master the brisket smoke time for your BBQ, you need to factor in both the weight and thickness of your brisket. Start with a basic rule: smoke at 225°F for about 1 to 1.5 hours per pound. Remember, variables like smoker type, weather, and meat quality can adjust these timings. Keep an eye on internal temperature and smoker conditions. Use a brisket calculator as a guideline to tweak your times based on specifics. It's all about monitoring and adjusting to get that perfect, tender brisket. Stick around, and we'll share some trade secrets that'll lift your BBQ game.Table of ContentsKey TakeawaysUnderstanding Brisket BasicsChoosing the Right BrisketSelecting Brisket QualityBrisket Cut VarietiesWeight and Size ConsiderationsImportance of Meat PreparationCalculating Smoke TimeSetting Up Your SmokerSelecting the Right SmokerPreparing Smoker ComponentsMaintaining Optimal TemperatureMonitoring Brisket TemperatureResting and Serving TipsTroubleshooting Common IssuesFrequently Asked QuestionsCan I Smoke Brisket Using an Electric Smoker?How Does Weather Affect Brisket Smoking Time?What Are Alternative Woods to Use for Smoking Brisket?Is It Possible to Over-Rest a Brisket?How Do I Store Leftover Smoked Brisket?Key TakeawaysUtilize a brisket smoke time calculator to estimate cooking time based on weight, typically 1 to 1.5 hours per pound at 225°F.Adjust the estimated smoking time for environmental factors like temperature fluctuations and humidity.Monitor and maintain a consistent smoker temperature to ensure even cooking and optimal smoke flavor absorption.Factor in the thickness and cut of the brisket, as these can affect the overall smoking time.Allow for a resting period after smoking to let the juices redistribute, enhancing flavor and tenderness.Understanding Brisket BasicsBefore you fire up the smoker, let's break down what brisket is and why it's a BBQ favorite.Brisket is a beef cut from the breast section under the first five ribs, between the shoulder and the forelegs. It's known for its rich flavor and, when cooked properly, its melt-in-your-mouth texture. This is largely thanks to the fat cap and the connective tissue that, if not cooked correctly, can make brisket tough rather than tender.Now, diving into brisket marination, you've got to understand that this process can transform the tough meat into a tender delight.Marinating the brisket helps to

Wood seems to be mild and sweet, which will go with most meat flavors. You can’t go wrong with Applewood for most meat-smoking projects, in my experience.Smoking Technique TableTechniqueSmoker OptionsCelius/MetricFahrenheit/ImperialNotesDirect Heat Hot smokingWok Smoking, Portable Smoker90-135°C195-275°FOften, meat is salt cured/brined before to hold moisture in the meat during the cooking/smokingIndirect Hot SmokingElectric/Propane Smoker, Charcoal (Kettle, Drum, Barrel), Offset Wood/Charcoal, Pellet Grill Smoker, Grill – Indirect with Add-On Smoker, Smokehouse100–160°C210-320°FOften, meat is salt-cured/brined before to hold moisture in the meat during the cooking/smokingLow & Slow Texas BBQ, Electric/Propane Smoker, Charcoal (Kettle, Drum, Barrel), Offset Wood/Charcoal, Pellet Grill Smoker, Grill – Indirect with Add-On Smoker, Smokehouse90-150°C195-300°FLow temperature, with indirect heat. Inside the chamber, smoke to flavorCold SmokingPellet Tube Smoker, Smoker Generator, Maze Smoker. Smokehouse, Tunnel Smoker5-30°C41°F – 77°FCold smoking often involves drying meat and flavoring. It can be used for preservation also.Examples of Hot and Cold SmokingHot Smoked (salt cured)Hot Smoked BaconHot Smoked Kranksy SausageHot Smoked Ham (Deli)hot Smoked Pastramihot Smoked TurkeyPinHot Smoked Salami/Sausage – Cooked and Also DriedPinHot Smoked Sausage – cookedPinMy Hot Smoked BaconPinMy Hot Smoked Bacon Part IIPinMy Hot Smoked Chicken BreastPinMy Hot Smoked SalmonCold Smoking (salt cured meat)cold smoked baconcold smoked salmoncold smoked kipper (UK) – Cooked before eatingcold smoked baconcold smoked dry-cured salamiCold smoked – salt, mushrooms, vegetables, spices, eggs, chocolatePinMy Cold Smoked BaconPinMy Cold Smoked Hungarian SalamiPinCold Smoked BaconPinMy Cold Smoked Bacon & SalamiPinMy batch of thinly sliced dry cured baconLow and Slow Hot smoking (no salt curing, only salt seasoning/rub applied)Smoked Pulled PorkSmoked Beef BrisketSmoked Pork RibsPinLow and Slow Hot Smoked Pulled PorkPinMy Low and Slow Hot Smoked Pork RIbsPinLow and Slow Hot Smoked Beef Short RibsSome styles of hot smoking are indirect, with heat surrounding the food. Also, the smoke is in an enclosed area with the food. Ideally, it is well insulated and has a controlled airflow. However, it can also be done on a regular hooded grill (with accessory) or using a wok/pot.There are also some direct heating hot smoking options, excellent for smoking less dense meats like fish over a shorter time of under 15 minutes.Hot SmokingKey FactorsConsistent temperature, approximately – it doesn’t have to be precise.Some airflow control can be of assistance, but it isn’t essentialThe ability to turn up or down the heat can be helpful (fire management with non-thermostat styles)Moisture in the smoking chamber can help keep meat from drying on the exterior.Direct Heat Hot SmokingSpecifically I wrote an article on how to hot smoke meat here.Here is a link to the hot smoking article category page on this site.Tea (Hot) SmokingRice and aromatics have been used across Asian cultures for smoking for a long time.This is a fast method; I would call direct heat hot smoking since

Opening your smoker every half hour can release valuable heat and affect the cooking process.Grab a copy of our smoking times and temps chart to use with your thermometer.Ideal thermometer placement for barbecueTo get an accurate ambient grill temperature, you need to measure the air temperature where your meat is sitting just above the grate. The goal is to know the accurate temperature where the food is. Placing the probe too close and the cold hunk of meat will affect the reading. Too far away and the temperature won’t be accurate.Typical probe setup on a Weber Smokey MountainThe best spot to set up your ambient temperature probe does depend on your exact cooker and might take some trial and error.These are a few best practices to consider for placing your meat and smoker temperature probe:Keep the ambient probe raised off the grill and close to the meat to ensure you get the most accurate temperature.Most smokers run hotter in the middle and lower at the edges, so ensure you’re not getting a false reading by placing the probe too far from the meat.But also be careful that the internal temperature probe is not closer than a few inches from the meat to avoid false readings.Most smoker thermometers include a simple probe clip that attaches to your grill grate.Insert the meat probe into the thickest part of the meat, ensuring that it isn’t touching any bone.If you don’t have one, you can buy a simple thermometer probe clip for a few bucks. Or go the DIY route and scrunch up a ball of tin foil which you can nestle the probe into. Foil wrapping the probe can greatly extend its life.Dome temperature VS grill temperature If you’ve just splashed out hundreds of dollars on a new smoker you might be tempted to ignore our advice and use the built-in thermometer on the dome.Please do not do this. Even if you buy a top of the line smoker, virtually every manufacturer cuts corners on the dome thermometer. More importantly, these dials measure the temperature in the air space way above the food you are cooking. For a comprehensive explanation of why you should not use the built-in thermometer we referred to the experts: ThermoWorks, Dome Temperature vs Grill Temperature“Look at the stem of your dial thermometer when it’s installed in your cooker. You will see 1” to 2” of stem positioned right

Helps the rub stick to the surface throughout the early part of the smoking process. I do this on both the meat and bone sides of the ribs.Once the ribs are prepped and the binder is on, I generously apply my favorite rub, making sure to cover all the sides and edges of the ribs. Preheat the smoker to 225F. I use Pecan or Cherry, when smoking ribs.Once the smoker is at the proper temperature of 225 degrees, place the ribs on the grill meat side up.Now you can pretty much wait for the three hours to pass or some fanatics prefer to spritz their ribs every 30-45 minutes with a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water. I personally quit doing this, because I never noticed a difference.After three hours, remove the ribs and place each rack meat side up on a large piece of heavy-duty tin foil.Brush melted butter over the tops of the ribs, followed by the melted honey. You can spritz the ribs for extra moisture if you want.Flip the racks around so the bone side is facing up. Repeat the previous step with melted butter and melted honey.Leave the racks bone side up and wrap the ribs tightly. Place back on the smoker bone side up for 2 hours. Keep the temp at 225F. Remember, you want to be careful wrapping the ribs to make sure they do not lose any of the juices, so be gentle when putting them back on the smoker and when removing them.Remove the ribs from the foil and place back on the grill.Brush the ribs with your favorite barbecue sauce. Cook for 1 more hour at 225F.Check for doneness by using the a combination of the rib meat temperature, the pick up test and the amount of exposed

Facing DOWN and skin side is up). Brush the skin side with more BBQ sauce if desired.Sear smoked butterflied chicken to finish them. To do this, crank smoker up to a temperature of 500 degrees F to finish smoking butterflied chicken legs with a sear until done. They’re ready to remove from the smoker when they reach 175 degrees F as measured with an internal read thermometer.Finish smoked chicken drumsticks with a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy.The butterflied smoked chicken legs done temp is 175 degrees F.Also see how to grill chicken thighs and how to smoke chicken thighs…Try a new Smoker Recipe…Smoked Spaghetti Squash on the TraegerTraeger Smoked Tri Tip PizzaSmoked Chicken Wings (Traeger Pellet Grill Smoker Demo)Level-up your cooking…The wrong meat thermometer will ruin your food… see the BBQ meat thermometers I credit for getting delicious results.Become better at home cookingGet my free recipe newsletter.I’m here to help you put together delicious meals, right at home. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments. Follow for new recipes on Instagram and subscribe to the SipBiteGo on YouTube.Chat soon!– JennaNext, browse the Sip Bite Go recipe collection… ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ 8 pieces chicken drumsticks aka chicken legs, bone-in with skin on or off (about 1 ½ LBs chicken drums)▢ 2 tbsp BBQ dry rub any chicken bbq seasoning will work, too, as much as you’d like▢ ½ cup BBQ sauce▢ 1 tsp cilantro fresh chopped (optional, for serving) How to butterfly chicken legs for smokingFirst, find the bone of the chicken drumstick and get a pairing knife ready.Make a cut. Gently make one parallel cut down the leg, in the center, touching the bone. This first cut will help open up the chicken leg meat for the next step.Make two more cuts. One on each side of the chicken leg bone. You’ll want to use one hand to pull back the leg meat while the other hand makes the cuts.. Don’t cut all the way through the meat, that would defeat the purpose. At the end of your cuts, you should clearly see the chicken bone with chicken meat flaps on each side. On the other side, you’ll find the skin side. Smoosh the meat flat to butterfly it.How to smoke butterflied chicken drumsticksPreheat Traeger Grills or Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill you’re using to 250 degrees F.Season butterflied chicken drumsticks. Sprinkle dry rub seasoning all over the chicken and rub it in with your hands.Smoke butterflied chicken legs / drumsticks with bone side (cut side) facing down, directly on the Traeger pellet grill grates.Brush BBQ sauce on butterflied smoker chicken legs. Smoke for 45 minutes then brush on BBQ sauce. (at this point of the Sip Bite Go smoked recipe demonstration, the chicken legs measured 140 degrees F internally – it doesn’t matter THAT much, but I’m just sharing incase you want to check how cooked your chicken legs are at this 45 minute mark, compared to the ones in the video).Smoke

Element for heat, a smoking tray, or a tube to add the smoke flavor.These are some of the easiest-to-use hot-smoking devices.Pellet Grill SmokerPinI assembled this pellet grill smoker, left-pellet feeder bin, wifi antenna, and controllers—my homemade red wine on top (Sangiovese).I’ve written for pellet grill smoker companies and put together a few types. Used them extensively.A pellet grill smoker is an advanced electric smoker that feeds wood pellets through an auger into a ‘burning chamber/pot.’ The system is also thermostat controlled for effortless control.However, you have to buy expensive wood pellets for the cost of convenience.Charcoal Heating Source SmokingPinCharcoal Hot Smoked SalmonThis covers many shapes of hot smokerKettle smokerDrum smokerBarrel smokerCeramic Insulated EggOffset Smoker (though it can be run on wood chunks instead)Either used indirect heat for low-temperature cooking/hot smoking or some of these types like a kettle, ceramic eggs, and some offset smokers can also be direct heat grillers and very hot searing temperatures if set differentlyLow & Slow Indirect Hot SmokingTexas-style barbecue is a classic way of smoking meat. It is based on indirect heat and provides a good-quality flow of smoke. Generally, it is low and slow over an extended period.It’s about 2-20 hours of consistent heat and smoke.Early European Czech & German settlers introduced smoking meat for preservation during colonization in the USA. Then, it has morphed in more recent years into what is now called ‘Low and Slow.’Any indirect hot smokers above could be used for Low and Slow Smoking.Key FactorsThe key factor is keeping the low-temperature heat consistency, although it doesn’t need to be precise. Hot Smoking and Low and Slow Hot Smoking are entirely different from cold smoking. Often, generically, people think all ‘smoked’ foods are the same; this is a widespread fallacy I’ve seen over many decades.Enough moisture in the cooking/smoking chamber means the outside doesn’t dry out as much.This cooking style is about breaking down the tough fiber with slow cooking to melt collagen and fat.Creating a rich, moist mouthfeel.Cold SmokingPinCold smoking with a large smoke generator in my friend Laurence’s wine barrel.Fully salt-curing the meat with a dry cure or salt brine is the first step and is incredibly important.However, if the outside of fresh meat is dry, instead of curing for preservation and cold smoking. I’ve cold smoked beef and pork to add some smoke flavor just before traditionally grilling or baking (not that much smoke flavor exists from short cold smoking sessions).Cold smoking is for more experienced meat curers; you will want to master hot smoking first.It’s a long process, from 5 hours to 14 days. The key is temperature; it has to be done under 80° F / 25° C. The smoke dries the meat and removes