Food & Cooking
Smoking Time by Cut
Low-and-slow smoke times by cut and pit temperature — with stall and wrap recommendations.
Smoking Time by Cut
Inputs
Results
Total smoke time
Temperature, not time, tells you when it is done.
12 h 36 min – 16 h 6 min
Target internal temp
203°F
Expect the stall
Meat holds here for hours as moisture evaporates.
~160°F
Wrap temperature
Wrap in butcher paper or foil at ~165°F to push through the stall.
~165°F
How to use this
Smoking is a temperature game, not a time game. Budget extra — add 1–2 hours of buffer for brisket and pork butt, then hold them in a cooler wrapped in towels until dinner. Holding is a feature, not a problem.
The stall happens around 160–170°F when evaporative cooling balances the pit heat. Ride it out unwrapped for bark, or wrap in butcher paper or foil to push through.
USDA minimum safe internal temperatures: poultry 165°F, ground meats 160°F, whole cuts of beef/pork/lamb 145°F. Low and slow cuts like pork butt and brisket are taken well past these to render collagen. Food-safety guidance only, not medical advice.
Formula
hours = weight_lb × hours_per_lb × temp_factor
temp_factor: 225°F = 1.0, 250°F = 0.85, 275°F = 0.75
Displayed range is ±12% around the mid estimate — real variables are meat thickness, stall length, and pit consistency.
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Salt and water amounts for wet or dry brining, plus recommended brine times by protein.
Formula
hours = weight_lb × hours_per_lb × temp_factor (225°F: 1.0, 250°F: 0.85, 275°F: 0.75)