Smoking Times and Temperatures Chart

Every cut we have timed, in one chart: the pit temperature to run, roughly how long it takes, and the internal temperature to pull at. Most barbecue runs between 225°F and 275°F, and nearly everything finishes by internal temperature rather than the clock. Brisket and pork butt probe tender around 195-205°F, poultry is safe at 165°F, ground meat at 160°F, and steaks come off by doneness. Use the chart to plan your day, then let your thermometer make the final call. The science behind those safety floors, from the USDA kill tables to the danger zone, is in our food safety articles.

Times below are for the cut’s most common preparation. Every cut links to its full guide, where you will find each style and method broken out.

How to read this chart

• Pit temp is the smoker temperature the timing assumes. Running hotter shortens the cook, running cooler stretches it.
• Approx time is either a per-pound rate (large cuts like brisket, pork butt and whole birds) or a total time (steaks, fish, sausage and anything cooked to a fixed doneness). It is a planning estimate, not a promise.
• Pull / done temp is the internal temperature to pull at. Where a cut is served by doneness, each level is listed. Where a cut is done by feel, you will see probe-tender – the probe should slide in with almost no resistance.

Why temperature beats the clock

Two twelve-pound briskets can finish hours apart. Thickness, fat content, how much moisture the surface is losing, the weather, how often you open the lid, and your particular pit all move the number. That is why every serious pitmaster cooks to internal temperature and feel, and treats time as a planning tool for when to start, not a rule for when it is done.

The stall is the classic example: somewhere around 150-170°F, evaporative cooling can hold a big cut flat for hours. Wrapping pushes through it faster, leaving it unwrapped builds better bark. Neither is wrong, but only a thermometer tells you where you actually are.

Safe minimum temperatures

Some numbers are not preferences. Poultry (whole or ground) is safe at 165°F. Ground meats are safe at 160°F. Whole-muscle beef, pork and lamb are safe at 145°F with a three-minute rest. Mechanically tenderized meat follows the 145°F rule too, because the surface bacteria have been pushed into the center. Our calculator blocks any plan that would put a cut below its safe minimum.

Plan the whole cook, not just the meat

The chart tells you how long the meat takes. It does not tell you when to trim, when to light the pit, when to wrap, or how long to rest so everything lands at dinner. That is what the calculator is for: pick your cut, tell it when you want to eat, and it works backward to a full timeline you can add to your calendar.

Plan your cook with the calculator →

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should I smoke at?

225°F is the traditional low-and-slow standard and the safest starting point for big cuts. 250-275°F is common for competition and weeknight cooks – it shortens the cook noticeably with very little quality cost. Poultry benefits from higher heat (300°F or more) because it crisps the skin.

How long does it take per pound?

For large cuts at 225°F, roughly 60-90 minutes per pound is the usual range: brisket around 75 min/lb, pork butt similar, and whole birds much faster. Per-pound math is only a planning estimate, and it becomes less accurate the further you get from an average-sized cut.

What temperature is brisket done?

Around 195-205°F internal, but the real answer is probe-tender. Start checking at 195°F and pull when the probe slides into the flat with almost no resistance. Then rest it – a hot brisket sliced straight off the pit loses its juice.

Do I have to wrap?

No. Wrapping (butcher paper or foil) speeds you through the stall and protects moisture at the cost of some bark. Unwrapped builds the best bark but takes longer and is less forgiving. The calculator supports either, including partial wraps and an unwrap-and-finish window.

How long should meat rest?

Long enough to stop the juices running. A steak needs a few minutes, a pork butt an hour, and a brisket an hour or more – and both will hold safely in a dry cooler for several hours if dinner slips. The calculator schedules the rest and can hold to your serving time.