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Smoking time: how long to smoke brisket, pork and more

Estimate how long to smoke a brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, chicken or salmon from its weight and the smoker temperature, with the internal temperature to aim for.

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Results

Estimated cooking time

12.0 hours

Plan for at least
9.6 hours
Allow up to (stall, wind, cold weather)
15.0 hours
Target internal temperature
203 °F
Rest before slicing or pulling
60 min

Low and slow

Barbecue smoking cooks meat for hours at a low temperature, typically 225 to 275°F, in wood smoke. Tough cuts full of connective tissue, such as brisket and pork shoulder, become tender because collagen slowly melts into gelatin above about 160°F. The process cannot be rushed much, so planning the start time matters.

How the estimate works

  • Time = fixed time + hours per pound × weight, adjusted for the smoker temperature
  • Hours per pound at 225°F: brisket about 1.25, pork shoulder and chuck roast 1.5, whole chicken and turkey 0.6, pork loin 0.5, beef roast 0.75
  • Ribs and salmon are timed per rack or fillet: spare ribs about 6 hours, baby backs 5, salmon 1.5
  • At higher temperatures the time is reduced in proportion to the difference between the smoker and room temperature: about 14% less at 250°F and 24% less at 275°F

The calculator also gives a planning range from 20% less to 25% more, because each piece of meat and each smoker behaves differently.

Example: pulled pork

An 8 lb bone-in pork shoulder at 225°F:

  • Estimated time: 8 × 1.5 = 12 hours
  • Plan between 9.6 and 15 hours
  • Pull it at 203°F internal, when a probe slides in like butter
  • Rest for about an hour, wrapped, before pulling

For dinner at 7 pm, start around 5 am, and if it finishes early, hold it wrapped in towels in a dry cooler for up to 3 or 4 hours.

The stall

Somewhere around 150 to 170°F, large cuts often stop rising for 2 to 6 hours. Evaporation from the surface cools the meat as fast as the smoker heats it. You can wait it out for the best bark, or wrap the meat in butcher paper or foil, which shortens the stall.

Target temperatures

  • Brisket, pork shoulder, chuck roast: 195 to 205°F, for tenderness
  • Ribs: about 195 to 203°F, or when a rack bends and cracks on the surface
  • Chicken and turkey: 165°F in the thickest part of the breast, the USDA safe minimum
  • Pork loin: 145°F, then a 3-minute rest
  • Beef roast: 130 to 135°F for medium-rare
  • Salmon: 145°F, or 125 to 130°F for a moist result if the fish is very fresh

Always cook by temperature, not by time, with a reliable probe thermometer.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to smoke a brisket?

About 1 to 1.5 hours per pound at 225°F, so 12 to 18 hours for a 12 lb packer brisket. It is done when it reaches about 200 to 205°F inside and a probe slides in with little resistance.

What is the stall?

A period during which the internal temperature stops rising, often around 150 to 170°F, for several hours. Moisture evaporating from the surface cools the meat. Wrapping it in butcher paper or foil (the Texas crutch) shortens it.

Why is pulled pork cooked to 203°F when pork is safe at 145°F?

145°F with a 3-minute rest is the USDA safe minimum for whole cuts of pork. Shoulder is cooked much further so that its collagen melts into gelatin and the meat becomes tender enough to pull.

Should I cook by time or by temperature?

By temperature. Time is only an estimate, since each piece of meat, smoker and day is different. Use a reliable probe thermometer, and plan extra time, since meat can always rest wrapped in a cooler.

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Results are estimates provided for information purposes. They do not replace professional advice.

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