180, 225 or 250

[smokin while smokin]

i'm new to smokin food and was wondering what the best temp for the smoker is? at another site they say 180 is the way to go but from chatting with a friend he says 250 is the way to go.

i'm using a 4 burner gas grill with one side used for indirect heat and smokerbox and the other side used for food.

so far i've smoked chicken parts, turkey parts, tri-tips and porkbutts keeping the smoker between 180-190 and have had good results but would really like to "master' meat smoking.




thanks,

[Kingudaroad]

For the kind of items that you mention, I rarely have my smoker temp below 240 anymore, and sometimes let it hum along at 300.

[Walking Dude]

AHHHH..........i see you found your way here. ENJOY! LOTS of greats folks here. WELCOME!

Here's your first Points (manna in other werds.......LOLOL)

on edit, as i mentioned before, 250 here, but over 300 for poultry, so i get a crisper skin on the birds.

[SmokinLee]

250 for me for most things. 275, 300 for poultry, just to be on the safer side. I toss the skin anyway. 140,150 for jerky. 225 for fully cooked CB. hell it all depends I guess.

[douglaslizard]

ill go 225-250 on say ribs,butts,etc...,i may go up to 275 on beef and on chicken i may go as high as 350 but its usually 300-325. Are you sure the 180* isnt internal temp of the food.

[doctor phreak]

i never go below 225 unless its poultry ( go higher up to 300 ) or its a cured meat product like jerky or CB or if i doing a cold smoke.......welcome to the site ...alot of good info and people.....

[Fishawn]

Higher for chicken 275* (cause that's as high as my electric goes)

Lower for pork & beef (ribs, butts, brisket, chuckies,etc) @ 225*

[DDave]

Pretty much what they said.

Here are particulars for me though. I (now ) go by ranges because I find it's a lot more relaxing to cook that way than trying to keep the smoker on EXACTLY a certain degree.

Ribs, butts, brisket -- 230° to 270°
Poultry -- 325° to 370°
Canadian Bacon -- 180° to 205°
Cured Jerky -- 140° to 160°

With certain items like poultry, cooking at too low a temp could really cause you some trouble with your digestive system.

Even with beef and pork I don't know that there's any great advantage of trying to keep it right at 225° or lower. Just prolongs the cook time as far as I can tell.

Dave

[Richtee]

You are not doing yourself any favors keeping below 225° for anything BBQ. Smoking of cheese, cured meats, etc. is NOT BBQ, it's a separate thing. And as mentioned you are better served keeping any poultry above 250°. It's safer, and better that way.

[smokin while smokin]

ill go 225-250 on say ribs,butts,etc...,i may go up to 275 on beef and on chicken i may go as high as 350 but its usually 300-325. Are you sure the 180* isnt internal temp of the food.

i was bringing the internal temp up to 170 before pulling it off. lol good thing i have a cast iron stomach.

ok this weekend i'll bring the temps into the 250 range and smoke some chicken breasts.


thanks!

[Bbqgoddess]

250 for me for most things. 275, 300 for poultry, just to be on the safer side. I toss the skin anyway. 140,150 for jerky. 225 for fully cooked CB. hell it all depends I guess.

Ditto Lee!
It does just depend, but lower that 230 is a cold smoke for me...

Oh and Welcome!! What are you smokin while your smoking? seeing as your a friend of Steves and all... ;)

[smokin while smokin]

=

Oh and Welcome!! What are you smokin while your smoking? seeing as your a friend of Steves and all... ;)

i like a nice maduro cigar but usually it's California medicine

[Kingudaroad]

What are you smokin while your smoking? seeing as your a friend of Steves and all... ;)

Funny stuff.

[sweet_magnolia]

i like a nice maduro cigar but usually it's California medicine

[davidmcg]

For me;

Chicken 310 -- 325 to include beer can, breasts and quarters only, higher temp makes for crispier skin
Pork 225 to include butts, ribs, loins, chops
Beef 215
MOINK 250

Favorite woods always use cherry for all meat throughout the smoke, a few chunks of apple with the pork and beef, a couple of chunks mesquite with all, oak with beef