My first brisket took 18 hours and still came out tough. Didn’t wrap it. Stall lasted forever. Learned my lesson.
The Basics
Low temperature, long time, wood smoke. That’s it. Everything else is details.
225-250°F is the sweet spot for most things. Hot enough to cook, cool enough to absorb smoke.
Brisket
The boss fight of smoking. 12-14 hours for a 12-pounder at 250°F. Wrap in butcher paper at 165°F internal to push through the stall. Done at 203°F when probe slides in like butter.
Rest for at least an hour. Two is better. Patience at the end matters as much as the cook.
Pork Butt
More forgiving than brisket. 14-16 hours at 225°F. Internal temp 203°F. Wrap optional but speeds things up.
Falls apart when done right. Literally. That’s what you want.
Ribs
Baby backs: 5-6 hours using 3-2-1 method. Three hours smoke, two hours wrapped, one hour unwrapped to set bark.
Spare ribs take longer. St. Louis cut is my preference – trimmed cleaner, cooks more evenly.
Salmon
Different beast. Lower temp – 180°F max or it dries out. Brine beforehand. 2-3 hours depending on thickness.
Pellicle formation matters. Let it air dry in fridge overnight before smoking.
Wood Choices
Beef: oak, hickory, mesquite. Pork: apple, cherry, hickory. Fish: alder, apple. Mix woods for complexity.
