Smoke Time Calculator
Pick the cut, weight and pit temperature. You get a time range, a plan to schedule around, and when to light the smoker.
| Light the cooker | 17 h 30 m before serving |
| Stall | starts near 155°F |
| Pull at | about 203°F and probe-tender |
| Rest | 60–180 min |
| Cooked meat you get | 6.4 – 9.7 lb |
Smoke times at a glance
| Cut | Typical size | Pit | Range | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisket (whole packer) | 14 lb | 250°F | 10 h 30 m – 17 h 30 m | 14 h 40 m |
| Pork butt (shoulder) | 8 lb | 250°F | 8 h 50 m – 12 h 50 m | 11 h 10 m |
| Spare ribs (St. Louis) | 3 lb each | 250°F | 5 h – 6 h | 5 h 35 m |
| Baby back ribs | 2 lb each | 225°F | 4 h – 6 h | 5 h 10 m |
| Beef plate ribs | 5 lb each | 225°F | 8 h – 10 h | 9 h 10 m |
| Whole chicken | 4.5 lb each | 225°F | 2 h 30 m – 3 h | 2 h 50 m |
| Whole turkey | 14 lb | 250°F | 7 h – 9 h 25 m | 8 h 25 m |
| Tri-tip | 2.5 lb each | 225°F | 1 h – 1 h 30 m | 1 h 20 m |
| Prime rib (bone-in rib roast) | 8 lb | 250°F | 4 h – 4 h 40 m | 4 h 25 m |
| Pork belly | 4 lb each | 275°F | 3 h – 3 h 30 m | 3 h 20 m |
| Chuck roast | 3.5 lb each | 250°F | 5 h – 7 h | 6 h 10 m |
By weight
- How long to smoke a 10 lb brisket
- How long to smoke a 12 lb brisket
- How long to smoke a 14 lb brisket
- How long to smoke a 16 lb brisket
- How long to smoke an 18 lb brisket
- How long to smoke a 6 lb pork butt
- How long to smoke an 8 lb pork butt
- How long to smoke a 10 lb pork butt
How we calculate
- Time range = weight × hours per pound from the sources below (ribs, chicken, tri-tip and belly are timed per piece).
- The plan sits 60% of the way from the short end to the long end. Finishing early is easy to fix with a longer rest; finishing late is not.
- Several pieces: time follows the biggest one, plus 10% when the smoker holds 3 or more.
- Wrapping: where a source gives wrapped times we use them; otherwise we take about 10% off for butcher paper and 20% for foil (our estimate).
- Light the smoker at: plan + rest + a 1-hour buffer + 45 minutes to light and settle it. Cooked yield is from the USDA Food Buying Guide.
- Spare ribs: our source gives one 5–6 hour estimate for pork ribs; we use it at both 225 and 250°F.
| Cut | Pit | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brisket (whole packer) | 225°F | 1.25–1.75 h per lb | blog.thermoworks.com |
| Brisket (whole packer) | 250°F | 0.75–1.25 h per lb | destination-bbq.com |
| Brisket (whole packer) | 275°F | 0.6–1 h per lb | destination-bbq.com |
| Brisket (whole packer) | 300°F | 0.5–0.85 h per lb | destination-bbq.com |
| Pork butt (shoulder) | 225°F | 1.5–2 h per lb | traeger.com |
| Pork butt (shoulder) | 250°F | 1.1–1.6 h per lb | destination-bbq.com |
| Pork butt (shoulder) | 275°F | 1–1.5 h per lb | traeger.com |
| Pork butt (shoulder) | 300°F | 0.6–1 h per lb | destination-bbq.com |
| Pork butt (shoulder) | 300°F, foil | 0.9–1 h per lb | blog.thermoworks.com |
| Spare ribs (St. Louis) | 225°F | 5–6 h per piece | traeger.com |
| Spare ribs (St. Louis) | 250°F | 5–6 h per piece | traeger.com |
| Baby back ribs | 225°F | 4–6 h per piece | weber.com |
| Baby back ribs | 250°F, foil | 5–5 h per piece | blog.thermoworks.com |
| Beef plate ribs | 225°F | 8–10 h per piece | traeger.com |
| Beef plate ribs | 250°F, paper | 8–10 h per piece | blog.thermoworks.com |
| Beef plate ribs | 275°F | 6–7 h per piece | pitmaster.amazingribs.com |
| Whole chicken | 225°F | 2.5–3 h per piece | traeger.com |
| Whole turkey | 225°F | 0.5–0.67 h per lb | traeger.com |
| Whole turkey | 250°F | 0.5–0.67 h per lb | traeger.com |
| Tri-tip | 225°F | 1–1.5 h per piece | traeger.com |
| Prime rib (bone-in rib roast) | 225°F | 0.58–0.67 h per lb | traeger.com |
| Prime rib (bone-in rib roast) | 250°F | 0.5–0.58 h per lb | traeger.com |
| Prime rib (bone-in rib roast) | 275°F | 0.33–0.42 h per lb | traeger.com |
| Pork belly | 275°F | 3–3.5 h per piece | traeger.com |
| Chuck roast | 225°F, foil | 6–6 h per piece | amazingribs.com |
| Chuck roast | 250°F, foil | 5–7 h per piece | blog.thermoworks.com |
| Chuck roast | 275°F, foil | 4–5 h per piece | traeger.com |
Sources disagree by an hour or more on big cuts; that spread is why we show a range. Always finish by internal temperature. Data as of Oct 2026. Full list of sources: How we calculate.
FAQ
How long does it take to smoke a brisket?
About 1 hour per pound at 250°F and 1.25–1.75 hours per pound at 225°F. A 14 lb packer takes 10 h 30 m to 17 h 30 m at 250°F; plan for 14 h 40 m plus a 1–2 hour rest.
How long to smoke a pork butt per pound?
1.5–2 hours per pound at 225°F, 1.1–1.6 at 250°F and 0.9–1.5 at 275°F, until it is probe-tender around 203°F.
What is the stall?
A long pause around 150–170°F internal when evaporation cools the meat as fast as the smoker heats it. Wrapping in butcher paper or foil pushes through it.
Should I smoke at 225 or 250?
Both work. 250°F saves several hours on a big brisket or butt with little difference in the result; 225°F gives more margin if the cooker runs hot.
How long can I rest or hold smoked meat?
Rest at least 30–60 minutes. Wrapped and kept in a dry cooler, brisket and pork butt hold safely for up to 4 hours as long as they stay above 140°F.