smoking time calculator

Mornin' Wood said:
Just tried it again, different dates. Same results. 21 hours from time meat is on smoker till meat is done at 180*. Then rest.
I imagine that these numbers might be true if you're smoking at 190*, but too long at 225 or 235* for a 14 brisket to be sliced.

Is it my phone? I will try my desktop in the morning.
Click to expand...

Thanks Chuck.. Previously you stated 36 hours which made me flip my lid. ;)

As of right now, everything is based on general "rule of thumb" for starters until I can build more data into it for larger pieces of meat. It'll happen with more data. And yet, it will always be a guide - I just want it to be useful.
 
Bbq Bubba said:
This is a terrible chart for finished temps!
It tells me I can cook a 12 lb brisket in 6 hours?

160 for meat loaf?
167 for thighs & turkey?
At 180 you can certainly slice brisket but it won't be edible?
Click to expand...

Dude... For a 12 pounder it suggested, 18 - where'd you get 6... ? :doh:

Hey man... I did a 180˚ finish temp brisket two weeks ago and it was off the hook...

How do you do it? Share some wisdom.... We're all here to learn, share and help the community - I think - more than we are to bash right?

It's Saturday - show the brothers some love.

Wise man once said, "Don't tell me that I'm doing it wrong - suggest as to how I might do it better."
 
Mornin' Wood said:
I like the idea, and I want it to work. Hell, I'm doing my first comp soon, so I'd love to see this work, so I could use it as a guide.
Just tried it again.
Can't send a screenshot from my phone. Sorry.

This time, I got a 26-hour cook. Better, but still too long. And yes, I realize there's a rest time (and I appreciate that being included).

Put in march 14, 2 pm as desired completion time. (Somewhat random, but simulating a comp turn-in time). It tells me to put the meat on the grill at 12 noon on march 13.

Is it just me?
Click to expand...

No, it's not just you... ;) It's a large hunk of meat and I need to make some adjustments for larger pieces - I'm thinking pieces over 12.5 pounds I'll have to calculate a little differently and tweak it.

Personally, I don't have much experience with post trim brisket over 13 lbs so I need some more data.

I really do appreciate you playing with it though... I'll get it there. I'm committed.
 
jkirker said:
Dude... For a 12 pounder it suggested, 18 - where'd you get 6... ? :doh:

Hey man... I did a 180˚ finish temp brisket two weeks ago and it was off the hook...

How do you do it? Share some wisdom.... We're all here to learn, share and help the community - I think - more than we are to bash right?

It's Saturday - show the brothers some love.

Wise man once said, "Don't tell me that I'm doing it wrong - suggest as to how I might do it better."
Click to expand...

Im sure 180 brisket is great if you never had one cooked to a tender juicy 195. :thumb:
Not bashing you or your system, i was bashing the posted cook temps. Are those yours?
Are you from SMF or just using his info?
 
Bbq Bubba said:
Im sure 180 brisket is great if you never had one cooked to a tender juicy 195. :thumb:
Not bashing you or your system, i was bashing the posted cook temps. Are those yours?
Are you from SMF or just using his info?
Click to expand...

So I'm doing 4 briskets tonight for tomorrow. I'm going to take 1 to 195˚! :becky:

What do you like for Turkey and thighs? (I'm a sponge for data right now!)

And not from SMF - and I've gleaned info from about 50 different sources (books, guides like the one mentioned, posts on here and other forums, cooking sites and my own experiences - put them all into my VitaMix and turned on the spin cycle)

Perhaps that was one of the first, and everyone just copied it. I just want to make this thing kick tail ya know.. Better than something that is static...
 
Mornin' Wood said:
Just tried it again, different dates. Same results. 21 hours from time meat is on smoker till meat is done at 180*. Then rest.
I imagine that these numbers might be true if you're smoking at 190*, but too long at 225 or 235* for a 14 brisket to be sliced.

Is it my phone? I will try my desktop in the morning.
Click to expand...

Chuck!!! I may have come up with something that will help.

I'm thinking the cutoff is about 12.5 - 13 lbs. for the calcs rough accuracy.

So I added 2 more rows for Brisket - which would accomplish something similar to doing it programatically.

If over 12.5 lbs is selected, it will use a different minute/pound factor - which looks a little more realistic - but I need to have more real data before I can say it's right.

ANYONE - got any rules of thumb data (time/pound) for larger brisket over 12.5 or 13 lbs?
 
jkirker said:
No, it's not just you... ;) It's a large hunk of meat and I need to make some adjustments for larger pieces - I'm thinking pieces over 12.5 pounds I'll have to calculate a little differently and tweak it.

Personally, I don't have much experience with post trim brisket over 13 lbs so I need some more data.

I really do appreciate you playing with it though... I'll get it there. I'm committed.
Click to expand...

You definitely have your work cut out for you....but you sound committed...good luck!!

Yeah, cooking times vary soo much....and the increase in cooking times (per weight) are not linear with the increase in weight...if you can get a calculator to get it right, you're a better mathemagician than I.

It would be helpful if you indicate (on the "simple" calculator) the expected cooking temp range...may help the cooking results be more reproducible.

And I know I've only spoke of brisket, so my focus has been vary narrow. But I agree with the other Brethren - of course it's not done till it's done...but it's a rare occasion that a brisket is "done" at 180.

Still I think this program has the potential to be an excellent guideline once it's tweaked.
 
Heres some feedback...

[Feb 3 10:55am]Meat should start at 38 degrees.
I would recommend letting meat at least set out while the pits warming up.
[Feb 3 10:55am]Pit temperature should be 225 degrees.
Your beginning temp should always be around 300 to make up for all the cold mas your going to be adding. Could explain your long cook times.
[Feb 3 10:55am]Begin cooking meat.
[Feb 3 7:55pm]Foil meat.
IF your going to foil, its usually done by color or temp, not time.
[Feb 4 4:55am]Remove from foil.
18 hrs???
[Feb 4 4:55am]Meat should be 180 degrees.
9 hrs in foil and it should be more like soup?
[Feb 4 4:55am]Remove meat from heat.
[Feb 4 4:55am]Set meat aside to rest.
[Feb 4 9:55am]Meat is done resting.
Your going to rest for 5 hrs? If your going to advise this, you need to put data up for safe food handling practices.
[Feb 4 9:55am]Meat should be 165 degrees.
[Feb 4 9:55am]Serve.

Any other questions feel free to shoot me a PM. :thumb:
 
jkirker said:
ANYONE - got any rules of thumb data (time/pound) for larger brisket over 12.5 or 13 lbs?
Click to expand...


My experience is limited (heck, I've only been cooking brisket for the past five months or so, though I've cooked a bunch in that time, and I'm heading out now to RD to pick up another packer), so others will have much more data than I.

But you're right, the curve tapers with bigger cuts of meat. ie (again, this is from my limited experience) - a 15 pound packer may only take one hour longer than a 13 pound packer. Lots of variables, though - ie the quality of the meat, fat content, etc. Chit, cooking a Wagyu packer of a given weight may only take 70% or 80% as long as a random select packer - better marbling, less collagen = no stall with the Wagyu.
 
Bbq Bubba said:
Heres some feedback...

[Feb 3 10:55am]Meat should start at 38 degrees.
I would recommend letting meat at least set out while the pits warming up.
[Feb 3 10:55am]Pit temperature should be 225 degrees.
Your beginning temp should always be around 300 to make up for all the cold mas your going to be adding. Could explain your long cook times.
[Feb 3 10:55am]Begin cooking meat.
[Feb 3 7:55pm]Foil meat.
IF your going to foil, its usually done by color or temp, not time.
[Feb 4 4:55am]Remove from foil.
18 hrs???
[Feb 4 4:55am]Meat should be 180 degrees.
9 hrs in foil and it should be more like soup?
[Feb 4 4:55am]Remove meat from heat.
[Feb 4 4:55am]Set meat aside to rest.
[Feb 4 9:55am]Meat is done resting.
Your going to rest for 5 hrs? If your going to advise this, you need to put data up for safe food handling practices.
[Feb 4 9:55am]Meat should be 165 degrees.
[Feb 4 9:55am]Serve.

Any other questions feel free to shoot me a PM. :thumb:
Click to expand...

This is great stuff. I'm taking it in like a sponge and I'll be making changes along the way...

Just want to create something good and useful...

Keep the data, comments, criticisms and suggestions coming guys!!! I obviously couldn't think of all this myself. That's for sure. ;)
 
As other members have mentioned... there's too many variables to consider.... not as simple as a defined algebraic expression.

X value - meat
y value - temp
z value - time


Type of smoker? Size of meat load?
Outdoor temp, humidity, wind?
Rub, injection, pre-cook rest?
Cut of meat, feed, cut, fat content percentage?
Grade of meat, (choice, select, prime, CAB, wagyu)
Quality of slaughter, fat trim, size/weight and age before slaughter,
Fresh/frozen/aged?

And add to that equation... WHO is cooking?

Sounds easier starting with Spam... in a can for a uniform basis.
The Spam throwdowns will remove all logic, too.

The only expressions I'm familiar with are; Low and Slow or Hot and Fast.
Everything else is subject to change at any given moment.
 
Last edited:
Cooking is a total pain in the ass, it's unpredictable - kinda like women - which is probably why it's so much fun for us.

And of course, just like there's no magic equation for women, there's no equation for cooking meat...

There will ALWAYS be a piece of meat somewhere that falls outside the "normal expected" cook time - but I don't think it's going to be one of those things where "every" piece of meat is absolutely unpredictable.

And this is also where a longer than 60 minute rest buys time for variance.

Heck - just a couple weeks ago I had 2 similar butts in the smoker side by side.

I had some strange temperature warbles happening about 5 hours into the cook but then something strange happened. I got the first butt close to the desired finish temp but even 2-3 hours after I was unable to get the second butt to break out from a stall in the 155 range - even with the pit at a sustained 235. So yea... I know.. Here's the chart.... (btw - temp on butt 2 is 229 because I had removed the meat from the pit but left the probe in the cooker)...

Butt #1's temp was regulated with the probe from the Stoker and verified with a Thermapen. It was a MIND SCREW...

396619_10151231862755533_667245532_22894968_1826179754_n.jpg
 
I've added quite a bit more description to the instructions - and more will be added pre and post calculation during this coming week.

Give it a look.

Also, be sure to change "The Backyard BBQ Guy (Tell me what to do!) to the "Advanced BBQ Guy (I want to customize it!) - there you'll see where you can adjust and fine tune the variables of the cook.

So go to The Meat Smoking Calculator and give it a whirl...

Then please give me your feedback.

Enjoy the game tomorrow... I'm dead tired and now it's just about time to start the cooks!! ;)
 
MilitantSquatter said:
Is this using only one temperature ? :confused:
Click to expand...

Vinny, after a few beers today something hit me.

You asked, "Is this using only one temperature?"

I replied with a big complex answer yesterday - but having little buzz right now, I have an easier one...

With the advanced settings, all you have to do is adjust the minutes per pound to something you think would fit based on a different cook temp. (And yes, when I get more data, I'll do what I can to automate it).

But for now, you can tweak the advanced settings and get what you want.... You'll just have to pretend the 225 is something lower or higher... :)
 
There are way too many factors to consider...

Cooker type
Wood (fuel) type
Wind
Rain
Outside Temp
Elevation (less oxygen)
Degree of drunkenness :cool:
Etc...
 
I have a Stoker and this is from Stokerlog.

I've got cooks going in 4 cookers right now. Tracking two of them.

Wives our out for the night so we can play.

It's going to be a long night but it looks like temps are stable so I might try to sleep for a few hours. Have some friends over and we are putting back the beers though... Just had some espresso's... ;) 4 shoulders go on in 5 - one in each cooker.

4 briskets have reached their stalling temp at 150ish...

Ribs on at 11.
 
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