Realistic Cooking Times

It has to do with the temp flux in the cookshacks. And on top of that some cook hotter than normal while others(like mine) cook cooler and spend much more time well below the the temp shown on the dial. Also, you'll get times from peeps using the FEC cookers and they keep temps much closer to the one on the dial and thus you get a more consistant temp and time.


Anyway, what I'm getting at is if someone like ME set the times in the book it would have stuff like "pork butt 225 degrees for 24+ hours for 8 pounder to reach 195". That would be enough to scare some folks off. LOL!!

The thang to do is throw out the recipe book and use the times on this forum, as related to your smoker, as a guide. In other words, if you have a Smokette, pay no attention to the times posted by someone with the AmeriQue, and vice-versa, and etc.

Oh yea, and by the way, it's done when it's done is some of the best advice you will get in regards to cooking meat. Too many variables involved to nail anything down.

The cooks above gave pretty good answers.

Just out of curiosity,where was Smokin's "recipe for turkey breast" and was it followed exactly?

Tom, The recipe is located in Turkey 101, I used Smokinokie's brine. The temp and time was listed there.
I appreciate everyone's help, I am not intending to run any member down, and it's just frustrating

No problem,as I'm sure it will sort out to your satisfaction quickly,as it has with thousands of others.

I'd guess you will see the simplicity of the above posts,pretty quickly.

Don't worry,be happy.

The whole goal of the forum is to help each other.

I still couldn't find Smokin's recipe.

I'm curious and would appreciate it if you could post it ,or help steer me.

Tom, Here is a copy of that recipe.

Smokin' Okie's Holiday Turkey Brine:
1 gal. water

1 c. coarse kosher salt

¾ c. soy sauce

½ c. white sugar

½ c. brown sugar

½ c. honey

½ c. apple cider vinegar

4 Tbsp. black pepper

3 - 4 Tbsp. chopped garlic

1 tsp. Allspice

1 oz. Morton's Tenderquick (optional)



Measurements "How much is an Ounce?"

2 tablespoons = ounce
6 teaspoons = ounce



Heat water/salt/sugars to rolling boil. Take off burner, add other ingredients. Allow mixture to cool before placing meat into solution Place 10 - 12 lb. turkey in non-reactive container and cover with brine. Refrigerate for minimum of 24 hours, preferably 48 hours. Load smoker's wood box with 4 oz. hickory wood. Remove turkey from the refrigerator and discard brine. Rinse turkey three times, pat dry and lightly rub skin with mayonnaise. Apply light coating of Cookshack Spicy Chicken Rub. Place turkey in smoker and smoke cook at 200 degrees F for one hour per lb. I like cherry or apple wood for my turkey. Smoke until internal temperature of breast reaches 160 to 165. Remove from smoker and allow to sit for 30 minutes before slicing.

Note: About the "optional" Tenderquick. If you smoke a turkey at temperatures of 180º to 225º F., you might want to consider using the Tenderquick. The turkey will be spending a lot of time in the DANGER ZONE of 40º to 140º, so just be aware of this. If in doubt, use the Tenderquick.

Certainly understand the confusion.

Some general thoughts.


"your honor, in my defense, I only have over 7,000 posts and the times listed..."




Best answer is to build your own notes and your own times.

What's posted are starting points only, not guarantees of success.

Those are my times and that times pretty much what I remember for 200. I've always said I can't explain why it takes longer for other people.

Cook by temp, not by time.

I also use an FE, a 150, a Smokette and an Amerique.

The ONLY answer is to use your own recipes and methods. This isn't baking, and at best they're guidelines.

I've never had a pork butt take more than 1.5 hours per pound in any of those smokers, I can't explain why others take longer.

Unfortunately, given 7 years, there will be inconsistencies...but not in mine.

And while you might not understand it, "it's done is done" is the ONLY way to smoke. It means there are enough variables, don't stress when the times vary...because they will.. I think others will say it's more art than science. You can't cook a butt or a brisket for 1.35 hours per pound (if that's you experience) and guarantee success. some days it might be 2 hours per

kogolf,
I also found that times vary from other people's experience. More of a problem is finding that the cooking times have varied from my own previous smokings, that I have recorded in great detail.

What I do now, using the AmeriQue, is either set the shut-off temperature of the probe or set the time and guess, from experience, for a completion three hours before the meat is to be used. When done, I wrap the meat in double foil and a beach towel then place it in my camping cooler until needed. The last time I smoked ribs they set in the cooler for two hours and were still too hot for me to handle with my bare hands while cutting the ribs into pieces.

Only one time did I miss, that was when I set two briskets for 20 hours and with a 2 hour leaway it took 24 hours. That two hours left all eight of our guest so well into drinking before dinner drinks they didn't know we had brisket for dinner. One of my friends told me later he thought the ham was the best he ever tasted???

kogolf,

I too like to have an idea as to when an item might be close to temperature for meal planning etc. I agree its frustrating getting started and seeing times stated all over the place but as others have said use the forum information NOT the cook book times and keep notes on your cooker and times.

It's even worse here at 7600 feet as that effects time as well.

But at best the times just help establish a "window" of possible completion, it really is all about the temperature of your product in your cooker.

Hang in there it is worth the effort!

you just need to get to know your smoker when you do that it all good ....like a women

Well now,kogolf,I'm still having trouble finding the "recipe" FOR AN UNKNOWN WEIGHT TURKEY BREAST.
I'm no expert,but I picked
out the one for a 12 lb turkey,which will have different cooking times and temps in several areas.

The breast,that Smokin' indicated could handle 160*-165*[if it is brined for a cushion] seems right on.

The dark meat ,by piece and depth,might handle 165* if hot cooking ,to 190* on low heat.

The wings,white meat ,could vary from 145* to 175*,and vary greatly,depending if you foiled the tips.

On a small cooker,without high temps,200* is workable,because you won't boil off the moisture/water,however long you chose to cook the product.

All in all,my guess is that a heavily/correctly brined,12 lb,young turkey,TQ ed,with a smokette that I have verified the temps,on a specified rack,temp probe[that I have verified for correctness] properly placed,door not opened until it hit target temps,foil tented and allowed to rest 1/2 hr should have been right on the money.

What is it about this recipe that seems to be drastically off?

I'd put it on the table anywhere,and figure my timing,even allowing holding time in a hot box,would put me just right for company.

Just my $0.02

The turkey breast I smoked was 4 lbs. It took 9 hours to reach 160. So it took over 2 hours per pound.

Is 2 hours per pound a problem?

You take good notes and then next time you know about what to expect or what you need to improve, change, or not change.

quote:

Originally posted by kogolf:
The turkey breast I smoked was 4 lbs. It took 9 hours to reach 160. So it took over 2 hours per pound.

Start your own Log, keep notes on weight, temp of the smoker, prep methods, procedures, amount of wood etc.

For your PB, if it took 17 hours, do the same thing and if you smoke a PB the next time, you'll have a target.

HOWEVER...in both cases, it's only a target, could take longer, could take shorter as the meat has a lot to do with it. No 2 7lb PB's ever cook exactly the same because no PB's are ever exactly the same.

Next time you smoke a 4lb breast, in YOUR smoker, you'll know what you did before and how to repeat the success.

I see people cook with their smoker set at all kind of temps. For most items, I run full out... 250. For more delicate items (salmon, cheese) I use lower temps. Both my 008 and 050 will cook those 4 lb turkey breasts in 3-3.5 hrs...at 250. Just sayin....

bob

I don't have as much experience smoking as most of the posters here but one varible that is hardly ever mentioned is the thickness of the meat. I have noticed that briskets of almost equal weight will cook differently especially if one is wide and thin and the other narrow but thicker. I believe this may be true with Butts as well. The thicker cut will take longer.
Certainly, chicken breasts of the same weight will cook differently if one is pounded flatter.
maybe I'll have enough records some day to make this useful. robbie

I haven't had the time to carefully track this whole thread,but we all agree that the forum tends to give better guidance,when we follow some specifics.

We all steer away from the cookbooks,as they might have been intended for other uses.

When we follow the FIND/search,read the archives,read the Smokin'Okie guides,read the Best of,we can still find errors by individual cooks.

I'm sure I cook different,at different times.

On the comp circuit, this is really evident!

When novices read all these,we are able to tailor questions to our individual needs.

Then,we are able to offer suggestions,as to adjustments.

The opening post faulted recipe posts in general,then picked PARTS of a thread to follow randomly?

Seems to me,the original technique was on the money!!!

Now ,when we pick random parts of a technique to follow,it is difficult to criticize the results,when we don't achieve the"outcome" we hoped for.

Amazingly,we can go to the Betty Crocker oven cooking school and have widely differing outcomes,when they teach hands on ,by the minute.

Yes,we can give a timeline,on each cooker,on each product, on the weight and quality of product, on each different cook's tendencies[ how much they open the door],on the 100* difference in hoped cook temp,versus the actual cook temp,over the 25* done temp the cook thought was correct,over the 10* hold temp in the hotbox ,different cooks may hold 1-5 hrs.

What was the load in the cooker?

How much moisture was dumped?

Were they trying for crisp skin,throw away skin,or merely bite thru?

Yep,I know the question is when is something done for dinner.

It's done when it suits you,as Smokin'Okie has worked tirelessly to help us understand.

Now when someone is willing,or especially ABLE,to come up with a better approach,we will be grateful,amazed,and they will be rich.

Oh yeh,when you cover all the categories,the Smokette ,with book ,should run about $12,000 and the comp circuit will be revolutionized.

Well,I'll get off here,before someone accuses me of a Smokin'Okie post.

Just my $0.02,but it is done when it is done!

Tom, I did NOT pick certain parts of a post. I have read a large number of posts. I did not go by a recipe in a book. I went by probably the most knowledgeble person on this forum. I was not being critical but, rather very confused as to why it was taking me twice the amount of time to reach temp for a very small turkey breast. I feel changing the recipie to read it MAY take 1.5 to lets say 2.5 hours per pound. I think there are a lot of members that can give very good imput on cooking times given their Model of smoker. This would give us new members barometer to go by. My first pork butt took 17 hours. Several people indicated this was a realistic time. Great!! The next time I smoked a Butt I planned an approximate ETA. Everything was good. All I am saying is why can't recipies give a range of times to help new members.
Greg

Are you speaking of recipes in the cookbook you got with your smoker or the recipes posted on the forum ?

No I am referring only to posts on the forum. I don't even really look at that book. I have been reading what others have said on the forums.
Greg

OK then Greg, maybe I am confused.

If you have properly tested your smoker and temp probe(s), drain and smoke holes not blocked, woodbox installed properly, etc., and you are happy with your smoker, then all I can say is be sure and take good notes including every small detail. Be sure it stays seasoned well. Turn it all the way up if you want. If your smoker is working properly, maybe it just needs to be used more to get seasoned up good. You need to learn about YOUR smoker and how IT cooks and rely on YOUR notes and times from YOUR own experiences and cooks. All smokers cook differently and each cut of meat reacts differently from the other seemingly identical cut. I don't know of anything else to say that might help.

Good luck.