BBQ & Smoking Guides
Every guide, reference, and cook plan on SmokerCookTime in one place. Start with the in-depth guides if you're learning a cut, or jump to the references if you just need a number.
In-depth guides
The Ultimate Brisket Guide
Trim, rub, wood, the stall, wrap, doneness, rest, and slicing — the complete brisket workflow.
The Ultimate Pork Shoulder Guide
Bone-in vs boneless, injection, the cook, pulling, and holding pulled pork for a crowd.
The Ultimate Ribs Guide
Baby back vs spare vs St. Louis, the 3-2-1 method debate, and the bend test for doneness.
Pellet vs Offset vs WSM: Which Smoker to Buy First
An honest comparison of the main smoker types — cost, learning curve, flavor, and who each is for.
Smoking Wood Pairing Chart
Which wood pairs with which meat, how much to use, and which woods to never burn.
Seasonal cook plans
Memorial Day Smoker Schedule
Hour-by-hour cook plan for 10–12 guests, with three faster backup plans.
Memorial Day Brisket Cook Plan
Exact start times for 10/12/14 lb briskets at 225°F and 275°F.
Quick references
Smoking Times Reference
Master table: cook time, internal temp, wrap timing, and rest for all 22 cuts.
Internal Temperature Chart
Pull-at temperatures, wrap timing, and rest minutes for every cut.
Smoker Cooking Time Calculator
Pick a meat, cut, and weight for an instant cook time and temperature target.
Printable Cheat Sheet
One-page reference covering all cuts and smoker temp adjustments.
Recommended pitmaster books
Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto (Spiral Bound)
The bible of central Texas brisket. Aaron Franklin's full method — fire management, salt-and-pepper rub, the wrap, slicing. Spiral-bound so it stays flat at the smoker.
Franklin Smoke: Wood, Fire, Food (Spiral Bound)
Franklin's wood-pairing reference plus 70+ recipes beyond brisket. The best book for understanding how different woods change the cook.
Smokin' with Myron Mixon (Spiral Bound)
Competition recipes from a four-time world BBQ champion. Brisket, ribs, pork shoulder, chicken — Mixon's exact rubs and injections. Spiral-bound and grease-resistant.
Yellowstone: The Official Dutton Ranch Family Cookbook (Spiral Bound)
Chuckwagon-style cooking inspired by the Yellowstone ranch — smoked meats, cast-iron classics, outdoor cooking. The crowd-pleaser of the four.