SMOKING & GRILLING TEMPERATURE GUIDE
|
Food
|
Fire
|
Temp/Time
|
Target Internal Temperature
|
|
Poultry
|
|||
|
Chicken, Whole
|
Smoke
|
325
ᵒ
F, 1½ hours
|
165
ᵒ
F
|
|
Chicken, Boneless
|
Grill
|
Medium-High, 20 minutes
|
165
ᵒ
F
|
|
Chicken, Cut-Up
|
Smoke
|
250
ᵒ
F, 1½ hours
|
165
ᵒ
F
|
|
Duck
|
Smoke
|
300
ᵒ
F, 2 hours
|
165
ᵒ
F
|
|
Turkey, Whole (10-12 lb.)
|
Smoke
|
250
ᵒ
F, 4-6 hours
|
165
ᵒ
F
|
|
Meat & Game
|
|||
|
Brisket
|
Smoke
|
225
ᵒ
F, 8-10 hours
|
195
ᵒ
F-205
ᵒ
F
|
|
Hamburgers
|
Grill
|
Medium, 4-5 minutes/side
|
160
ᵒ
F
|
|
Hot Dogs, All-Beef
|
Grill
|
Medium, 5-7 minutes
|
-
|
|
Rack of Lamb
|
Smoke
|
225
ᵒ
F, 4-5 hours
|
135
ᵒ
F
|
|
Steaks
|
Grill
|
High, 5-6 minutes/side
|
Rare 125
ᵒ
F
Med Rare 135
ᵒ
F
Medium 145
ᵒ
F
Med Well 150
ᵒ
F
Well Done 160
ᵒ
F
|
|
Pork
|
|||
|
Pork Butt, Pulled
|
Smoke
|
225
ᵒ
F, 9-10 hours
|
205
ᵒ
F
|
|
Pork Chops
|
Grill
|
Medium-High, 5-6 minutes/side
|
145
ᵒ
F
|
|
Pork Tenderloin
|
Grill
|
Medium-High, 8 minutes/side
|
145
ᵒ
F
|
|
Seafood
|
|||
|
Fish
|
Grill
|
Medium, 5 minutes/side
|
145
ᵒ
F
|
|
Salmon
|
Smoke
|
200
ᵒ
F, 1¼-1½ hours
|
145
ᵒ
F
|
|
Shrimp
|
Grill
|
Medium-High, 6 minutes
|
145
ᵒ
F
|
|
Tuna Steaks
|
Grill
|
Medium-High, 3 minutes/side
|
140
ᵒ
F
|
Safety, Troubleshooting, and Maintenance
With all the fun you are having cooking up delicious dishes with your new smoker and grills, you may lose sight of the fact that you are playing with fire - literally. It’s time to note a few dangers for which to keep a lookout. Almost half of all home fires are caused by cooking gear. Hot coals from live fire bear obvious risks, but even gas grills need caution.
The National Fire Protection Association says eighty-five percent of grills involved in home fires were fueled by gas, while 10% used charcoal or other solid fuel. Gas grills are involved in an average of 8,700 home fires per year, including 3,600 structural fires and 5,100 outdoor fires annually.
Be sure to give yourself plenty of room between your grill and everything else. Vinyl siding is the natural-born enemy of a grill. Also, keep your grills clean. Dispose of drippings after every cook and follow these “nevers:”-
Never leave a live fire unattended.
-
Never use charcoal on a wood deck or indoors.
-
Never wear flip flops while tending hot coals.
-
Never transport or attempt to move a hot grill.
But DO, always, keep a dependable fire extinguisher handy.
I love a good gadget, and if you’re into barbecue like I am, I’m sure you have a lot of Cool Tools to choose from. Some are simple, like a good set of tongs. Other items are complex technology, such as digital instant-read thermometers (a must) and computerized Bluetooth “stoker” fans, which scientifically blow oxygen into the smoker box to boost your cook temperature, and are controlled by a digital thermostat.
We’ll look closer at some cool tools you’ll want in your arsenal in a moment. There are some serious must-haves as well as a few pricey but worth the splurge luxury items. First, a few tricks.