temp 225-250

You should shoot for 250. I think that's the pretty much perfect temp for me. I will let it go a little bit higher at times. I keep it lower to reheat things and cook things like my beans or mac and cheese. That's where my warming box is handy.

c farmer said:

I hardly ever cook under 275.     Stuff gets done quicker and the taste is still there.

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very true! People new to smoking have always heard low and slow. How bout medium and not so slow.

Hello.  As you can tell already this is going be as clear as mud.  The truth is we all do things a little different depending on experience, what meat we are smoking, and what smoker we are using.  You would be surprised what you can find on the net.  I will post below the link to Jeff's "guideline".  Do remember we are giving "guidelines".  Jeff's is as good ( probably better ) than anything else you will find on the net.  I know he has the experience and he isn't pi$$in on my boots and trying to convince me it's raining.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-times-and-temperatures-chart

My standard temp is 220, I am smoking not BBQ'ing. or grilling.

I saw a thermometer that pretty much summed up my idea towards outside cooking.

Everything below 250 is smoking, everything above 350 is grilling and everything in the between is BBQ. You can add smoke to a grill or a BBQ, but IMHO if your smoking its low and slow. and after a long time smoking I am still trying to make up my mind about foil....LOL

Smoking is not about how fast you get it done. If I can do it faster and get the same result, hey, why not? Cause I like the smoke, I like that quiet early morning cup of spiked coffee or even crawling outta a sleeping bag hungover to check the pit with a 1/2 full can of cowboy cool flat beer at the camp. I enjoy the camaraderie around the fire or pit because other than the beer chest its where everyone always hoovers around.

Grilling is a great meal too, its hot and fast searing in those juices and you can use wood smoke with it too. I have never really be one for BBQ, I find the whole idea of pouring a sauce to cover up the meat tastes the sign of poor quality meat and its a damn messy experience.

SQWIB said something to me once that rang the bell, you could see the light coming on atop my head, its usually a reflection of the type of pit you are most familiar with. And that's true. I have firebreathers and electrics, had a natural gas (I never did master it though), charcoal and wood, I could cook a brisket delicious and juicy, but I wasn't doing a low and slow until I started using electric. Why because I was trying continuously to force the meat to bend to my will and cook faster while maintaining a juicy and tastee flavor. Smoking is a way to cook that should involve little or no labor or worry. In my Pop's day you built a fire and forgot it, you built it back up, and forgot it, etc...... About once every 4 to 6 hours. You didn't hold a specific temp but you did average one. Smokes were similar but no two were ever the same.

There I go rambling again.

I like low and slow, I have finally embraced the digital remote as a tool vice a cheat, I like my electric because with a smoke generator I can set it and forget it. I don't worry about charcoal, re-lights, stacking, or the seasoning of wood splits. I think an electric just lends itself perfectly to low and slow. I am still not too sure about foiling though. LOL

220 is my ideal smoking temperature, I have started smoking fowl a bit higher because it can take it. But a big bird like a turkey I have tried higher, I am thinking I will still be doing 220 after the experiment.