I’m Kayla. I smoke meat on weekends and sometimes on weird Wednesday nights. I use a Weber Smokey Mountain and a Traeger Pro 575. I keep a Thermapen in my pocket. My kids call it “the magic stick.” Cute and true.
You know what? I’ve messed up plenty. Dry brisket. Rubber chicken skin. Salmon that tasted like a campfire. But I learned. For a professional rundown of which cuts take smoke well, I often point friends to this Char-Broil guide. Here’s what I reach for now, and exactly how it went at my house.
Need a solid source for meat? I've had great luck ordering from Hats of Meat. I even put together a deeper dive on picking smoker-friendly cuts—here's my full breakdown of the best meats to smoke.
Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt) — The Easy Win
If you’re new, start here. It’s forgiving.
- What I do: Salt and pepper (sometimes Meat Church Holy Gospel). 250°F. Post oak with a little apple. I spritz with apple juice when the bark looks dry. Pull at 200–205°F when a probe slides in like warm butter. Rest in a cooler for an hour.
- Real story: Last football Sunday, I ran a 9-pound butt for sliders. It took about 10 hours. The bark turned dark and crackly. I mixed in a little cider vinegar and a splash of Sweet Baby Ray’s. No one spoke for five minutes. That’s how I knew it slapped.
- One bad time: I wrapped too early once, and it got mushy. Tasted fine, but the bark went soft. Lesson learned—wait for good bark first.
Brisket — The Big Boss
Brisket is drama. But when it hits, it’s joy.
- What I do: Whole packer, 12–14 pounds. Simple rub: kosher salt and coarse pepper. 250°F. Post oak. I ride the stall near 165–170°F, then wrap in pink paper. I pull around 203°F when it’s “probe tender.” Rest wrapped in a cooler for 2–3 hours.
- Real story: Christmas Eve, we did brisket with pickles and white bread. I sliced the flat pencil-thick. The point cubes—oh man—were like beef candy. My dad went quiet. He only goes quiet for the good stuff.
- One bad time: I once wrapped at 150°F and cranked the heat. It turned into pot roast. Still dinner, but not brisket. Never again.
Lately I’ve also been playing with cured brisket—smoked corned beef is a whole different kind of magic.
Ribs — Crowd Candy
Spare ribs feel meaty. Baby backs cook faster. Both make folks smile.
- What I do: For spares, I use a 3-2-1 style (smoke, wrap, finish). For baby backs, I do more like 2-2-1. Rub with Killer Hogs or my own salt-pepper-garlic. Cherry wood if I want that red glow. I glaze light at the end. Not too saucy.
- Real story: On July 4th, I ran two racks with cherry wood and a thin honey glaze. We ate with napkins and no shame. Sticky fingers everywhere.
- One note: Judges like a clean bite. My family loves fall-off-the-bone. I cook for family. You’ll pick your lane too.
Chicken Thighs and Wings — Weeknight Heroes
Skin is the trick. Low and slow can make it rubbery. So I change gears.
- What I do: Start at 275–300°F with oak or pecan. Finish hotter, closer to 350–375°F, so the skin crisps. Thighs go to about 175°F for tender. Lemon pepper on wings, buffalo for the finish.
- Real story: Wednesday game night, I did wings at 300°F, then blasted them hot for 10 minutes. Tossed in Frank’s and butter. They vanished in five.
- One bad time: I smoked thighs at 225°F the whole way. The skin chewed like a balloon. Learned to finish hotter.
Beef Short Ribs — “Brisket on a Stick”
These are rich, like a cozy blanket.
- What I do: Salt and pepper. Post oak. 250°F to about 203°F, or when they jiggle and the bone peeks. No wrap unless the bark is lagging.
- Real story: Rainy Saturday, six hours in, I opened the lid, and the ribs shook like Jell-O. We ate them with simple mashed potatoes. Silence again. Good sign.
- Heads up: They cost more now. Worth it for a small crew.
Chuck Roast — The Budget Brisket Play
Not the same as brisket, but still great.
- What I do: 250°F with oak. Rub with garlic, salt, pepper. Smoke 4–5 hours, then wrap and cook till it shreds. I like it for tacos.
- Real story: Sunday night barbacoa. I shredded it, added lime, and piled it on tortillas with pickled onions. My kid asked for seconds. That’s a win.
- Note: It’s leaner. Can get stringy if you undercook. Be patient.
Salmon — Light Smoke, Big Payoff
Go gentle here. Fish soaks up smoke fast.
- What I do: I like alder or apple. 180–200°F pit temp. Pull when the fish hits about 130°F internal. Maple glaze near the end.
- Real story: Spring picnic, I ran a slab with a maple-soy glaze. The color was beautiful—like copper. Even the picky one ate it cold the next day.
- One bad time: I tried hickory. Way too strong. Tasted like a campfire. Apple is safer.
Turkey — Holiday Hero (Or Sandwich Machine)
It’s not hard if you plan.
- What I do: Dry brine with salt overnight. Spatchcock (cut out the backbone) so it cooks even. 275°F with apple and a touch of cherry. Pull the breast near 160°F and let it rest to finish.
- Real story: Thanksgiving, the skin was bite-through, and the breast stayed juicy. I saved the drippings for gravy. We had sandwich magic for three days.
- Tip: Big bird? Make space. It hogs the grill.
Sausage — The Snack That Fights Back
- What I do: Jalapeño cheddar links from the local shop. 225°F till 155°F inside. Don’t blast the heat or they burst.
- Real story: Tailgate morning, I ran a quick batch on the Traeger. Sliced them up with mustard and crackers. Simple and happy. When I’m after a portable smoke hit, I switch to dehydrator mode—here’s what happened when I tested a bunch of cuts for jerky.
Lamb Shoulder — The Wild Card I Loved
- What I do: Garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, olive oil. 250°F, fruit wood like apple. Pull when tender enough to shred.
- Real story: I stuffed it in pita with cucumber and yogurt. Bright and smoky. Some folks say lamb tastes strong. The light wood kept it clean.
My Quick Cheat Sheet
- Pork shoulder: 250°F, post oak + apple, pull 200–205°F. Watch the bark.
- Brisket: 250°F, post oak, wrap at good bark around 170°F. Rest long.
- Ribs: 225–250°F, cherry for color, glaze last 20 minutes.
- Chicken wings/thighs: Start 300°F, finish hotter to crisp.
- Beef short ribs: 250°F, post oak, jiggle test.
- Chuck roast: 250°F, wrap to finish, taco time.
- Salmon: 180–200°F, apple/alder, pull near 130°F.
- Turkey: 275°F, dry brine, spatchcock for even cook.
Tools I trust: Thermapen for temps, Meater for long cooks, Kingsford blue for the WSM, pink butcher paper for brisket.
Side note: sometimes I crank out more brisket and ribs than my family can polish off, and a platter of leftovers feels like a crime. When I’m craving extra adult company to help demolish the feast—and maybe spark a little post-dinner fun—I hop onto FuckBuddies.app where it’s ridiculously easy to connect with like-minded locals who appreciate good smoke, good vibes, and zero strings attached. When I’m up in Michigan for a Spartan football weekend, the quickest way to line up some after-hours company in that college town is to scroll through Backpage East Lansing, which curates fresh, verified listings and practical safety pointers so I can spend more time tending the fire and less time swiping aimlessly.
A Few Lessons That Saved Me
- Rest the meat. A