Smoking meat is all about low and slow cooking. The slow process of smoke and low heat is what will take a rack of ribs into fall-off-the-bone goodness.
However, is there a time when the cooking temperature is too low?
Most smoking recipes call for cooking temperatures from the 225°F to 350°F range. This made me wonder if we can safely smoke meat at 180°F.
After all, many pellet grills will have a temperature dial that starts at 180°F. So can you smoke meat at 180°F?
Raw meat should not be smoked or cooked at 180°F since the internal temperature of the meat must exceed 140°F within 4 hours. Instead, use a cooking temperature of 225°F or greater to smoke meat. Any meat in the “Danger Zone” of 40°F to 140°F for 4+ hours will be unsafe to eat due to bacteria.
So meat can be smoked at 180°F for a short period of time but must be cooked at a higher temperature.
However, it is easier to just use a higher cooking temperature during the entire cook such as 225°F.
What Is The “Danger Zone”
The “Danger Zone” is what the CDC refers to as the temperature range that bacteria can rapidly multiply at.
Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or in the “Danger Zone” between 40°F and 140°F. Never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if exposed to temperatures above 90°F).
CDC Food Safety
When cooking meat, the meat must reach an internal temperature of 140°F or greater within 4 hours.
In fact, the USDA Food Safety reiterates that hot food must remain above 140°F and cold food must remain below 40°F
So it is very important for food to not sit between 40°F to 140°F otherwise the food will be unsafe to consume.
Food that is left out at room temperature for too long can cause bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter) to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness.
So when cooking meat, the meat must reach an internal temperature of 140°F within 4 hours, or the meat will not be safe to consume.
When To Cook at 180°F
There are some times that cooking at 180°F is beneficial.
Lower Temperatures Create More Smoke
Generally, lower cooking temperatures will produce more smoke when cooking with wood. So pellet grills set to 180°F will produce more smoke than a pellet grill set to 350°F.
Even if you are using a charcoal or gas smoker, smoking at 180°F will allow the wood chips to smolder longer which will create more smoke.
However, there are better ways to create more smoke on a pellet grill or any smoker while using a higher cooking temperature. See this guide for ways to create more smoke on a pellet grill which can be used for most other smokers.
Keeping Food Warm on Smoker
The best use for “cooking” meat at 180°F on a smoker is to keep the meat warm while you finish cooking the rest of your meal.
A cooking temperature of 180°F will ensure that the meat stays above the Danger Zone of 140°F so the meat will be safe to eat. Moreover, having your cooked meat exposed to more smoke can help with creating a crispier bark on the outside of the meat.
Keep in mind that meat will create a smoke ring and absorb smoke flavor within the first 2 hours of smoking. So it’s important to expose meat to wood smoke within the first 2 hours of smoking as opposed to at the end of the smoke.
Check out this article to learn more about the best times of adding wood to a smoker.
Cooking at 225°F vs 180°F
So it’s better to use a cooking temperature that is higher than 180°F when smoking food.
Generally, most meat smoking recipes will use cooking temperatures of 225°F to 275°F. These higher cooking temperatures will raise the internal temperature of the meat to 140°F within 4 hours so the meat will be safe to eat.
Make sure when you’re smoking your meat that your cooking temperature is at least 225°F so that the meat reaches a food-safe temperature.
Do not use a cooking temperature of 180°F on raw meat as the meat will not reach an internal temperature of 140°F within 4 hours and will be not safe to consume.
Ways To Increase Cooking Temperature
Here are some methods for increasing the cooking temperature of your smoker.
Some smokers have temperature dials which make increasing the cooking temperature easy. Whereas other smokers will have other ways to control the temperature.
Increase Temperature Setting
If you are using a pellet, propane, or electric smoker then these smokers will have a temperature setting.
Simply turn up the temperature setting on these smokers in order to increase the cooking temperature to at least 225°F.
Keep in mind that if the smoker is burning any wood pellets or wood chips that wood will smolder longer at lower temperatures. So try to keep the cooking temperature low around 225°F to 275°F to produce the most smoke.
Add Extra Coals or Wood Chunks
If you are using a kamado, charcoal, or stick smoker then these smokers will need to have more fuel in order to increase the cooking temperature.
All of these smokers will need more charcoal or wood chunks added to the fire so that the cooking temperature increases.
These smokers require more skill and patience to ensure that you do not raise the cooking temperature too high. So take your time when adjusting the cooking temperature.
Completely Open Smoker Vents
The other control on kamado, charcoal, and stick smokers are the smoker vents. Usually, these smokers will have exhaust vents as well as air vents to allow the fire to breathe.
Make sure to open the exhaust vent all the way to allow the smoke to vent out. Next start slowly opening the air vent until the cooking temperature reaches your desired temperature.
Once the smoker reaches your desired cooking temperature, place the meat back on the smoker and allow the heat and smoke to create some delicious BBQ meat.
What Is The Lowest Temperature You Can Smoke Meat?
So now that we know 180°F is too low of a cooking temperature to safely smoke meat, what’s the lowest temperature we can use?
Generally, 225°F is the lowest temperature you should smoke meat at. 225°F will bring the internal temperature of the meat to 140°F within 4 hours to avoid the Danger Zone and the meat will have plenty of time to absorb smoke flavor and remain juicy.
Given that there are endless recipes that use 225°F as the cooking temperature, you’re safe to assume that 225°F is a safe cooking temperature to use and will produce some delicious BBQ meat.
One Last Word
Smoking meat requires low cooking temperatures and a good bit of time.
There’s nothing that’ll be a rack of ribs or brisket that has been smoked low and slow.
However, there is too low of a cooking temperature since the meat’s internal temperature will rise too slowly to be safe to eat.
Raw meat should not be smoked or cooked at 180°F since the internal temperature of the meat must exceed 140°F within 4 hours. Instead, use a cooking temperature of 225°F or greater to smoke meat. Any meat in the “Danger Zone” of 40°F to 140°F for 4+ hours will be unsafe to eat due to bacteria.
However, 180°F is a great cooking temperature for keeping your BBQ meat warm in the smoker while you finish cooking the rest of your meal.
