Grilling and Smoking Times

One of the things I used to have to look up all the time were grilling times and temperatures. Over time, I've figured out my own rhythm with my own grill, and I know a lot of these by heart, but I know for grillers just starting out, sometimes time and temperature are the best way to get started. As far as if your meats are done, you should definitely invest in an instant read thermometer and make sure you've cooked it to a food-safe temperature, but these guidelines will give you a sense of how long to keep that meat on the flame.

For most grilling items, here's what I go with:
MeatCook TimeDone Temp/Doneness
Hamburgers4 min each side160° - Well Done (Food Safety Recommended)
150-155° - Medium Well
Chicken Breasts6-7 min each side165°
Pork Chops (thin cut)3 min each side145° - Rare (Food Safety Minimum)
Up to 160° - Well Done
Pork Chops (thick cut - about 1")Sear 1 minute each side, then 4 min each side145° - Rare (Food Safety Minimum)
Up to 160° - Well Done

For steaks, you have to also consider the thickness of the steak, so there's a little more nuance to it. But you should preheat your grill to 450° and let the steaks sit out of the fridge for a while to reduce some of the chill. My grill has a searing burner that gets nice and hot to make the grill lines, then I can finish on the other side of the grill with a slightly less direct heat source.

Steak DonenessTemperatureThickness1/2"3/4"1"1 1/2"2"
Rare 120°-130° Side 1 Time24568
Side 2 Time22346
Medium Rare 130°-140° Side 1 Time34579
Side 2 Time23457
Medium 140°-150° Side 1 Time456710
Side 2 Time23578
Medium Well 150°-160° Side 1 Time467812
Side 2 Time345810
Well Done 160°-170° Side 1 Time5781013
Side 2 Time356811

Then here's a basic chart for various items on the smoker, but your mileage may vary on the times. Smoke times can have wide ranges due to stalling and other variables.

MeatSmoke Time/MethodDone Temp
Pork Ribs3-2-1 (6 hours)
2-2-1 (5 hours) for baby back
Remove silver skin
Pat dry and rub - 2 hours sit
2 hours in foil
1 hour unwrapped
225 degrees
190-200°
Hot Smoked SalmonBrine 4-8 hours
Dry/Pellicle - 6-12 hours overnight
2-4 hours
Oil and Rub
(140 degrees+ but low as possible)
130-140°
Chicken Leg QuartersOil and Dry Rub
Smoke up to 275 degrees
1-2 hours
225 degrees up to 4 hours
165°
Whole ChickenOil/Dry Rub
Same as Quarters?
165°
Pork ShoulderMustard or oil and dry rub
Cook in Foil Pan - may wrap or cover after stall
225-250 degrees for 1.5 hours/lb
195-205°
(may increase resting)
BrisketOil or Mustard (optional) and Salt/Pepper
225-250 degrees up to 18-20 hours
Wrap as desired
195-205°
Chuck Roast Burnt EndsMustard and salt pepper garlic
5 hours to 165
Wrap, 1 hour 195+ rest 15 min
Cut to 1 inch add ½ stick butter ¼ cup brown sugar sauce 2 hours
More sauce brown sugar 5 to 10 min
195°+