I spent a weekend researching the best meats to smoke and narrowing down the list to my top 11.
At one time or another I actually smoked most of the meats on the list. Although, I admit I was never exposed to lamb growing up!
Many of the best meats lists online include meats that you can smoke. But they are not always the best meats to smoke.
I set out to provide a reasonable list and point out why I chose them.
Here are the meats by animal group in no particular order.
#1 – Beef Brisket
#2 – Beef Ribs
#3 – Chuck Roast
#4 – Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt)
#5 – Pork Shoulder (Picnic Roast)
#6 – Pork Belly
#7 – Pork Ribs
#8 – Whole Turkey
#9 – Whole Chicken
#10 – Leg of Lamb
#11 – Lamb Shoulder
Keep reading to find out more.
Related article: How Much Meat Per Person
Qualities of the Best Meats to Smoke
The best and most popular meats to smoke have tough muscle fibers, plenty of fat (marbling and thick fat cap), lots of connective tissue, and are relatively inexpensive.
The low temperatures and long cooking times are the keys to turning these cuts of meat into something that is incredibly tender, moist, and rich in taste .
The fat content enhances the flavor. Smoking softens and melts the fat in the meat, which bastes and infuses it with smoky flavors.
As the meat cooks, the connective tissue around the muscle fibers starts to melt away, coating the muscle fibers with gelatin. This gives the meat a moist and succulent texture in your mouth.
The low cost of the cuts means you can buy in bulk and smoke in large quantities.
The more expensive, leaner cuts do not have enough fat and connective tissue. When you cook these the result is a tough and dry meat.
Tough, fat and cheap may be a description for other things. But when it comes to meat, it will lead to great tasting barbeque. Keep reading to find out what makes the 11 meats on this list the best meats to smoke.
#1 – Beef Brisket
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- lots of fat and marbling
- adequate fat layer to lock in moisture
- tough muscle suited for low and slow cooking
Things to consider
- be aware of the bbq stall
- long smoking time (up to 10 or more hours)
Beef brisket is cut from the lower chest of a cow. It is found at most supermarkets and butcher shops. A good rule of thumb is to buy 1 lb per serving because the fat renders so well. Some recommended woods to use are hickory, oak and mesquite.
#2 – Beef Ribs
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- tough with stringy connective tissue that melts away for flavor and tenderness
- lots of fat and marbling
Things to consider
- remove the membrane (bone side) to allow rub and sauces to penetrate
- flanken, short ribs and spare ribs are the same piece of meat cut from the short plate
- back ribs are leaner
Back ribs are cut from the top part of a cow’s rib cage. The other rib types are cut from the bottom section. Some recommended woods to use are hickory, oak and mesquite.
#3 – Chuck Roast
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- tough and suited for low and slow cooking
- veins of fat run throughout the meat
- plenty of stringy connective tissue that melts away for flavor and tenderness
Things to consider
- use as a cheaper alternative to beef brisket
- does not take long to smoke
Chuck roast is heavily used muscle that is cut from the neck and shoulder area of a cow. It can be pulled for sandwiches. Oak, hickory, pecan and mesquite are some of the recommended woods to use.
#4 – Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt)
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- full of tight connective tissue
- fat and bone insulates and keeps meat from drying out
- well-marbled and fatty
Things to consider
- be aware of the bbq stall
- may be flavorful enough to skip the sauces and rubs
- done at 145°F but will be tender and ideal for pulled pork at 195°F
Boston butt is cut from the upper shoulder of a pig above the shoulder blade. It is the most frequently used cut for pulled pork. Some recommended woods to use are apple, cherry, hickory and pecan.
#5 – Pork Shoulder (Picnic Roast)
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- stringy connective tissue that melts away for flavor and tenderness
- fatty and flavorful
- heavily used muscle that is tough and requires low and slow cooking
Things to consider
- be aware of the bbq stall
- done at 145°F but will be tender and ideal for pulled pork at 195°F
The picnic roast is cut from the upper front leg of a pig directly below the Boston butt. It is normally sold with the bone and skin in place. Some recommended woods to use are apple, cherry, hickory and pecan.
#6 – Pork Belly
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- contains a lot of fat and marbling
Things to consider
- smoke fat side up to allow fat to render into the meat
- can be purchased with the skin removed for better smoke penetration
Pork belly is cut from the lower abdominal area of a pig. It is where bacon comes from. Some people make burnt ends by cutting it into small cubes before cooking. Some recommended woods to use are apple, cherry, hickory and pecan.
#7 – Pork Ribs
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- loaded with fat and connective tissue
- inexpensive and widely available
Things to consider
- remove the membrane (bone side) to allow rub and sauces to penetrate
- use the 3-2-1 method for perfect ribs
- back ribs are leaner, smaller and cook faster than spare ribs
- spare ribs are larger and have more flavor
- St. Louis style ribs are spareribs with the cartilage trimmed away
Two types of pork ribs are widely available and often cooked by barbeque enthusiasts. Baby back ribs are cut from the section of a pig’s rib cage next to the backbone. Spare ribs come from the rib cage section closer to the belly.
Some recommended woods to use are apple, cherry, hickory and pecan.
#8 – Whole Turkey
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- easy to cook
- smoking keeps it tender and juicy
- less expensive than other meats
Things to consider
- do not smoke with stuffing inside or uneven cooking will result
- turkey can be spatchcocked to reduce cooking time
- limit weight to 14 pounds to prevent bacteria growth from staying in the danger zone too long
It is best to brine the turkey before you smoke it to enhance moistness. It is ready to eat when the temperature in the breast is 165°F or 180°F in the largest part of the thigh. Some recommended woods to use are hickory, cherry, pecan and apple.
#9 – Whole Chicken
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- relatively easy to cook
- generally stays moist during smoking
- short cooking time
- cheap compared to other meats
Things to consider
- chicken can be spatcocked for even faster cook time
- don’t overdo smoke (common when starting out)
Chicken has been a backyard staple for as long as I can remember. It is a good source of protein and can be an excellent addition to a healthy, well-rounded diet. Some recommended woods to use are apple, cherry, peach and pecan.
#10 – Leg of Lamb
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- lots of fat and full of flavor
- loaded with connective tissue that melts and tenderizes meat
Things to consider
- available in either a shank or sirloin cut
- the fatty upper sirloin end of the leg is preferable for smoking
- can over-smoked since it absorbs smoke well
Leg of lamb is basically the whole leg of a lamb. Look for lamb grown by the American Lamb Board to make sure you are getting what you are paying for. Fruit woods like apple, cherry and peach are recommended for smoking.
#11 – Lamb Shoulder
What makes it one of the best meats to smoke?
- tough and packed with connective tissue that melts and tenderizes meat
- covered in a sheet of fat
Things to consider
- can be cooked similar to pork shoulder and pulled if desired
- during the last hour of cooking the smoker temperature needs to be increased to speed up fat rendering
- can over-smoked since it absorbs smoke well
Lamb shoulder is cut from hard working muscles in the shoulder area. Look for lamb grown by the American Lamb Board to make sure you are getting what you are paying for. Fruit woods like apple, cherry and peach are recommended for smoking.
What to do next?
Each of these meats is perfect for low and slow cooking. You will be more than satisfied with the results.
Be sure not to overcook or undercook your meat. Check out our meat smoking guide for time and temperature tips.
