There’s a smell that gets into everything after a long smoke. The charcoal, the wood, and the meat after eight hours. Nobody walks past a backyard doing a proper brisket and keeps walking.
Pulled pork is the most-cooked cut at our house. It feeds a crowd, and the leftovers hold up for days. Brisket is the other one. Harder, longer, and the stall will test you when you’ve got people coming over. But it’s the cook that gets talked about after.
This post collects all the Big Green Egg smoked meat recipes on the site in one place, plus a quick reference table so you know what you’re in for before the coals are lit.
TL;DR: Every Big Green Egg smoked meat recipe on the site in one place, with a reference table covering cut, setup, temp, time, and target internal temp. Brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, ham, and smoked meatloaf.
Big Green Egg Smoked Meat Reference Guide
| Cut | Setup | Temp | Time | Target Internal Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisket | Indirect | 225–250°F | 12–16 hrs | 200–205°F |
| Baby back ribs | Indirect | 250°F | 4.5 hrs | 180–190°F |
| Pulled pork | Indirect | 225–250°F | 10–14 hrs | 200–205°F |
| Ham (pre-cooked) | Indirect | 275°F | ~1 hr per 2 lbs | 140°F |
| Smoked meatloaf | Indirect | 300°F | 2–2.5 hrs | 160°F |
All indirect cooks use a convEGGtor. Brisket and pork are done when the probe slides in with no resistance. Not just when the thermometer hits a number.
The Recipes
How to Smoke Brisket on the Big Green Egg: This is the one people talk about. Full packer brisket, oak or hickory, 225–250°F, and more time than most people are comfortable with. The stall hits around hour seven or eight and will park there for hours. Don’t crank the temp. Don’t wrap early. Push through it. The bark and the tenderness at the end are worth every anxious hour. If you want to read about the stress before you commit, there’s a post for that.
Baby Back Ribs on the Big Green Egg: The 4.5-hour method: two hours of smoke to build the bark, 1.5 hours wrapped with apple juice or a butter-honey-brown sugar mix, then 30–45 minutes back on unwrapped to set the sauce. Back ribs don’t need the full 3-2-1. This approach gives you the smoke, the tenderness, and a proper finish without overcooking them. Apple or cherry wood at 250°F.
Pulled Pork on the Big Green Egg: The regular-night cook. A pork shoulder goes on at 225–250°F and doesn’t need much from you for the next 10–14 hours. Hands-off, forgiving, feeds a crowd. The leftovers stretch all week. Sandwiches, tacos, rice bowls. It’s also the most beginner-friendly long smoke on the Big Green Egg. It’s on the beginners list for a reason.
Ham on the Big Green Egg: Ham is the better holiday cook. A pre-cooked spiral ham goes in at 275°F with applewood or hickory and gets glazed in the last hour with maple-bourbon or brown sugar. About an hour per two pounds. Easier than brisket, more forgiving than turkey, and the glaze caramelizes into something worth showing off. The right call if you want smoked meat without committing to a full day.
Smoked Meatloaf on the Big Green Egg: Meatloaf off a smoker is not the same thing as meatloaf out of an oven. 300°F, indirect, two to two-and-a-half hours. Short enough for a weeknight. The smoke does what a pan can’t. It’s the cook that surprises people the most.
Going deeper: Wood choice matters more than most people think. If you want to know what different types actually do to your food, this post covers it. For chicken, the Big Green Egg Chicken Recipes hub covers every method worth knowing.
FAQ
What is the best meat to smoke on a Big Green Egg?
Depends what you want from the cook. Pulled pork is the most beginner-friendly. It’s forgiving, hard to ruin, and produces great leftovers. Brisket is the most rewarding but needs a full day and the right approach. Baby back ribs are the crowd favourite. All three are worth doing.
What temperature do you smoke meat on a Big Green Egg?
Most long smokes run 225–250°F. Ham goes a bit higher at 275°F. Meatloaf at 300°F. The low range is where the smoke has time to work and the collagen breaks down. A convEGGtor is required for all of these.
How do you get through the stall when smoking brisket?
The stall hits around 160–170°F and can sit there for hours. Don’t raise the temp. Wait it out, or wrap in butcher paper to push through it faster. Foil works too but softens the bark. The stall isn’t a problem. It’s part of the cook.
How long does pulled pork take on the Big Green Egg?
A full pork shoulder takes 10–14 hours at 225–250°F. Budget more time than you think you need and let it rest wrapped for at least an hour before pulling. It’s done when the bone slides out cleanly and the probe meets no resistance.
What wood is best for smoking meat on the Big Green Egg?
Oak and hickory for beef. Post oak is the standard for brisket. Hickory is bolder. Apple or cherry for pork and ham. Mild sweetness, nothing overpowering. There’s a full breakdown here.
