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The length of time it will take to completely cook your meat is determined by the heat of the grill, the type of meat and the size of meat cut, but you should factor in at least 6 - 8 hours of cooking time - and sometimes many more. Check your recipe to determine about how long your meat will need to smoke. Pork and beef ribs typically take up to 8 hours, while a big cut of brisket could take 22. It's very important to look at your recipe to figure out how long your meat might cook, so you can plan ahead. You can either place it directly on the grill or put it in a shallow aluminum tray. Don't wrap the meat in foil, though, because this won't allow the smoke to touch the meat. You want it to be able to surround the meat during the cooking process.  The positioning of the meat will change according to what you're cooking. If you're make smoked brisket, for example, you'll need to place the meat side down and keep the fat side up. Be sure the meat isn't over direct heat. As mentioned, if you're using your grill as a smoker the hot coals should be scooted to the side of the grill so that the meat won't cook too quickly. Again, depending on what you're cooking, you might want to baste the meat to keep it moist throughout the cooking process. This technique is a popular choice for brisket and ribs. Read the recipe you're using to decide if basting is necessary. If you cook your meat low and slow, it should come out moist and tender whether you baste it or not. Smoking meat can be basted, or "mopped," with a thin solution such as water or a combination of water, vinegar and spices. It should be applied with a barbecue mop, which looks exactly like it sounds. Some smoking recipes follow a "3-2-1" process: the meat smokes for the first 3 hours, then you cover it with foil for the next 2 hours, and finish it uncovered in the last hour. The smoke flavor infuses the meat first, then the meat warms up internally during the second two hours, and finally develops a nice thick crust to finish. Check your recipe to determine whether covering your meat at some point during the process is recommended. You'll need to monitor the temperature of the meat with a meat thermometer to determine its doneness. Poultry should reach 165 degrees. Any pork and all ground meats should be 160 degrees. The internal temperature of steaks, roasts and chops should be 145 degrees. During the smoking process, a pink ring will form just underneath the delicious outer crust of the meat. This is a result of a chemical reaction that happens when the smoke infuses the meat; the pink color is caused by the formation of nitric acid. When you cut into your meat and see a pink smoke ring, you'll know that you smoked it right.
Calculate your cooking time. Place the meat inside the smoker. Baste the meat if necessary. Cover the meat if necessary. Remove the meat when it reaches the right temperature. Check for the smoke ring.