Thanksgiving smoke and roast times
Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Set Eat at in the calculator to when you sit down, and it works back to when the meat goes on, when to start checking it and how long it rests; Add to calendar puts each step on your phone.
Each cut below opens its own calculator, smoked at 225, 250 or 275°F or roasted in the oven, fitted to its weight. Cook to the pull temperature, not the clock, and leave time for the rest: it is part of the cook.
On the Thanksgiving table
Questions
When should I start cooking for Thanksgiving?
Set Eat at to your dinner time on Thu, Nov 26. The calculator works back from it: when the meat goes on, when to start checking it, and the rest before you carve. Big roasts can run long, so a little slack at the start beats a late dinner.
Smoker or oven for Thanksgiving?
Either: every cut here has its smoker times, and the big roasts (turkey, prime rib, ham, beef tenderloin, leg of lamb and pork loin) have an oven time too. Choose Oven under Cook at, and the calculator gives the oven's heat and time.
How long do Thanksgiving leftovers keep?
Three to four days in the fridge, as USDA advises for cooked turkey and meats. Cool them within two hours, in shallow containers, and reheat them until they are steaming hot.
Should I cook to time or to temperature?
To temperature. The time tells you when to start and when to start checking; the meat is ready when the thickest part reaches its pull temperature.
Does my smoker change the time?
Not at the same temperature, as far as any cooker maker or test says. What changes is how steady it holds: keep the lid or door shut and the fire even, and the time holds too.