What Temp to Cook Spiral / City Ham?
300 °F / 150 °C is the standard for spiral / city ham, and takes about 2h 12m for a 9 lb cut. Running at 325 °F finishes roughly 1h 27m sooner — the table below prices that trade.
Your lid thermometer is probably reading the dome, not the grate. ThermoMaven Wireless Bluetooth Thermometer →
Every pit temperature compared
| Pit temp | Cook time (9 lb) | vs 225 °F | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| 225 °F / 110 °C | 3h 25m | — | Best bark and smoke, longest cook |
| 250 °F / 121 °C | 2h 58m | 13% faster | The usual compromise |
| 300 °F / 149 °C | 2h 13m | 35% faster | The usual compromise |
| 325 °F / 163 °C | 1h 58m | 42% faster | Fastest, least forgiving |
Times are for a 9 lb cut and scale with weight — each size has its own guide below. The hours are computed; the quality trade-off in the last column is judgement, not arithmetic.
What you are actually trading
Lower and slower buys time. A gentler pit narrows the gap between the outside and the centre, so less of the roast overshoots while the middle catches up. That is the whole logic of a reverse sear.
Hotter buys your afternoon back. The time saved is real and the results can be excellent — but the margin for error shrinks. The outside browns well before the centre arrives, so the pull temperature matters more, not less.
Whatever you pick, the finish line does not move: 140 °F / 60 °C, pulled at 135 °F to allow for carryover.
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A pit is only at the temperature you think it is if you are measuring at the grate.
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Cook times by weight at 300 °F
Pit temperatures for other cuts
Download the printable temperature chart
Every temperature on this site on one page — beef, pork, poultry, seafood and low & slow, plus the carryover rule. Print it and tape it inside your grill lid.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should I cook spiral / city ham at?
300 °F / 150 °C is the standard, and what every guide on this site assumes. Running hotter works and saves real time — 325 °F finishes about 1 hour 27 minutes sooner on a 9 lb cut — but leaves less time for bark to form and collagen to break down.
Is 325 °F too hot?
Not at all — it is a normal roasting temperature. Higher heat browns the outside faster, which is good for skin and crust, but it widens the gap between the outside and the centre. Pull temperature matters more, not less, as you go hotter.
Does the pit temperature change the internal target?
No. Done is done: 140 °F / 60 °C either way. What changes is how long it takes to get there and how much carryover you get afterwards — a hotter pit drives more residual heat into the meat, so you pull earlier.
How accurate is my smoker's dial?
Usually not very. Built-in lid thermometers commonly read 25–50 °F off the grate, and they measure the dome, not where the meat sits. Every number on this page assumes the temperature at the grate, which is the only one worth acting on.