Tips for Cooking a Whole Turkey in a WSM 14


 
Michael Richards

Michael Richards

TVWBB Emerald Member
Wasn't sure to place this here or in the special Turkey Day forum, but I decided to put this here as the questions are more geared to using the little guy WSM then anything else.
So with that said how big of a turkey can you fit in the WSM 14? What is the best way to set up the smoker. I am thinking to use the bottom rack and leave out the top rack. Place it in vertical rather then horizontal (like you would for beer can chicken) and let it go. Is this the best plan or I am missing something? Any thoughts welcome. I have my Master Touch also that would give me more space, but I have never done anything larger then a 4 lb chicken and never done anything lower and slower on that guy(just always you the WSM) so I really want to figure out the best way of doing it in the WSM little guy. Any thoughts, experiences, insights welcome! Thanks!
 
I’m posting to follow this (sorry that I don’t have direct advice). I too am smoking a 13.5 lb turkey on a WSM 14, but if no one posts anything by tomorrow, I planned on spatchcocking the turkey (recommended on the amazingribs.com website) and putting both parts of the bird on each grate (lower and upper racks). I’ve spatchcocked every chicken I’ve done on there with incredible results. I plan on using pecan wood and a tiny bit of cherry - which is my preference for poultry. Fast and hot method. (Did it a couple of nights ago with a chicken - kept at 300-325° with outdoor temps at 35°.)

Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Sorry this post went unanswered. Would have been better placed in the Turkey Talk forum, but that's water under the bridge at this point.

For a whole turkey, 10-11 lbs seems to be the limit. Spatchcocking and cutting into halves, one on each grate, might be an easier way to go. Unless you have a vertical roasting stand, several folks have done whole turkey on the bottom grate using a stand.

From this post: https://tvwbb.com/threads/turkey-on-the-wsm-14-5-smoker-guava-smoked.68424/

"I bought a turkey around 11 lbs and smoked it on the 14.5" smoker using Guava wood from Hawaii. The turkey barely fit on the top grate."
 
Chris,
Thank you so much for moving this post. I didn't realize how big the Turkey Talk forum would become as this is my first Thanksgiving as a member.
For what its worth I am going with a 7 lb bone in breast on the WSM 14 and a 19 lb whole bird in the oven. 7 lb one was brined in the apple brine and the 19 lb one was a simple salt brine, but the big one will get my turkey day rub which is so good!!! I just got them both out of the brine and air drying in the frig now! Next year I want to do more bird outside using both the kettle and WSM, but I am still really excited for this year.
Last thing, this forums homepage has been a godsend again as I prep for tomorrow!
 
James V in Ohio said:
I’m posting to follow this (sorry that I don’t have direct advice). I too am smoking a 13.5 lb turkey on a WSM 14, but if no one posts anything by tomorrow, I planned on spatchcocking the turkey (recommended on the amazingribs.com website) and putting both parts of the bird on each grate (lower and upper racks). I’ve spatchcocked every chicken I’ve done on there with incredible results. I plan on using pecan wood and a tiny bit of cherry - which is my preference for poultry. Fast and hot method. (Did it a couple of nights ago with a chicken - kept at 300-325° with outdoor temps at 35°.)

Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!
Click to expand...
How did doing the whole bird go on the WSM 14? Did you get any pictures? My 7 lb bone in breast went great, but I want to try to get more bird on the WSM 14 next year. IMG_20201126_215033.jpg
 
Yrs ago my son brought over what we thought was a breast. It was a small whole turkey. We cooked it beer can chicken style sitting up on the bottom grate with the top grate removed. As I recall it turned out really good.
 
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