The first time you succeed in smoking a whole turkey, you’ll be tempted to repeat the process again and again. Since most turkeys that are sold commercially are very large, though, it can be a daunting prospect.
Here’s our ultimate guide on smoking an 18 pound turkey to golden, juicy perfection.
Smoking an 18 Pound Turkey
It should take 6 to 7-1/2 hours to smoke an 18-pound turkey if you set the smoker to 275 degrees. Make sure the unit is large enough to fit the turkey inside before you get started. An 18-pound turkey should feed 12 to 15 people.
What’s The Best Size Turkey To Buy For The Smoker?
For the most part, we prefer to select turkeys for the smoker that are on the lower end of the spectrum, size-wise. If you can find a bird that weighs 10 to 12 pounds, that’s probably your best bet.
On the other hand, we recognize that it’s not always easy to find turkeys that small, as their average weight falls in the 17- to 30-pound range. This is true especially if you’re sticking to frozen store-bought turkeys instead of buying them fresh.
So, is smoking an 18 pound turkey something that can be done? Sure, as long as your smoker is large enough to fit the bird inside. If the lid won’t close all the way, the unit won’t be able to retain sufficient heat to cook the bird to a safe temperature.
How Many People Can an 18 Pound Turkey Feed?
You should be able to feed 12 to 15 people with a turkey this size.
When it comes to bone-in poultry, estimate a minimum of 1-1/4 pounds per person. If you’re counting on having a multitude of leftovers, 1-1/2 pounds per person is a better guess.
Note that these numbers refer to the amount of raw turkey you’ll need to start with, not the weight of the cooked meat. Due to shrinkage and the fact that not all of the whole turkey is edible anyway, you’ll end up with about 1/2 pound of cooked turkey per guest.
If you need more turkey than an 18-pounder can provide, consider buying another one of roughly the same size and smoking it along with the first. The cooking time will be about the same. Just make sure your smoker can accommodate both turkeys at once.
How Long Does It Take To Thaw an 18 Pound Turkey?
Thawing turkey in the refrigerator takes about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of meat. So an 18-pound bird should be completely defrosted in 4 days, give or take a few hours.
This means that if you want to fire up the smoker on Saturday, you should pull the turkey out of the freezer on Tuesday and transfer it to the fridge. Keep it on a rimmed baking sheet or platter so the juices don’t leak all over the fridge as the meat thaws.
Should you forget to defrost the turkey in advance, you can thaw it in cold water. Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold water for 30 minutes per pound—about 9 hours for an 18-pounder—changing out the water every half hour or so.
It’s safe to cook a turkey that’s still partially or completely frozen. However, you’ll need to add 25 percent to the estimated cooking time for a partially frozen bird, and 50 percent for a bird that’s frozen solid. It’s often easier to thaw it in cold water.
Smoker Temperature
For whole turkeys, our recommended smoker temperature is 275 degrees. You don’t need to go as low as you would for beef brisket or pork ribs, because the meat is leaner and can withstand hotter temperatures. However, if you set the temp too high, the turkey won’t take on enough smoke flavor. 275 degrees is a good compromise.
At this temperature, you can estimate that the bird will cook at a rate of 20 to 25 minutes per pound. Therefore, your 18-pounder should be done in 6 to 7-1/2 hours.
That’s a pretty big window, so be sure to check the internal temperature of the turkey at the estimated halfway point to see how things are progressing. As the 6-hour mark approaches, check again to get a better idea of how much longer the process might take.
Bear in mind that if you opted to spatchcock the turkey beforehand, it will cook much faster than if it had kept its original shape. In fact, it can reduce the cooking time by up to 50 percent. That means your turkey could be done much earlier than you expected.
Internal Temperature
When we say the turkey is done cooking, what exactly does that mean? Interestingly enough, the answer varies depending on what part of the turkey you’re referring to.
Poultry products, including turkey, need to cook to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s best to remove the breast meat from the heat when it cooks to 160 degrees and let it rest. The temperature should climb up to 165 due to carryover cooking.
Turkey legs and thighs are safe to eat at 165, but the dark meat is at its best when it’s allowed to stay on the heat for longer. 185 degrees is our preferred serving temp for dark meat.
You can carve the breast meat off and set it aside while the rest of the bird finishes cooking, if necessary. Positioning the bird with the breasts facing away from the heat can help to ensure that all parts of the turkey reach the desired temp at similar times.
About the Danger Zone
One of the reasons we prefer to smoke small turkeys rather than larger ones is that they’ll cook more quickly. In addition to being convenient, this keeps the meat from staying too long in what’s known as the “danger zone.”
The danger zone is the temperature range between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Within this range, hazardous bacteria can multiply quickly. That’s why you shouldn’t leave meat out of the refrigerator for longer than 2 hours at a time.
When you’re cooking a large cut of meat like a whole turkey, you run the risk of the meat entering the danger zone for long periods of time. Since smoking occurs at low temperatures, the risk is even greater.
As long as your smoker temperature remains steady at 275 degrees, the turkey should climb out of the danger zone within a reasonable time frame. If your unit tends to run on the cooler side, consider setting the target temp a bit higher, just to be safe.
To Stuff or Not to Stuff
This is a debate that continues to rage between chefs who prefer the flavor of stuffing that’s been cooked inside the bird, and those who either find this practice unsanitary or simply regard it as being too much work.
Fortunately, smoking the turkey makes it easier to decide. The wood smoke will give the stuffing an unpleasant flavor. For that reason, we prefer to stuff the cavity with aromatic vegetables or citrus fruits instead of bread crumbs when smoking turkey.
Should I Use a Roasting Pan?
Disposable aluminum roasting pans come in handy when you’re grilling or smoking large cuts of meat, but we prefer to put the turkey directly on the cooking grate. That way, the skin will crisp up better, and the meat will be able to receive more smoke flavor.
If you want to collect the drippings to make gravy, you can use a roasting pan. Be aware that the smoke will affect the flavor of the drippings, too. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it might make the gravy taste differently than you would expect.
Final Thoughts
There’s no real secret to smoking an 18 pound turkey. It’s important to make sure the smoker is large enough to accommodate a bird this size, and for the meat to cook to a safe temperature. As long as you follow these guidelines, you should be all set.
Happy grilling!
