Turkey is in the brine!

[4given]

OK after a lot of research and great advice from this forum I got my turkey in the brine last light. This will be my first attempt at curing and smoking a turkey.

Using a 5 gallon white food grade bucket I submerged an 18 pound turkey in 2 gallons of brine containing:

4 oz Cure #1
1 cup Canning salt
1.5 cups sugar

Decided to do just a simple brine with no extra flavorings as a kind of benchmark in flavor since this is my first cured smoked turkey.

I plan on leaving it in the brine until Saturday morning. I will then soak it in clean water for an hour or so then fire up the smoker!

Any comments or further advice is welcome!

[Saber 4]

I'm no expert on brining, however based on the advice given to me after an overly salty chicken experiment on the way to my first brined turkey I would say you may be over brining, I was advised 1 hour per pound for turkey brining as well as 3oz cure #1 per gallon of brine. I will defer to the experts who should be along shortly and I would recommend that you follow their advice over mine if different. :)

[KyNola]

I gots to agree with my friend Robert.  4 Days in a brine for a turkey seems excessive but then again, what do I know?

[Habanero Smoker]

If you are looking for cure like flavor, 4 ounces of Cure #1 in two gallons of liquid may not provide much, though it will provide enough sodium nitrite ppm at a safe level of cooking if you decide to cook in the hot smoke range (100 - 180°F). I believe your brine times are a little higher then Marianski uses. Marianski brine times make my turkeys too salty. For brines I use for flavoring, I go with the 1 hour per pound, and generally no longer then 24 hours for an 18lb. turkey, but I only brine poultry that is either organic, or minimally processed.

That is a lot of sugar so that may help mask the salt flavor. When I use a 5 gallon bucket, 5 quarts of liquid is usually more then enough to completely cover the turkey. I never soak poultry after brining, maybe a quick rinse on the outside. You should let the turkey rest 8 to 24 hours uncovered in the refrigerator. This allows the brine to evenly distribute throughout the turkey, dry out the skin, and develop a pellicle for better smoke penetration.

[4given]

Thanks for the advice!

I tried to cover the turkey with less than 2 gallons but it just would not work.   I could only find 4 ounces of cure #1 here locally so I had to go with that this time.

For my soak times I was kinda going by this:

Smoked Turkey
from Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing by Rytek Kutas

Curing Ingredients:

• 5 gallons water
• 1 1/2 lbs. powdered dextrose
• 2 lbs. salt
• 1 lb. Insta Cure No. 1

A maple-flavored sugar may be used in place of the powered dextrose called for in the above formula to give the bird an unusual flavor. This formula can be used for all poultry.

Cover Pickle Method

Dissolve all of the ingredients in water chilled to 38-40° F. Wash the cavity of the turkey very well and have the temperature of the turkey at 38-40° F before placing it into the brine. Turkey should be submerged in the brine for at least 4 days at 38-40° F. A larger turkey will take about 5 days to cure.

I know he is using 3.2 oz per gallon Cure #1 which is a lot more than me. I hope I get the ham like flavor I want but who knows....
His salt concentration is .64 cups per gallon which is more salt than I am using....

So anyway that is my reasoning. I guess we will see how it turns out. I'll keep you all posted.  I won't do my next turkey until I have bought a 5 pound container of cure #1 and I will most likely follow a real recipe instead of blazing my own trail...