Pump Pickling a turkey?

[4given]

So in my search for cure #1 I went to a small local meat packer who makes hot dogs, chorizos, hams and etc to see if I could buy some cure #1 from him. He told me that they use a premixed brine cure that they pump their hams to cure. He said the brine comes all spiced up and ready and is real good for turkeys. He said they are not licensed to do turkeys commercially at their facility but the do some for their own personal consumption and they are real good. He said he would sell me real cheap a gallon ($1.00) to use for my turkey. He said to pump the turkey with a hand injector at add about 10% - 20% by weight into the turkey, let it drain for a few hours the smoke it and slow cook it.

Have any of you done something like this before? Does it sound right? Any tips, suggestions etc?

[pikeman_95]

I have pumped many turkeys for smoking. We have always used this pump.  http://www.spokanespice.com/products.php?page=2&secid=69&search=  This is how we do it. I make up a concentrated blend and Pump the turkey with a pumping needle. I smoke the turkey breast down and always pump the turkey breast down from the front under the skin by the neck and from the back again entering under the skin and deep into the breast meat. I do the same to the back of the thighs. I make it a point of not puncturing the skin when I can. This keeps the pump from leaking out when smoking. After pumping the turkey I massage the bird well to spread the pump through out the bird.  Here is the recipe that we used for the turkey pump.
Instructions for pumping turkeys


Bring almost to a boil the below ingredients

8 oz. mild wine
4 oz. water
4 oz. butter or margarine
[1 5/8 oz.] or 4 and 1/2 tbs. turkey seasoning
2 tsp  meat cure [this is the minimum amount do not short]
stir vigorously while filling pumping needle. [the butter wants to float ] My wife does the stirring while I suck the pup full. 

Pump all the above ingredients into a 12 to 16 lb. turkey. Use only turkeys that have had nothing added to them.

Smoke at a temp. of at least 220 deg. Fahrenheit for 6 to 8 hours.
Smoke turkey with the breast facing down.

[4given]

Thanks!!  ;D

[Habanero Smoker]

See my other post.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=33839.msg394160#msg394160

You are not going to get more they 10% injected into the turkey. And to add to the other post, from what I'm reading in this post, you did not purchase Cure #1, you purchased a cure mixture. Cure #1 and the mixture he gave you are not measured the same, so one is not a direct substitute for the other. So you will need to use the mixture he sold you as he directed you to use it.

[4given]

Habs, I know I am all over the place with this.....  Morton's Tender Quick, Cure #1, Meat Packers Ham brine.......  :P ??? :o :o :o

Here is were I settled. I found some cure #1 at the local Sportsmans warehouse. Not very much just 4 ounces. Cost mew 6 bucks yikes!
So I am going with the cure #1 this time.  I decided not to go with the meat packers pumping pickle because I found out it has MSG in it and my wife can't eat MSG.

[Habanero Smoker]

Habs, I know I am all over the place with this.....  Morton's Tender Quick, Cure #1, Meat Packers Ham brine.......  :P ??? :o :o :o

Here is were I settled. I found some cure #1 at the local Sportsmans warehouse. Not very much just 4 ounces. Cost mew 6 bucks yikes!
So I am going with the cure #1 this time.  I decided not to go with the meat packers pumping pickle because I found out it has MSG in it and my wife can't eat MSG.

The link includes more information, so I am also referring others who are like me (that don't read every post), to take a look at the information. Pickle is another word for brine, so you can inject with you homemade brine (pickle).