Brining a Turkey-Have a cure question

[canadiansmoker]

I plan on wet brining/curing a turkey, then cold smoking it, then into the freezer to deep fry at a later date. I was planning on using Bradley's sugar cure. The directions on the Bradley container says to use:

10 oz. of cure for
10 cups of water per
5 pounds of meat

My turkey weighs around 15 pounds. I plan on putting the turkey and the brine into a bag and storing in the fridge. When I put the turkey in the bag and then add enough water to fill the bag and cover the turkey it takes about 20 cups.

The question is: does the amount of cure I need to use depend on the weight of the meat, or the quantity of water I am using?

If it based on the amount of meat, then would I use 30 oz of cure (15/5=3 X 10 oz of cure) per 20 cups of water (or do I need to use 30 cups of water even though it wouldn't all fit in the bag)? OR

If it based on the quantity of water, then I would use 20 oz of cure (20/10 X 10 oz of cure)? If this is the case, would I have enough cure to actually cure the turkey?

I want to make sure the turkey is cured properly, without using either too much or not enough cure.

Any help would be appreciated.

Stephen

[Habanero Smoker]

I am not familiar with the Bradley cures; and cannot provide you with a definite answer. The only thing I know about them is that one of them only has sodium nitrate as the curing salt (no sodium nitrite).

I have never seen a wet curing recipe written in that manner. There are not written directions other then the amounts? How long does it state to cure the meat?

Generally a brine (pickle) are based on water/cure ratios, and will  have instructions that so much cure for so much water will cure up to so many pounds of meat. For example; 1 pound of cure mixed with one gallon of water; will cure up to 15 pounds of meat.

[canadiansmoker]

There are no other directions regarding using it as a wet brine (including how long to cure for). I find the directions for the Bradley cures to be lacking quite a bit. I don't have the container sitting in front of me, so i can't tell if it contains nitrate or nitrite, but I do remember that it only contains one of them. It only says to use 10 oz. of cure mixed with 10 cups of water for 5 pounds of meat.

I do recall that for a dry cure it says to use 3 TBS for 5 pounds of meat, but I can't remember anything else for the dry cure instructions.

[Habanero Smoker]

If I were doing this, I would use 20 ounces for the 20 cups of water that is needed to brine. You are really curing and smoking it for flavor not to preserve, that is what the freezer is for. And you are going to fully cook it at a later date.

I feel that it will be safe, you are going to be cold smoking, so I would take straight from the refrigerator to the smoker. As for the danger zone; the salt and cure will provide extended protection, and the smoke which is an antimicrobial will add more protections. I would chill it quickly in the refrigerator, then wrap it securely (or vacuum seal) and freeze until ready to cook.

[canadiansmoker]

Habs, thanks for the response. It will be getting cured for quite a few days (probably 5-6 days) before hitting the cold smoke (for several hours).