Curing and smoking a Turkey, need some advice

[smokingstag]

I have a 21 pound turkey that I am wanting to cure and smoke this weekend.  I am planning on using the complete turkey cure from waltons, it is a brine cure. 

Here are some questions I have

• Should the skin of the turkey be removed before put into the brine?
• Should 12- 24 hours be long enough for the turkey to be in the brine?
• Is there anything different when smoking poultry vs. say, hams?

 

[diggingdogfarm]

I have a 21 pound turkey that I am wanting to cure and smoke this weekend.  I am planning on using the complete turkey cure from waltons, it is a brine cure. 
Here are some questions I have

• 
  

  
  [*] Should the skin of the turkey be removed before put into the brine?

  
  
  No!
  
  

  
  [*] Should 12- 24 hours be long enough for the turkey to be in the brine?

  
  
  Is this the instructions?
  "Use: Use 1.29 lbs. of cure to each gallon of water for a 10% pump."
  
  If so, you need to make the brine and then inject brine equal to 10% of the weight of the turkey (2.1 lbs. in your case)
  I usually soak a bird that size for 48 hours after injecting.
  Start with a fully thawed turkey.
  
  

  
  [*] Is there anything different when smoking poultry vs. say, hams?
  

The smoking procedure can be found near the bottom of the following page.

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/poultry-and-game/poultry

HTH


~Martin

 

[smokingstag]

Yes those are the directions. Your link cleared things up for me, thank you!

 

[omegadog12]

Hi All,

 I'm new to the forum and I hope that this isn't a thread hijack. I have smoked many turkeys using a brine without a cure. Is it necessary to use a cure in the brine or have I just been lucky in not getting food poisoning. My brine usually consists of 1 gallon water, 1/2 cup Kosher salt, a cup of brown sugar, a cup of apple juice and a cup of bourbon. Fabulous and informative forum with lots of info! Thanks for any suggestions so that I won't kill my family :-)

              OmegaDog12

 

[pops6927]

If you are smoking a turkey 12-14 lbs. or under, it should be above 140° within 4 hours (smoked to 160° though).  However, as in the previous case, a 20-25 lb. turkey will take a lot more time from 40° - 140° than 4 hours, so you need to cure it first to keep botulism from forming.