Re: Cured and smoked turkey.

I would like to cure [using Walton’s Complete Turkey Cure, WCTC] a 21 lb turkey by brining only-- no injection & no phosphate. The Meatgistics procedure Notes mentions a 2 day brining only option- but the brine solution concentration given was for cover/dilute brine [post-injection]… For just brining, should I combine the injection cure solids (7.4 oz, adjusted for 21 lb meat based on recommendation & assumption to inject the full 5.3 oz of cure into a 15 lb bird) with that of the dilute brine solids (14.7 oz per gal, here assuming my cure/meat mass ratio)? Then again, I estimate (based on limited 'net search turkey/poultry carcass density of ~0.8 g/ml) I’ll fit ~2 gal of brine with the turkey for my 5 gal bucket… implication here is to double the mass of the brine cure solids by now adding 2 gal brine, hence my problem (I’m aware that one should maintain a strict cure mass per meat mass ratio for a given cure time, but I’m not that familiar with WCTC…)

i.e., Any comments on amount of cure (WCTC) solids needed for a 2 day brine only cure for a 21 lb turkey would be greatly appreciated. (I would also be interested in a faster cure time, but no injection… this time.)

Thanks in advance!

Thank you for the rapid and insightful reply Paul. Upon re-reading, the Walton’s Meatgistic’s Other Notes 2nd point technically calls it “brining” as opposed to “curing”… Regardless, I was looking for and greatly appreciate you sharing your experienced advice. I will follow the recommended injection protocol (sans phosphate, I would have used that had I read carefully…). I will generate & use ~2 gal of brine at the specified concentration (granted, I would still have expected a mass/mass recommendation there). Any idea on the upper limit of time for the “+” in the recommended 12+ hr?

(I should add, above I’m opting to define brining as sticking a piece of meat in salt, whereas curing is to let it sit in the salt until it’s preserved ;)…