This is the greatest recipe for turkey injection if you want to cook a whole turkey on your grill or smoker. With a hint of sweetness from the honey and great flavor from the butter and lemon that complements the wood flavors from the smoker, this recipe will make your holiday turkey (or any meal!) tender and moist with flavor thanks to the poultry marinade!
Using injection marinades means saying goodbye to dry turkeys because the entire turkey breast is infused with flavor, which also helps to tenderize it. You can also use this technique with other turkey brines. My smoked turkey recipe calls for a simple seasoning mixture, which is also very simple to make.
Hey there, grilling enthusiasts! Are you ready to dive into the world of smoked turkey? Whether you’re a seasoned pitmaster or a newbie to the smoking game injecting your turkey can be a game-changer for both flavor and moisture. But before you grab that injector and start poking holes in your bird, let’s take a closer look at whether injecting is the right move for your next smoked turkey masterpiece.
Injecting 101: When and Why to Do It
Injecting your turkey is a fantastic way to infuse it with extra flavor and keep it moist throughout the smoking process. However, it’s not always necessary, and sometimes it can even be detrimental. So, when should you consider injecting your turkey?
Injecting is a good idea when:
- You’re using a dry rub as your primary seasoning. Dry rubs are amazing for adding a delicious crust to your turkey, but they don’t always penetrate deep into the meat. Injecting allows you to deliver flavor and moisture directly to the center of the bird.
- You want to ensure a juicy and flavorful turkey. Smoking can sometimes dry out poultry, but injecting helps to combat this by adding extra moisture.
However, injecting is not a good idea when:
- You’re brining or basting your turkey. Both brining and basting already add moisture and flavor to the turkey, so injecting can make it overly salty or even mushy.
- You’re using a wet rub. Wet rubs already contain moisture, so injecting can make the turkey too wet and potentially compromise its texture.
Injecting Your Turkey: A Step-by-Step Guide
So, you’ve decided to inject your turkey. Here’s a quick and easy guide to help you get the job done like a pro:
- Gather your supplies. You’ll need a flavor injector, a flavorful injection liquid (we’ll provide a recipe below), and your thawed turkey.
- Prepare your injection liquid. Choose a recipe that complements your dry rub or overall flavor profile. Our recipe below is a great starting point.
- Inject your turkey. Focus on injecting the breasts, thighs, and other thick areas of the turkey. Avoid injecting near the bone, as this can cause the meat to dry out.
- Let the turkey rest. After injecting, allow the turkey to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, or up to 36 hours for maximum flavor infusion.
- Smoke your turkey as usual. Follow your favorite smoking recipe, ensuring the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thighs.
Injecting Your Turkey: A Delicious Recipe
When you’re prepared to create a tasty injectable liquid for your turkey, try this easy recipe that will wow everyone:
Ingredients:
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground-dried sage
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions:
- Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon juice, melted butter, and spices until well combined.
- Use your flavor injector to suck up the mixture and inject it into your turkey.
- Allow the turkey to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours before smoking.
Injecting Your Turkey: Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some questions about injecting your turkey? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered:
Q: What kind of injector should I use?
A: You can find flavor injectors at most kitchen supply stores or online. To ensure even distribution, look for one with a long needle and several injection holes.
Q: How much liquid should I inject?
A: A good rule of thumb is to use about 1/2 cup of injection liquid per pound of turkey.
Q: Can I inject my turkey the day before smoking it?
A: Definitely! In fact, the flavors will meld even more deeply if the turkey marinates in the injection liquid for the entire night.
Q: Do I need to use a special recipe for the injection liquid?
A: Not at all! You can use any recipe you like, or even create your own based on your favorite flavors.
Injecting Your Turkey: Additional Resources
Looking for more information on injecting your turkey? Check out these helpful resources:
- Smoker Grill Girl: Should I Inject My Turkey Before Smoking It?
- Smokin Brothers: How to Inject and Prepare A Smoked Turkey
- Butterball: How to Inject a Turkey
Injecting Your Turkey: The Bottom Line
Injecting your turkey is a simple yet effective way to enhance its flavor and moisture. Whether you’re a seasoned smoker or a newbie to the game, injecting can help you achieve a truly delicious and unforgettable smoked turkey. So, grab your injector, choose your favorite recipe, and get ready to wow your taste buds with a juicy and flavorful masterpiece!
How to Make The Turkey Injection Recipe for Smoking
PREP: Melt the butter directly in the measuring cup. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Remove the giblets from the turkey, then rinse and pat the bird dry with paper towels. Place turkey on a tray or on a roasting rack in a large pan.
INJECT: After mixing up the injectable marinade, fill the meat injector with the liquid mixture. Pierce the skin of the turkey and press it down into the breast. Slowly inject and repeat in several other places until all the marinade is gone. You can also insert the injection needle at various angles working through the same hole.
Injecting the turkey can be quite a bit of fun, actually. If the needle is positioned parallel to the breast, the liquid mixture may cause the entire breast to swell. It’s fun evening out the two sides. Warning: The liquid expands the muscle fibers in the turkey, giving the cooked meat a slightly different texture than a slice taken from the bird without the injection.
COOK: After injecting, you can proceed with your turkey preparation as usual! To ensure that the marinade works its magic, put the turkey in the fridge and let it sit for a few hours or more. This particular smoked turkey injection recipe’s flavors of lemon and honey pair wonderfully with a smoked turkey.
- Before injecting your turkey, make sure it has thawed completely. Do not attempt to inject a frozen turkey.
- Patting it dry completely removes the moisture, leaving you with extra crispy skin.
- You can experiment with other fresh herbs and spices. Just be careful that they don’t block the holes in the meat injector.
- Use this tool to inject meat deeply enough to avoid leakage back out. I found that the angle of the injector needle also influences the amount of liquid that leaks back out, so try a few different angles to get the best results.
All you need to do to smoke practically anything without a smoker is add wood chunks or chips to your grill and add a pan of water!
Yes, the turkey injection marinade just adds flavor without tenderizing the meat. You will still get all the delicious flavor of a smoke turkey and never have to worry about dry turkey again!
You can inject up to 36 hours before you are ready to smoke your bird. 12 hours is the minimum time, so the marinade has a chance to do its job. We don’t want the turkey to go bad before cooking, so we suggest not waiting more than 36 hours.
Store the marinade in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Once it has made contact with the raw poultry though, please discard any unused marinade.
Indeed, you can use turkey rubs to flavor the outside of the bird, and the drippings that become gravy will also taste good. The injection marinade will flavor the actual meat. I would recommend using similar flavor profiles between your marinade and your rub.
You can inject the entire turkey if you wish, including the legs. There is no reason you shouldn’t inject the legs as well, if you’d like. The legs usually come out moister than the white meat, and I have a harder time getting the injection needle into them.
No, brining your turkey will not achieve the same results as injecting it and letting it rest in the refrigerator for a few hours. With a brine, you are soaking the turkey in the marinade. The injection skips straight to getting that marinade deep into the turkey.
What is a Meat Injection Syringe?
A meat injector syringe can be purchased at most kitchen supply stores. I have seen them at Williams-Sonoma, Target, and even some grocery stores. I purchased mine, this stainless steel meat injector, through Amazon (affil). I am still learning to use it, but have had great success with several traditional turkey marinades and also some chicken injection recipes. I like that it has a variety of tips so that the injection mixture flows through easily if I’m trying to inject a recipe that has ground spices in it. It’s also easy to clean.
- You can replace melted butter with avocado or olive oil. The oil adds flavor and moisture to your turkey marinade.
- Consider adding onion powder, smoked, sweet, or creole seasoning to your marinade to create a cajun turkey injection recipe. I would omit the honey in this case.
- Try this Thanksgiving stovetop stuffing to add some spice to your dressing, or try this turkey neck gravy recipe if you’re looking for something to do with the giblets and/or neck.