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.
A smoked turkey is the undeniable star of any Thanksgiving table and injecting it with flavorful ingredients can elevate it to a whole new level of deliciousness. This guide will walk you through the simple process of injecting and preparing a smoked turkey, ensuring a juicy, flavorful, and crowd-pleasing centerpiece for your holiday feast.
Ingredients:
- Your favorite turkey injection recipe (or a pre-made injection)
- Injector needle
- Thawed turkey
- Butcher twine
- M/W Smokers Stackhouse rub (or another SPG rub of your choice)
- Twisted Steel Steak Appeal rub (or another finishing rub)
Steps:
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Prepare the Turkey: Unwrap the thawed turkey and remove the innards and gizzards. Tuck the wings behind the breast for a more compact shape. Tie the legs together with butcher twine to ensure even cooking.
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Inject the Flavor: Using your injector needle, inject your chosen flavoring into the turkey. Target the legs, breast, and thighs, aiming for even distribution. You’ll know you’ve injected enough when you see the flavorful liquid spilling out. Feel free to adjust the amount of injection based on your preference.
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Season generously: Coat all surfaces of the turkey with your chosen rubs. The Stackhouse rub provides a savory base, while the Steak Appeal adds a finishing touch of smoky, peppery goodness.
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Get Smokin’: Preheat your smoker to 325°F. Place the seasoned turkey on the smoker and cook until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165°F and the thighs/dark meat reaches 175°F. This typically takes around 3 hours.
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Baste for Extra Flavor: Throughout the smoking process, baste the turkey with duck fat approximately every hour to give it more moisture and richness.
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Rest and Enjoy: Once the smoked turkey is cooked, remove it from the smoker and wrap it in foil. Let it rest for 30 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful bird.
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Carve and Serve: Unwrap the foil, carve the turkey, and serve it with your favorite Thanksgiving sides. Get ready to wow your guests with the juicy, flavorful, and perfectly smoked masterpiece you’ve created!
Tips:
- Experiment with different injection recipes to find your perfect flavor profile.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure accurate internal temperatures and avoid overcooking.
- Basting with duck fat is optional, but it adds a delicious richness to the smoked turkey.
- Let the turkey rest before carving to ensure maximum juiciness.
Enjoy your delicious smoked turkey and have a happy Thanksgiving!
What Ingredients do I Need for The Smoked Turkey Injection Recipe?
- unsalted butter
- chicken broth
- salt
- finely ground black pepper
- honey
- lemon juice
Before You Start: Make sure you are using at least a 2 cup capacity measuring cup.
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.
Smoked Turkey with Injection
FAQ
How do you keep smoked turkey moist?
Should you spritz a smoked turkey?
Should you baste a smoked turkey?
How do you inject a smoked turkey?
Use a meat injector to insert the liquid throughout the turkey. Use different angles and be sure to get it deep within the thickest part of the breast. Add your favorite turkey rub to the skin and cook the injected turkey as desired. You can use this injection recipe for a smoked turkey but it works for roasting or frying as well.
Is it dangerous to quit vaping nicotine cold turkey?
Quitting vaping nicotine ‘cold turkey’ is not dangerous, but it can be very unpleasant. This is because nicotine alters the way your brain functions such that your body feels dependent on it. Some of the unpleasant side effects of quitting abruptly are tremors, headaches, and nausea. These side effects can make it very hard to quit and often cause people to relapse. Fortunately, these unpleasant side effects can be partially or completely avoided by gradually cutting down your use instead of quitting abruptly. Your primary care physician can help you design a plan to quit vaping nicotine.
What is a smoked turkey injection?
A smoked turkey injection is a flavorful marinade consisting of butter, broth, lemon juice, and seasonings. This marinade gets injected into a bird with a special syringe to keep the meat moist during smoking—a low-and-slow, wood-based cooking method. A turkey injection also adds flavor to the bird, much like marinating or brining.
How do you inject a Turkey in a meat injector?
Fill your meat injector with the turkey injection marinade. With the turkey in a large baking pan or marinade bag, inject 1–2 teaspoons of the turkey marinade into several spots throughout the body of the turkey, making about 12–15 injections total. Pay extra attention to the drier parts of the bird, like the turkey breast.