How to Make Turkey Injection for the Juiciest Bird Ever

Making your own turkey injection may sound intimidating, but it’s actually quite easy and adds incredible flavor and moisture to your Thanksgiving turkey. With just a few simple ingredients and tools, you can make a homemade turkey injection in minutes.

Why Make Your Own Turkey Injection?

Store-bought turkey injections can be full of unnecessary ingredients and preservatives. By making your own, you control exactly what goes into the injection. You can customize it to your taste preferences and avoid unwanted ingredients.

Homemade turkey injections are also significantly cheaper than store-bought versions. For just a few dollars worth of ingredients, you can flavor inject several turkeys rather than spending $10-15 each time on a pre-made injection.

How to Choose Injection Ingredients

Turkey injections are essentially flavorful liquids that get injected directly into the turkey meat. This helps to tenderize, add moisture, and infuse flavor.

Some common ingredients used in injections include

• Broths or beer Provide moisture and flavor. Opt for low-sodium versions.

• Butter or oil Helps keep the meat juicy and tender

• Spices and herbs: Add flavor. Go for powdered versions that won’t clog the injector.

• Acids: Things like lemon juice, vinegar, or wine help tenderize the meat.

• Sweeteners: Honey, maple syrup, etc. balance out flavors.

• Umami boosters: Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc. enhance savoriness.

• Heat: Hot sauces or spices like cayenne pepper can provide spicy flavor.

The possibilities are endless! Feel free to experiment with ingredients to create your own custom turkey injection.

Turkey Injection Equipment

To inject a turkey, you’ll need:

• Injector: This is a thick syringe with a needle used to inject the liquid. Stainless steel injectors are best.

• Whisk: For mixing up the injection liquid.

• Measuring spoons and cups: To precisely measure out ingredients.

• Small bowl: To mix the injection in.

• Funnel: Makes it easier to pour liquid into the injector.

How Much Turkey Injection to Use

As a general rule of thumb, plan on using 1⁄2 ounce of turkey injection per 5 pounds of turkey weight. So for a 15-pound turkey, you’d need about 1.5 ounces total.

It’s better to have extra than not enough. Leftover injection keeps for 2 days refrigerated.

Step-by-Step Guide to Injecting a Turkey

Once you’ve chosen your ingredients and equipment, it’s time to start injecting:

1. Make the injection: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together well.

2. Load the injector: Use a funnel to carefully pour the injection liquid into the injector.

3. Inject the breasts: Inject deep into the thickest part of each breast half at a few different angles.

4. Inject the thighs: Do the same for the thigh meat, injecting deep but not all the way through.

5. Inject any other thick sections: Target any other well-muscled areas. Avoid bones.

6. Refrigerate the turkey: Let it rest for 1-2 days for the most flavor infusion.

7. Cook as desired: Roast, deep fry, grill or smoke per your normal method.

Handy Tips for Turkey Injection Success

• Inject right before cooking for best results. If doing it 1-2 days in advance, refrigerate.

• Plug injection holes with garlic, onions or herbs to help seal in moisture.

• Avoid over-injecting, which can make the turkey mushy. Follow the ounce per pound recommendation.

• Be careful not to hit bone, which can damage the needle tip.

• Pat the turkey dry after injecting to remove any excess marinade on the surface.

5 Delicious Homemade Turkey Injection Recipes

Now that you know the basics, here are a few tasty homemade turkey injection recipe ideas to get you started:

1. Cajun Spice Turkey Injection

The classic Cajun flavors of this injection give a flavorful, slightly spicy turkey.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 4 tbsp melted butter

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp hot sauce

• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

2. Lemon Garlic Herb Injection

Fresh lemon and herbs make this injection bright and aromatic.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chicken broth

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp each: dried thyme, rosemary, sage

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

3. Brown Sugar Bourbon Injection

Sweet, savory, and smoky flavors shine in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chicken or turkey broth

• 1/4 cup bourbon

• 3 tbsp brown sugar

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1/2 tsp each: onion powder, garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

4. Apple Cider Injection

Tart apple cider and warm spices make this a fall-flavored injection.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider

• 3 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp each: cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg

5. Hot Honey Injection

Sweet honey and spicy cayenne bring on the heat.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1/4 cup honey

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 1 tbsp lime juice

• 1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Get creative and make your own signature turkey injection! The possibilities are endless for adding flavor directly into the turkey meat.

Turkey Injection FAQs

Should you inject and brine a turkey?

There’s no need to brine if you’ll be injecting. Injecting saturates the meat with plenty of moisture and flavor on its own.

When should you inject a turkey?

For best results, inject 1-2 days before roasting. You can inject right before cooking but the flavors won’t penetrate as deeply.

Can you inject a turkey too much?

It is possible to over-inject. Too much liquid can make the meat mushy. Stick to the recommended 1⁄2 ounce per pound of turkey.

How long does injected turkey last?

An injected raw turkey lasts 1-2 days refrigerated. Cooked injected turkey keeps 3-4 days refrigerated.

Can you freeze an injected turkey?

Yes, freeze it for up to 6 months. Make sure the turkey is completely frozen within 2 days of injecting it.

Enjoy Your Juicy, Flavorful Turkey!

With these simple steps for how to make turkey injection, you’ll have a foolproof method for the juiciest, most flavorful turkey ever. Experiment with different injection recipes to find your family’s new favorite.