This is the best turkey injection recipe when you want to use your grill or smoker to make a whole turkey. By injecting a poultry marinade into your holiday turkey (or any meal!), you will end up with a tender and moist turkey that is full of flavor! This recipe has a hint of sweetness from the honey while the lemon and butter provide great flavor that compliments the wood flavors from the smoker.
When you use injection marinades, you can say goodbye to dry turkeys! This process literally infuses flavor through the whole turkey breast and helps to tenderize. You can also use this technique with other turkey brines. When I make my smoked turkey recipe, I like to keep the seasoning mixture simple and this recipe is a breeze.
Smoking a turkey is a delicious way to prepare it, but it can lead to dry meat if not done properly. Many smokers wonder, should I inject my turkey before smoking it? Marinating via injection can help keep your smoked turkey juicy and flavorful.
What Is Turkey Injection?
Turkey injection involves using a large syringe to inject a marinade directly into the meat The marinade permeates the muscles and distributes flavor evenly.
Common ingredients in turkey injection marinades include:
- Broth or stock
- Herbs and spices
- Oil or melted butter
- Fruit juices
- Vinegar or wine
- Sweeteners
You can customize your own marinade or use a pre-made injectable turkey brine.
Benefits of Injecting Turkey Before Smoking
There are a few reasons why you may want to inject your turkey
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Moisture – Injection adds fluid directly into the meat to keep it juicy when smoked for hours.
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Flavor – Infuses seasonings deep into the turkey meat.
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Tenderizes – Some injection brines help break down proteins.
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Convenience – Quicker than brining or marinating overnight.
Injecting is useful for large cuts like turkey since smoke and spices don’t easily penetrate below the surface.
Should You Inject a Smoked Turkey?
While injecting a turkey you plan to smoke can be beneficial, it’s not always necessary. Here are some things to consider:
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If brining – Don’t inject, too much salt.
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If basting – Avoid injecting, it makes the turkey too salty.
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If using rub only – Injecting is recommended to add moisture and interior flavor.
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If time is limited – Injecting adds flavor faster than brining or marinating.
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For big birds – Turkeys over 12 lbs benefit more from injection.
Evaluate your prep plans and the size of your turkey. For turkeys over 12 pounds prepared with just a dry rub, injection is usually recommended.
When Should You Inject a Turkey for Smoking?
To allow the flavors to permeate and tenderize the meat, inject your turkey at least 12 hours before smoking.
Steps for when to inject:
- Defrost turkey completely if frozen.
- Inject turkey with marinade, focus on breast and thighs.
- Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- Remove turkey, pat dry, apply rub and smoke as desired.
Restingafter injection gives time for the marinade to work into the meat. Don’t inject right before cooking or it won’t be as effective.
How to Inject a Turkey for Smoking
You’ll need an injection syringe, sometimes called a flavor injector. Follow these steps:
- Mix injection marinade ingredients in a bowl or pan.
- Draw marinade into syringe.
- Insert needle into thickest parts of breast, thigh, and leg.
- Inject small amounts, pulling back on plunger occasionally.
- Repeat until syringe is empty across all areas of the turkey.
- Discard any leftover marinade in syringe.
- Refrigerate turkey 12-24 hours before smoking.
Take care not to over-inject, which can lead to leakage. Target 2-4 ounces of marinade per pound of turkey weight.
Best Injection Marinades for Smoked Turkey
Turkey injection marinades add flavor and moisture. Try these recipes:
Simple Herb Brine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp dried sage
- 1 Tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1⁄2 tsp black pepper
Cajun Style
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1⁄4 cup melted butter
- 3 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Fruity and Sweet
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1⁄4 cup apple juice
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
- 1⁄4 tsp nutmeg
Customize your own marinade with your favorite ingredients and flavors!
Should You Inject a Brined Turkey?
Pre-briningbefore smoking provides similar benefits to injection. However, you should not inject a turkey you plan to brine as well.
Brining uses a saltwater solution to deeply season and retain moisture. Combining brining and injection can make the turkey overly salty.
If brining, skip the injection. The brine will already tenderize and add flavor throughout the meat.
Alternatives to Injecting
If you don’t want to inject your smoked turkey, consider these other options:
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Wet brining – Submerge turkey 8-12 hours in a saltwater brine.
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Dry brining – Rub turkey with salt and refrigerate 8-24 hours.
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Marinade – Soak turkey 4-12 hours in herb marinade.
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Basting – Frequently apply broth, butter, or sauce while smoking.
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Cook to proper temp – Pull turkey at 160°F breast, 175°F thigh to retain juices.
Should you inject your turkey before smoking it? Injecting can be a useful technique, especially for large birds and when short on time. Turkey injection provides added moisture and delivers flavor deep into the meat. Consider your prep plans, then inject 12-24 hours pre-smoking if desired. With the right technique, injection can lead to ridiculously juicy and flavorful smoked turkey.
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 your needle runs parallel to the breast, you might see the whole breast swell up with the liquid mixture. It’s fun evening out the two sides. Do be aware that the liquid expands the muscle fibers of the turkey so the cooked meat looks a little different in texture than a slice of turkey that has not been injected.
COOK: Once you have finished injecting, you can continue to prepare your turkey any way you would like! Placing the turkey in the refrigerator and allowing it to set for at least several hours will allow the marinade to have the greatest effect. This particular smoked turkey injection recipe lends itself well to a smoked turkey because of the lemon and honey flavors.
- Before injecting your turkey, make sure it has thawed completely. Do not attempt to inject a frozen turkey.
- Patting it completely dry removes the moisture so that you can get an extra crispy skin.
- You can experiment with other fresh herbs and spices. However, just make sure they do not clog the holes of the meat injector.
- When injecting meat using this tool, make sure you inject deep enough so that it doesn’t leak back out. I found that the angle of the injector needle makes a difference with the liquid seeping back out, too, so play around with it a bit for the best results.
By adding wood chips or wood chunks and a pan of water directly on your grill, you can smoke just about anything without having to own an actual smoker!
Absolutely! The turkey injection marinade just adds more flavor and you never have to worry about dry turkey again! Plus it tenderizes the meat too. You will still get all the yummy flavor of a smoke turkey.
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 say not to go past 36 hours simply because we do not want the turkey to spoil before cooking.
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.
You sure can! Turkey rubs are going to flavor the outside of the turkey and the drippings that get turned into gravy will get some of that flavor, too. 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. I find it more difficult to fit the injection needle into the legs and they typically come out moister than the white meat, but there is no reason you shouldn’t inject the legs, too, if you’d like.
No, injecting your turkey and then allowing it to rest in the refrigerator for several hours will do the same thing as a brine will – but more effectively. With a brine, you are soaking the turkey in the marinade. The injection skips straight to getting that marinade deep into the turkey.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Injection Marinade Recipe
- Makes the turkey tender, moist, juicy, and adds more flavor.
- Very simple to whip up. Even beginner cooks can do this!
- The ingredient list is short and sweet!
Should I inject my turkey breast before smoking?
FAQ
Can you inject a turkey too early?
Should I stuff my turkey before smoking?
Should I spray turkey while smoking?
Should I butter a turkey before smoking?