Turkey Injection Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How much injector do I need for a turkey? ›

If you are using a needle injector you may have to use a coffee or spice grinder to make sure all dry herbs are small enough to fit through the needle and insert it into the breasts and thighs of the turkey. Inject each thigh and each side of the breast with 1/2 an ounce of marinade for every 5 lbs. of turkey.

This is a great injection for any kind of poultry, not just turkey. A simple mixture of broth, butter, lemon, garlic, pepper, and salt delivers moisture and flavor to the white meat and enhances the texture and taste of the dark meat.

After the dry brine, brush the excess rub off your turkey and let the turkey cool to room temperature. Once at room temperature, begin injecting your turkey with the marinade.

This two-fold process can produce stunning results or be a salty disaster. For best results, use a trusted brine recipe on untreated/unprocessed meat (see below) and remove the salt from the injection recipe, opting to spice things up with complementary flavors of wine, beer, and unsalted butter, instead of stock.

When sizing your injector for gasoline a very simple rule of thumb to follow is: 1cc/min flow for each horsepower. So, if you want to make 1000 crank horsepower on 93 octane gasoline, using a fuel pressure of 43psi you need a 1000cc injector. This rule of thumb can be used for ethanol based fuels like e85.

Plan to inject the turkey right before cooking. Don't too it too early and do it AFTER rubbing with seasoning or butter (if you are doing either of these).

You should plan on using this injection marinade several hours before you start cooking. If you have the time, inject the bird the night before roasting.

While properly brining a turkey won't make it too salty, it does add salt to the meat. If you then add a salty rub or injection marinade you can end up with a turkey too salty to eat. For this reason, if you are brining your bird, make sure you rinse it thoroughly after it comes out of the brine.

Tips for Making the Best Fried Turkey

Injection Timing: Inject the marinade at least a few hours before frying, to let those flavors permeate the meat. If you can do it up to 24 hours ahead, even better!

Dry brines also remove a good deal of the moisture from the skin, which results in a crispy bite. My recommendations for frying is to inject the turkey. I choose to do this for a few reasons: Seasoning the outside of the bird will make the oil dirty and it won't stick to the turkey.

What are butterball turkeys injected with? ›

Injected and Baked Whole Turkey, Water, Salt, Dextrose, Sodium Phosphate, Carrageenan, and Natural Flavors.

Sugar: This is an optional ingredient and is typically used to balance the saltiness of a brine. Use about 2 tablespoons per quart of liquid. You can decrease that amount if desired, but I wouldn't recommend using any more or it could make the final cooked protein burn easier and taste too sweet.

Finally, you may choose to brine an injected turkey but can cut the amount of salt by half.

Marinating typically only reaches into the first quarter inch of the meat. During brining, the turkey absorbs extra moisture, which helps it stay juicy. The salt breaks down some of the turkey's proteins, making it more tender and adds flavor.

For a 12–14-lb. turkey, you'll need approximately 4–5 gal. of oil. But pots vary in volume, so the method below will help you determine the precise amount you'll need to fill your particular pot.

15 Pound Turkey - Use 5 gallons of oil and cook for 50 minutes. 20 Pound Turkey * - Use 5 to 6 gallons of oil and cook for 3 minutes per pound.