Turkey Injection Recipe: Tips for Making a Turkey Injection

A turkey injection is a marinade consisting of butter, cooking liquids, herbs, and seasonings. Cooks will inject this marinade into the bird with a special syringe to keep the meat moist and prevent drying out during the cooking process.

When you cook a turkey, its round shape means that the breast will receive far more heat than the partially concealed legs, resulting in dry breasts and tough, undercooked legs. Whether you’re roasting, deep-frying, or smoking a turkey, injections (especially when combined with brining) guarantee juicy and tender meat with the added flavor of fresh herbs and spices.

Injecting your favorite marinade recipes into dry meats—like turkey or chicken breasts—can add moisture and boost flavor. Whether you’re preparing your first Thanksgiving dinner or you’re an expert in turkey prep, these simple tips will help you craft the best butter injection for your turkey.

1. 1. Experiment with additions. Play around with your favorite flavors to achieve the best turkey injection for your palate. Incorporate novel condiments like Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, red wine, soy sauce, and hot sauce. Add dried herbs like oregano, chives, sage, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Amp up the spice with seasonings like lemon pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, and Cajun seasoning. Make sure that your injection ingredients complement the flavors of your turkey rub or brine.
2. 2. Use low-sodium ingredients. If you’re soaking your bird in a turkey brine, omit high-sodium ingredients in your injection mixture, which will result in an overly-salty turkey.
3. 3. Use finely ground spices. Only use finely ground spices and dried herbs when making an injection marinade. Large dried herb or spice flakes can clog up your injecting syringe. Use a spice grinder to break down whole spices or dried herbs into a fine powder before adding them to your injection.
4. 4. Make in advance. Craft your turkey injection in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
5. 5. Inject liberally. Inject the marinade mixture into numerous spots throughout the meat's top, bottom, and sides. The more injections you make in the turkey, the juicier the bird.
6. 6. Rest the bird. After you inject the bird, allow it to rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight to give the liquid enough time to settle into the meat before cooking.