The Best Turkey Injection Marinade | Juiciest Turkey Ever
This easy cowboy butter turkey injection marinade is made with butter, chicken broth, lemon, garlic, herbs, and a touch of heat. Inject it into a whole turkey before roasting, smoking, or frying for juicy, flavorful meat from the inside out.
- Prep Time: 10 MINUTES
- Cook Time: 5 MINUTES
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/2 CUPS 1x
- Category: HOLIDAYS
- Method: STOVETOP
- Cuisine: Holiday
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, omit if dry brining
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Whisk in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
- Warm for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Do not boil.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and thyme.
- Strain the warm mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup. Discard the solids.
- Let the marinade cool slightly, keeping it warm enough to stay liquid. Fill a clean meat injector.
- Inject the turkey in several spots throughout the breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, using about 1 ounce of marinade per pound of turkey.
- Pat the turkey skin dry, season the outside as desired, and cook immediately or refrigerate until ready to cook.
Notes
- For a dry-brined turkey, omit the salt from the injection marinade.
- Strain well so the injector does not clog.
- If the butter begins to firm up, warm it gently over low heat.
- Never use leftover injection marinade that has touched raw turkey as a finishing sauce. Make a separate fresh batch if you want cowboy butter to spoon over the cooked turkey.
- Cook turkey until it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and thigh.
Equipment: Small saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, meat injector