Injected Turkey Recipes

BUTTER-INJECTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Prepare Turkey:
• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Melt the butter.
• Use a hypodermic needle or baster-injector to inject the butter into the turkey. Or stuff solid butter under turkey skin.
• Place thyme in turkey cavity, lightly salt and pepper the bird inside and out.
• When temperature reaches 500°F, put turkey in the oven. Let cook for 20 minutes or until the exterior is crisp, but not golden brown. Reduce heat to 375°F. Let bird roast until finished. You should have a crispy, golden brown turkey with very, very tender, buttery meat.
• Prepare Dressing:
• Render bacon. Reserve fat.
• Add garlic and onion to bacon fat and saute. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Sauté onions until translucent.
• Add stock. Reduce slightly. Add bread cubes. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Add grated carrot. Gently mix.
• Crush bacon and add to mixture.
• Add walnuts to mixture. Let mixture cool.
• Mix in the eggs until they are well incorporated.
• Place in heatproof pan (or turkey cavity) and cook at 375°F until crisp on top.
• Garnish with dried raisins or cranberries.

TURKEY INJECTED WITH RANCH DRESSING

Steps:

• Combine the mayonnaise, milk, parsley, dill, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, garlic salt and pepper in a blender and process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Measure out 3/4 cup of the ranch dressing and set the remainder aside for serving at the table.
• Fill a turkey injector with the 3/4 cup ranch dressing and inject 2 tablespoons of the dressing into each thigh of the turkey, 1 tablespoon into each drumstick and 3 tablespoons into each breast. Let the turkey stand at room temperature for 30 minute to let the dressing soak into the meat. Discard any of the unused ranch dressing in the injector (it has been in contact with the raw turkey).
• Mix together the olive oil and melted butter in a small bowl. Brush the turkey with the oil mixture and then sprinkle with salt.
• Preheat an oil-less fryer for cooking (alternatively, follow oven-roasting directions below). Place the turkey breast-side up in the fryer with the legs in the deepest part. Cook the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reaches 160 degrees F, about 2 hours. (The breast cooks slower than the legs in the oil-less fryer; carryover cooking will cook it the rest of the way through.) Remove the basket insert with the turkey and let the bird rest at least 30 minutes over a roasting pan. Remove the turkey from the basket, carefully dislodging any parts of the turkey that are touching the basket so the skin does not tear. Carve the turkey and serve with the reserved ranch dressing or gravy.
• Alternatively, roast the turkey in the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Inject the turkey with the dressing as directed above and set it in a roasting pan. Roast, basting every 30 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh reaches 160 degrees F, about 3 hours (the carryover cooking will cook it the rest of the way through). Transfer to a carving board and let rest 30 minutes before carving.

PERFECTLY PAIRED TURKEY INJECTION MARINADE AND RUB

Steps:

• Stir chicken broth, lemon juice, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 clove garlic, mustard powder, and ginger together in a bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate marinade for flavors to blend, about 30 minutes.
• Mix 1 cup softened butter, rosemary, thyme, and 2 cloves garlic together in a bowl until rub is evenly combined.
• Separate skin from the meat of the turkey by running your hand under the skin to separate. Spoon rub mixture evenly under the skin in several different parts of the turkey.
• Pour marinade into a meat injector and inject the meatiest parts of turkey with marinade, changing the angle of the needle several times.
• Brush turkey with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; place in roasting pan and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate turkey for 12 to 24 hours.

CAJUN-INJECTED SPICY TURKEY

Steps:

• Make the marinade by combining the Worcestershire sauce, crab boil, apple cider, honey, beer, salt, allspice, Creole seasoning, cayenne, olive oil, and minced garlic in a blender and process until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Fill a large syringe* and inject turkey in the breast and thigh area, as well as the back, wings, and legs, with at least 2/3 of the marinade. You will have to fill the syringe numerous times.
• Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F and line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Season the injected turkey well both inside and out with the kosher salt and black pepper. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan lined with aluminum foil and pour the remaining marinade all over the turkey. Bake the turkey uncovered for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, add 1 cup of the chicken broth to the roasting pan, and continue to bake the turkey until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part between the thigh and the leg registers 165 degrees F. (If the turkey begins to brown too much, tent loosely with aluminum foil until it is done. Also, add more broth as necessary to keep the bottom of the roasting pan from burning.)
• When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and set aside to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.