Barbecue enthusiasts often use an injection process to infuse flavor and moisture into their barbecue. While people try to baste a turkey for the outside, this method gets more liquid on the inside which in many cases can be critical for a long cook..
Rubs and sauces are surface level. Injections are what can help to keep the meat from drying out. A Brine does reach the center but can take take days to complete. Injecting, on the other hand, delivers flavor to the core of the food in seconds with the push of a plunger.
Most injectors look like large hypodermic needles with a reservoir of a few ounces of liquid. Most people will use a combination of melted butter, broth and seasoning.
For serious barbecue enthusiasts that work with muuch larger cuts of meat like a whole hog, this method can be a precautionary activity that lowers the risk of drying out an expensive piece of meat.
When injecting the meat, you are striving for even coverage throughout. When you insert the needle, do it at an an angle and before completely removing the needle, switch your angle and re-inject with more liquid. Once finished, give the meat some time to rest before putting on the smoker so the liquid has time to disperse… even if it is only thirty minutes.
Except for ribs (as they are just to thin), there is hardly anything that wouldn’t benefit from this method: Turkey, chicken, pork butt, prime rib, loins, lamb and of course brisket.
I have seen a multitude of combinations used for the injection recipe from butter, broth to hot sauce and bourbon. I personally like to use a bit of apple juice and chicken stock for my pork with a few other secret ingredients. This is cooking so there is hardly a wrong way to do it. Do keep in mind that if you add spices, you want something finely ground so it does not clog the needle.
For me, I prefer to make my own stocks anyway not just for flavor, but because I can control my salt. You will find store bought is high in sodium and this can overwhelm some meats considering the sauces and rubs you will also be using.
For food safety, be sure to clean the injector thoroughly. There are small, intricate parts and you do well with taking care of all cooking utensils.