This simple beer and butter turkey injection marinade will add loads of extra flavor to your oven-baked or smoked holiday turkey. Whether grilling, smoking, or baking, this injection marinade will help keep the bird moist and delicious during the cooking process. The beauty of the turkey injection marinade is that you can use it on all types of poultry, including whole chickens, pheasant, or cornish game hens.
What does this beer and butter turkey injection marinade taste like?
This turkey injection marinade contains lager, which is mellow but has a clean finish. That combined with the butter and spices produces a flavorful savory marinade. If you are not keen on using beer, you can substitute it with apple cider, which is sweeter than beer but has the same clean, crisp flavor.
Ingredients for Beer and Butter Turkey Injection
- Beer (ale or lager) sub with apple cider
- Unsalted butter
- Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce
- Salt (omit if turkey is brined)
- Granulated onion
- Granulated garlic
How to Make Beer and Butter Turkey Injection
- Simmer all marinade ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and let the marinade cool for 20-30 minutes before using.
How to Use an Injection Marinade
- Draw marinade into meat injector syringe. Carefully release the excess air.
- Inject small bits of the marinade into multiple parts of the turkey. Aim for 1 1/2″ deep. Apply marinade every 2-2 1/2″ across the bird, particularly the breast area. Blot away any excess spillage from the turkey injection with paper towels.
- Wrap turkey in plastic wrap set it onto a parchment-lined pan, and place it into your refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
- Remove, from the fridge, unwrap and season the turkey.
- Cook as directed.
- Discard any remaining marinade that has come into contact with raw meat.

Beer and Butter Turkey Injection
Ingredients
- 1 cup beer (ale or lager) sub with apple cider
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce (the simpler the better)
- 1 teaspoon salt (omit if turkey is brined)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Simmer all marinade ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 2 minutes.Remove pan from heat, and let the marinade cool for 20-30 minutes.
- Draw marinade into meat injector syringe. Carefully release the excess air. Inject small bits of marinade into multiple parts of turkey. Aim for 1 1/2" deep. Apply marinade every 2-2 1/2" across the bird, particularly the breast area. Blot away any excess spillage with paper towels.Wrap turkey in plastic wrap, set onto a parchment lined pan, and place it into your refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Remove, from the fridge, unwrap and season the turkey.Cook as directed.
- Discard any remaining marinade that has come into contact with raw meat.
Nutrition
Not the Turkey Injection Marinade you were looking for? Try my list of the Best Turkey Injection Marinades.