Infuse fantastic flavor by using this homemade Creole Butter Turkey Injection. The butter, savory spices, and that little hint of sweetness and heat is a surefire way to make the most of your holiday (and special occasion) turkey.
The best part about this Creole Butter Turkey Injection Marinade is that it’s easy to make and easy to use. Want your turkey to have a completely Creole-inspired flavor? Mix up a double batch using our Creole Turkey Rub recipe, set some aside for the turkey injection, and season the turkey with the rest of it!
Whether you plan to bake, rotisserie, or cook your turkey on a smoker, this creole butter turkey injection is a must-try!
Turkey Injection Marinade 101
- Injector: You will need a kitchen injector to use this marinade. You can find decent injectors in most supermarkets, hardware stores, or through various online retailers. See below for our recommendation.
- Herbs and spices: Fine grind the dried herbs and spices used in the marinade. They will clog up the injector needle and cause a huge mess if too much pressure is applied to dislodge the blockage. I recommend using a mortar and pestle. You can bypass this step by purchasing powdered versions of herbs like rosemary, marjoram, thyme, and so on.
- Injection basics: Inject the marinade into the bird every two inches. The breast, in particular, is prone to drying out.
- Be gentle when handling the turkey after injecting the marinade. While the marinade will continue to penetrate the meat, rough handling can cause the liquid to seep out, defeating the purpose. Some of the marinade will flow out during the injection process. That’s okay. Gently blot it away with paper towels and proceed.
- Marinating tips: For best results, wrap the turkey in plastic wrap after applying the creole butter injection marinade. Place it into your refrigerator overnight. If you plan to brine the bird first, skip this step, and apply the injection marinade up to 1 hour before cooking.
Ingredients for Creole Butter Turkey Injection
- Unsalted butter
- Dry white wine (pinot grigio, or similar)
- Easy Creole Turkey Rub
- Hot sauce (optional)
- Smoked paprika
Making a Homemade Creole Butter Turkey Injection
- Crush the turkey rub in a mortar and pestle to a fine grind. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Skim off any foam around the edges and discard.
- Add white wine, rub, hot sauce, and smoked paprika to the butter. Simmer for 1 minute until well combined.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes, or until cooled.
- Using a meat injector, carefully draw marinade into a syringe and release the excess air. Inject a small bit of marinade into multiple spots in the turkey, about 2 1 1/2″ deep and 2 inches apart.
- Gently wrap the turkey with plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator overnight.
- Skip this step if you plan to brine the bird. Use injection marinade 1 hour before the bird goes on the grill, smoker, or oven.
- Season bird with Creole turkey rub (or your favorite rub), and cook as directed.
- Discard any remaining marinade that has come into contact with raw meat.
Creole Butter Turkey Injection
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons Easy Creole Turkey Rub
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Crush the turkey rub in a mortar and pestle to a fine grind. Set aside.Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Skim off any foam around the edges and discard.Add white wine, rub, hot sauce, and smoked paprika to the butter. Simmer for 1 minute until well combined. Remove from heat and let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes, or until cooled.
- Using a meat injector, carefully draw marinade into a syringe and release the excess air. Inject a small bit of marinade into multiple spots in the turkey, about 2 1 1/2" deep and 2 inches apart. Gently wrap the turkey with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator over night. Skip this step is you plan to brine the bird. Use injection marinade 1 hour before the bird goes on the grill, smoker, or oven.Season bird with Creole rub (or your favorite rub), and cook as directed.
- Discard any remaining marinade that has come into contact with raw meat.
Nutrition
Not the Turkey Injection you were looking for? Try my list of the Best Turkey Injection Marinades.
Need an Injector for the Cajun Turkey Injection?
The Ofargo Marinade Injector is a classic-style syringe. The marinade is sucked up through the needle and then pushed back into the meat. The needle on this model is large enough that it shouldn’t clog. Still, make sure that your marinade is near water thin. It is an inexpensive unit that you can purchase for around $10. It is dishwasher safe and durable enough to last for several years. The volume on this injector is small, but it will handle most jobs for a single family.
