Injection

I've been reading all over the weber site here and i can't find no place that has anything about Injection of flavoring for beef, pork, or chicken can someone tell me if there is any in this site.and why isn't there much talk about them.I thought that was a good way to go as far as helping to keep the meat moist and tender and to give it more flavor. JOE

Well Joe, you've hit on a topic that is pretty controversial in BBQing circles. The traditionalists insist it is "cheating", others say it is the only way to get the best results.

Anything that you marinade with can also be injected. The Cajun Injector is one of many out there that have their own line of injectable marinades. Some basic ingredients would be..vinegar, apple juice, sweetner, etc......if you are using spices, be sure that they are dissolvable!! You want all the flavors to mix!

My advice.....if your Q is coming out just slightly on the dry side, inject. If not, don't. Also, if you would like to impart a certain flavor in your meats, injecting is a good idea.

It all comes down to what YOU want in your meats!! I believe there is no right or wrong answer.

Stogie

Hi Joe,

The Chicken on a Throne page is an example of injecting chicken with a mixture from the book "Smoke & Spice". Stogie has given you the rundown on common injection ingredients.

I think one of the reasons there's not more talk about injection is that many people feel the end result does not justify the effort. The injection liquid does not disperse evenly within the meat, and when you cut into the meat you find a "vein" of injected spice that looks funny and tastes kind of "raw", not rich and flavorful as the spices do that you apply to the outside of the meat.

I think brining might be a better solution, especially for chicken and turkey. There are no brining examples on the web site now, but I will be adding some in the coming months.

There are several posts in the Recipe Forum about brining back in February 2000. Click the "Search" link and search on "brine" in all forums.

Regards
Chris

I agree with Chris about brining being a better way to go on poultry. I inject if I'm going to deep fry but for smoking I don't want to discolor the meat, more of a concern if competing.
Shakes Honey Brine a great way to start.
Jim

Chris,
I would be very interested in a brining section. Two weekends ago I did the Chicken! Chicken! and was very pleased. I want to try a whole turkey and have read how most serious smokers highly recommend brining. Most smokers discuss various brining recipes but not why to brine. I found the following link about what the brining process does. http://www.sirius.com/~evanc/brining.html

Brian