Injecting meat is a great way to deliver flavor that goes deep down into the cut. Unlike sauces, marinades and rubs that only enhance the meat’s surface, injecting will allow people to get spices, herbs and fat inside the meat without having to wait for it to marinate. People can get the flavor and tenderness that they want without the safety concerns,waste and issues with space in the refrigerator. Injecting can also put flavor into meat in a matter of seconds unlike curing and brining that can take quite a long time.
The first step to getting started injecting meat is choosing the right injector. These usually look like large needles and are generally made of either plastic or stainless steel. These are used for injecting liquid seasonings like melted butter and broth. People who would like to inject thicker ingredients should use a wide mouth injector that often comes with a spike that is used to make holes in the meat. The seasonings are injected into the holes for better flavoring.
When injecting seasoning into meat, it is always best to depress the plunger slowly after putting it deep into the cut. Some injectors have holes along the sides of the needle and a closed tip. When using these, it is important to make sure that all of the holes are submerged inside of the seasoning when filling the injector. People can also experiment with pulling the needle out as they push down on the plunger in order to get the seasoning spread out as much as possible inside the hole.
People should clean their injector after every time they use it as meat tends to get stuck in the hole. It is best to wash these by hand as dishwashers may damage the syringe. Using a paper clip to clean the needle is generally effective. Some injectors are designed to allow the needle to be stored inside when not in use. Others may come with a guard to protect the needle. It is also possible to use a piece of cork to help keep the needle in good shape when the injector is not being used.
There are many types of meat that are great candidates for injecting, and these include drier meats like lamb leg and pork loin in addition to larger cuts like briskets, whole chickens or turkeys, pork shoulders and hams. When selecting a seasoning, it is best to keep the sodium to a minimum so that it is easier to control the level of salt in the meat. Some of the best ingredients to use in seasonings include honey or molasses for sweetness and soy sauce, hot sauce, whiskey, olive oil and broth for a more savory taste.