Injection Advice

Welcome to the Brethren.

For home cooking, I believe more of us do not inject than do. I don't.

If you go down to the bottom of this page you will see a site specific Google search.

I always inject butts and brisket even at home, I just use a different injection than I use at comps.
I use a syringe made for large animals, with a size 14 needle. Available at any vet supply store and at various online bbq supply stores.

I have been injecting. I use the cajun injector off Amazon. Built like a tank, around $20.00 For Brisket, I use beef stock, low sodium, with a little Worcestershire and soy sauce, as well as some of my rub (no sugar for Brisket), and some Accent. Don't use bullion, use a good homemade, or Kitchen Basics stock. For pork I use Chris Lilly's pork injection, which is apple juice, water, sugar, salt and Worcestershire. I haven't injected any poultry yet, but I wish I had injected my Chicken last night, because it came out a little dry (it was a 9 pounder, so maybe it was just an old chicken.

I inject over brining. For example, I inject chickens and wings with Italian dressing 24 hours prior to smoking to marinate. If you have an injector with longer needles, you can inject the birds from the inside. This keeps the skin from being punctured and leaking. I own one of these and love it:
http://spitjack.com/product/MEAT-BRINE-INJECTORS/MAGNUM-COMPLETE-CASE.html

If I inject at all it is all natural and I stay away from the nitrates and stuff that is popular on the competition circuit. Sometimes I save brisket drippings and freeze them, then use that with a little water and maybe a little rub to inject the next one. It's just a good NATURAL brisket flavor and will do the trick for adding moisture and flavor. For pork butts I use a solution of equal parts of apple juice / water / vinegar with a little rub. The moisture and flavor of the pork is awesome and the vinegar is a natural tenderizing agent.:wink: