Gear

Getting the Flavor into the Meat

Rubs and spice mixes work great for building flavor on the exterior of the meat. Marinades take the taste deeper, especially if you score the surface with a sharp knife. But to drive the flavor even deeper into the heart of the meat, nothing beats injecting—a process similar to the shot your doctor delivers with a hypodermic needle.

Flavor. It’s the thing that separates the pros from the amateurs. So the next time your turkey or pork shoulder needs a shot of flavor and moistness, invest in one of these Best of Barbecue injecting tools.

Marinade Injector: Use this oversize needle to inject brines, basting mixtures, marinades, or melted butter deep into roasts, turkeys, and other large hunks of meat. Keeps even the driest meats moist during grilling and smoking. The 2.5-inch stainless steel injector needle unscrews for easy washing. Raichlen tip: Strain your injector sauce through a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter before adding it to the injector so large pieces of peppercorns or other spices don’t clog the injector needle.

Best of Barbecue Spice Paste Injector: Want to inject thick seasoning mixtures like Jamaican jerk seasoning or romesco sauce deep into the meat? Use our wide mouth injector. Make a starter hole with the stainless steel meat spike, then inject the spice paste deep into the meat. The wide nozzle resists clogging. Word has it that some BBQ teams on the competition circuit have won big using this ingenious injector. Raichlen tip: For an over-the-top Italian style pork roast, inject a shoulder or loin with pesto.

Best of Barbecue Marinade Turbocharger: Simply place the turbocharger atop your steak, chop, turkey drumstick, or other meat and firmly depress the handle a few times. The dozens of razor-sharp stainless steel needles allow marinades to penetrate deep into the meat. Shortens marinade times and boosts the flavor. Raichlen tip: One side benefit of using this marinade injector is that the sharp needles cut meat fibers, allowing you to tenderize otherwise tough cuts of meat.

And finally, our Best of Barbecue Marinade Spray Bottle: Having made the effort to force the flavor deep into meat, don’t forget about applying one final layer of seasoning on the surface. Fill this stainless steel spray bottle with wine, soy sauce, apple cider, pineapple juice, beer, or other flavorful liquid. Pump the handle to spray a thin film of flavor on the surface. Raichlen tip: Spray ribs and pork loins with apple cider to keep them moist during smoking or grilling.