Flavor injectors--- anyone tried them?

[cave76]

I just bought a cheap one from WalMart and recognize that it may not be the best flavor injector----- but has anybody tried it? The brand name is Mainstays.

Positive or negative thoughts? And if there are too many negative results what other brand or method did you try?

I don't eat big slabs of meat usually but chops? breast of chicken? veggies? potatoes?
Even, gasp! tofu? (yeah, crazy!)

Thanks for any input.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

For the most part it isn't the injector, it's what you're injecting and what you're injecting it into. Some brand seasonings come with disposable and/or injectors included. This seems to me to be a good way to experiment.

 

[Dawgluver]

Mainstays seems to be the Walmart signature brand. I've had no problem with any other Mainstays items I've purchased, so I would think your injector should work as it's supposed to. They're just big hypodermic needles, how complicated can they be?

 

[Addie]

I own a very expensive one I got from Chefs Catalog. Injecting thick sauces just don't make it. If you make a practice shot outside of the meat, great! Squirts way high into the air. But with great difficulty and a lot of hard pressure, and only then can you get it into the meat. It is great for injecting the juices back into the meat from the bottom on the pan. I have found that injecting at an angle just near the top works best. Also try to determine the way of the grain and inject in the same direction. Works much better. I just wish mine held more liquid and wouldn't have to keep sucking up more liquid.

 

[Andy M.]

Try sticking the injector in deep then depress the plunger as you pull the 'needle' out. The marinade fills the hole left by the 'needle.'

 

[CraigC]

For big cuts of pork or beef, I "inject" a pairing knife and twist to make wholes that will except large quantities of a "rub paste". Then the whole thing gets put in a marinade. The results tend to be much better than any injection liquid I've tried.

 

[cave76]

Thanks to all who have replied. I'm thinking a mix of butter, broth, spices. Would that be runny enough to inject? Just melted butter? Yum.

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks to all who have replied. I'm thinking a mix of butter, broth, spices. Would that be runny enough to inject? Just melted butter? Yum.

No whole spices. They will clog the injector.

 

[Addie]

No whole spices. They will clog the injector.

And make sure the spices you do use are in powder form. Like garlic powder. Powdered onion. The leaves of oregano and thyme need to be so small that they are almost powder. Give them a whiz in a small food processor.

 

[Andy M.]

I suggest you simmer all the ingredients together for a few minutes to extract flavors from the ingredients then strain the resulting marinade before you fill the injector.

 

[cave76]

Thanks ----- so am I hearing that melted butter, thinned with broth and either powdered spices/herbs or simmered will do? It's the melted butter that is worrying me but until I've tried it---- which I will do soon, and report back.

 

[Andy M.]

Consider adding an acidic ingredient such as a vinegar, citrus juice or wine as a component of your marinade.

 

[pacanis]

No, I haven't tried the one from Walmart, but I do have a SS injector that will inject a slurry of ingredients.

 

[Addie]

I suggest you simmer all the ingredients together for a few minutes to extract flavors from the ingredients then strain the resulting marinade before you fill the injector.

Thanks Andy. Your thinking went beyond mine. Good catch.