How to Make a Cajun Turkey: Two Delicious Recipes to Spice Up Your Thanksgiving

These two mouthwatering Cajun turkey recipes are the perfect way to add some flavor to your Thanksgiving turkey this year!

Toni’s Juicy Cajun Butter Turkey

This recipe from Toni’s Recipes is perfect for those who want a juicy, flavorful turkey with a hint of smokiness. It’s also relatively easy to make, even for beginners.

Ingredients:

• 1 12-15lb fresh turkey
• Butter
• Herbs
• Spices
• Onions
• Lemon
• Carrots
• Celery Stalks
• Aromatics (Thyme, Rosemary, Sage)
• White wine (any dry white wine is fine)
• Chicken Broth

Equipment and Tools:

• A Roasting Rack
• Cheesecloth
• A turkey Injector
• A Meat thermometer

Instructions:

1. Dry Brine your turkey the night before. Cover your turkey with kosher salt. Rub it in. Let it sit in the fridge overnight over-covered. DO NOT RINSE THE DRY BRINE
2. Make your Compound Butter using spices and fresh herbs! I like to use rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano (optional)
3. Smother your room temperature turkey in the room temperature Compound Butter
4. Start the cooking process, then, inject your turkey!
5. Lay your Buttered up Cheesecloth over your Turkey
6. Cook until your Turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165, degrees

Tips:

• Use a fresh turkey, (if possible)
• Dry Brine (optional but recommended)
• Nail your compound butter
• Inject your turkey

Why everyone loves this Cajun Butter Turkey Recipe:

• It’s JUICY
• It’s packed with flavor
• It’s Gorgeous

Coop Can Cook’s Cajun Butter Roasted Turkey

For another delicious Cajun turkey recipe, try this one from Coop Can Cook. It’s also relatively easy to make, and it doesn’t require any brining.

Ingredients:

• 10-14lb turkey (fresh or thawed)
• Lemon juice for washing
• 16oz Cajun Butter injectable marinade*
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 bell pepper
• 1 orange
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 celery stalk
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 TBS Herbes de Provence
• Cajun or Creole seasoning
• Olive oil

Herb Butter:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 sprig fresh chopped rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme removed from stem
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Make the Herb Butter: Mix all ingredients together and set aside.
2. Prepare the Turkey: Remove all contents of the turkey cavity (save it for gravy), rinse the turkey with lemon juice and water, pat dry very well, inject the every part of the turkey with the marinade, cover with foil or place in a large marinating bag and refrigerate for 24 hrs.
3. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
4. Place the turkey in a roasting pan, pat dry again with paper towels, rub olive oil all over the skin of the turkey, gently push the herb butter until the skin of the breasts, sprinkle 1 tsp of salt into the turkey’s cavity, stuff the onion, bell pepper, orange, garlic, celery, rosemary, and thyme into the cavity, sprinkle a thin, even layer of Cajun or Creole seasoning all over the skin of the turkey, do the same with the Herbs de Provence seasoning, tuck the wings behind and under the turkey, tie the legs together with kitchen twine or dental floss, cover the ends of the legs with foil and lay a piece of foil over the breasts to prevent early browning and burning, pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan under the turkey, place the turkey in the center of the oven and roasted according to the instructions on the turkey packaging. (Approx: 13 mins per pound)
5. Halfway through the roasting time, carefully remove the turkey and baste it with the turkey drippings.
6. Place it back into the oven, but rotate it in the opposite direction from the last time you placed it into the oven. (See tutorial for a visual.)
7. When there is about 30 minutes left in the roasting time, remove the turkey from the oven, baste again, and remove the foil from the breast.
8. Continue roasting until a meat thermometer stuck between the leg and the breast registers 165°F. To ensure an accurate read, be careful not to poke bones with the thermometer.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with foil, and allow it to rest for at least 1 hour before carving.
10. Enjoy!

Tips:

• Use the chart below as a guide for roasting timing.
• Don’t forget to grab a meat thermometer.
• Cover the breasts and legs with aluminum foil to prevent early browning.
• Remove the breast covering halfway through the roasting time right before the first basting.
• Leave the foil on the legs throughout the duration of roasting time.
• Let the turkey rest for at least 1 hour before carving.

Why everyone loves this Cajun Butter Roasted Turkey Recipe:

• It’s the most moist and flavorful turkey you’ll ever eat!
• No brining necessary.
• The perfect blend of Cajun spices, fresh, and dry herbs combine to render a turkey that you’ll want to include in your holiday spread every year!

No matter which recipe you choose, you’re sure to end up with a delicious Cajun turkey that will be the star of your Thanksgiving table.

Additional Resources:

• Toni’s Recipes: https://tonisrecipes.com/juicy-cajun-butter-turkey-recipe/
• Coop Can Cook: https://coopcancook.com/cajun-butter-roasted-turkey-recipe/

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. I’m also a big fan of Cajun turkey, and I’ve tried both of these recipes. They’re both delicious, but I think I prefer Toni’s recipe because it’s a bit easier to make.

P.P.S. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!