This year, up your holiday game with a homemade Cajun Turkey. Rubbing this lovely bird with homemade Cajun herb butter brings a delightful taste of Louisiana to your Thanksgiving spread. (No injection needed for this tasty turkey!).
There are lots of things to love about Louisiana, but the cuisine is one of my favorites. (Second only to my Louisiana-born husband!).
I love adding Cajun and Creole flavors to our meals all year long, but the holidays are a great time to try them out, particularly with the turkey.
This turkey recipe isn’t traditional, but it still turns out delicious for Thanksgiving or any other holiday. ).
Some Cajun turkey recipes involve injecting the bird with a Cajun marinade, but not this one. It also doesn’t require a turkey brine.
As an alternative, I’ll show you how to make a really flavorful Cajun herb butter that needs far less preparation time and specialized tools.
Get ready for a taste explosion with this Cajun Turkey Spicy, a dish that brings the heat and the flavor straight from the heart of Louisiana. This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion where you want to impress your guests with a unique and delicious dish
What makes this Cajun Turkey Spicy so special?
- The secret blend of spices: This turkey is rubbed all over with a fragrant, lightly spicy mix that includes paprika, cayenne pepper, coriander seed, cumin, black pepper, onion and garlic powders, and both dried oregano and dried thyme. This blend of spices creates a unique flavor profile that is both complex and satisfying.
- The juicy and tender meat: This turkey is cooked to perfection, resulting in juicy and tender meat that falls off the bone. The secret is in the brining process, which helps to keep the turkey moist and flavorful.
- The crispy skin: The skin of this turkey is crispy and golden brown, thanks to the high-heat cooking process. This adds a delightful textural contrast to the juicy meat.
How to make Cajun Turkey Spicy
Making this Cajun Turkey Spicy is easier than you might think. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Gather your ingredients: You’ll need a whole turkey, Cajun seasoning, olive oil, broth, and foil.
- Prepare the turkey: Pat the turkey dry and remove the giblets.
- Make the Cajun rub: Combine the Cajun seasoning with olive oil and rub it all over the turkey.
- Brine the turkey: Place the turkey in a large container and cover it with broth. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roast the turkey: Place the turkey in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the heat: Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and continue roasting for an additional 2-3 hours, or until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the turkey rest: Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving and serving.
Tips for making the perfect Cajun Turkey Spicy
- Use a high-quality Cajun seasoning: This will make a big difference in the flavor of your turkey.
- Don’t overcook the turkey: The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let the turkey rest: This will allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful turkey.
Serving suggestions
Serve this Cajun Turkey Spicy with mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, or cornbread for a delicious side dish. For a little sweetness, you can also add a dollop of apple sauce or cranberry sauce.
There’s no need to search any farther than this Cajun Turkey Spicy recipe for an inventive and mouthwatering take on turkey cooking. This recipe is sure to please even the most discerning palate. So prepare to cook like a pro by gathering your ingredients and donning an apron!
Homemade Popeye’s Cajun Turkey recipe:
Every October, the fast-food chain, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, comes out with a Cajun Turkey that customers can pre-order.
Though Popeye’s is best known for their chicken, their pre-cooked, frozen turkeys are a cult favorite. (Yes, it’s a thing!).
According to The Food Network, the hard work is done for you with this spicy bird. The Popeye’s Cajun turkeys are rubbed with a blend of paprika, red pepper, garlic and onion and are then marinated in a Creole butter. Then, all customers have to do is defrost it and reheat it.
Buying a Popeye’s Cajun turkey, which usually costs $40 or more, is more expensive than making your own with homemade herb butter.
My recipe is made similarly, though there are some differences in method and taste.
How to make a whole Cajun Turkey
Again, well done on tackling the turkey for your holiday feast! I’m sure it won’t be as hard as you anticipate!
First, preheat your oven to 325°F. Get out a large roasting pan with a roasting rack.
Next is the “fun” part, depending on who you ask. *wink*
Remove the raw, thawed turkey from its packaging. Thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Place in the prepared roasting pan with the breast side up.
Subsequently, apply your softened Cajun butter to the turkey’s entire exterior, as well as its cavity and the area beneath its skin. When done with this, wash your hands vigorously beneath hot water. (Food safety, remember?!).
Next, you can add some additional Cajun seasoning to the exterior of the turkey, if desired. Start conservatively with a teaspoon of the seasoning, sprinkle it on and see how it looks. Add more, if desired.
If you want to stuff the turkey, do that now. Alternatively, you can quarter both an onion and an apple and place those into the bird’s cavities.
You can roast it without utilizing any of these, but I highly recommend utilizing the onion/apple combination, as it greatly enhances the flavor of your turkey.
Then, cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil and transfer the roasting pan into the preheated oven.
For the first hour and a half of baking, bake covered; for the last hour or two, remove the foil. Make a foil tent to loosely cover any parts of the turkey that begin to brown too much and you are worried they might burn in order to prevent overbrowning.
THE SPICY TURKEY THAT’S ABOUT TO CHANGE YOUR THANKSGIVING FOREVER… | SAM THE COOKING GUY
FAQ
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