A twist on a classic Thanksgiving turkey, my Cajun turkey recipe is loaded with flavor. But not so out of the box, you can't serve it with all your favorite Southern side dishes.
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Sick of boring dry turkey? You are in the right place, this delectable Thanksgiving recipe is going to have your guests shouting it is the best turkey they ever had.
It is based on my tried and true Cajun seasoning mix and my classic roast turkey recipe.
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📖Why My Recipe Works
- No Injections- Buying something special to inject your turkey is a bit ludicrous in my opinion. I prefer a classic roast turkey with pizazz. Instead, you brine and season the turkey with the best Cajun butter.
- Big Flavor- This recipe has tons of flavor yet follows a traditional tried and true method for roasting up a juicy turkey.
🧾Ingredient Notes
This recipe uses about 15 pound whole turkey but you can scale it up or down as needed. I have a guide on how to pick a turkey, including info on how to decipher those confusing labels.
But one thing critical thing to point out is; DO NOT BRINE turkeys labeled as kosher, basted, or self-basting. They are already injected with a solution. Brining the turkey would make it too salty.
- Unsalted butter- Rubbing the turkey with melted butter adds moisture and flavor and helps the skin get golden and crispy. You can substitute vegan butter to make this recipe dairy free.
- Fresh Parsley- Chives would be the only recommended substitute.
- Lemons- Use fresh lemon because we need to use the zest and juice.
- The Trinity- The mirepoix of aromatics in Cajun cooking is onion, celery, and bell peppers. Typically green bell peppers but I think they make the gravy a tad bit astringent so I went with red bell peppers.
- Garlic- An absolute must. Feel free to increase.
- Dry White Wine- You can substitute turkey or chicken broth which you will need for the gravy anyway.
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
Can you use store-bought? Sure you could BUT mine has just the right amount of salt for this recipe. Most Cajun and Creole seasoning is seasoning salt. Don't put your turkey at risk.
My seasoning also contains dry mustard which is my secret ingredient. And white pepper lends just the right level of spice.
🦃 How to Make a Cajun Turkey
Before you begin be sure you safely thaw your turkey. I used a 15 pound frozen turkey for this recipe, and it took just under 4 days to properly thaw.
How to Brine a Turkey
There are two brine methods. The wet method submerges the turkey breast in a solution of water, salt, sugar, and herbs.
While the dry brine method coats the turkey in salt and it sits uncovered in the fridge. For this turkey, you will use a wet brine which is perfect when you are going to load the skin up with butter.
To make the turkey brine, combine half, 4 cups, of the water, molasses, salt, pepper, herbs, and lemon in a stockpot. Heat until salt dissolves. There is no need to bring it to a boil.
Remove the pot from heat and add the remaining 4 cups of cool water and the ice. This helps to speed up the brine process.
Put your turkey into a pot large enough to fully submerge the turkey. I typically use the same stockpot. When the brine mixture is completely cooled pour over the turkey.
If the turkey isn't completely covered by water add enough to fully submerge. Place in refrigerator and brine your turkey for 24 hours.
Make the Cajun butter up to a week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I also chop my veggies early to make Thanksgiving morning a breeze!
Make the Cajun Butter
Add the Cajun seasoning, lemon zest and parsley to a bowl or food processor with the softened butter. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Roast the Turkey
Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees. You will want your turkey to sit out at room temperature before roasting.
Site a wire rack in a sheet pan. Remove the turkey from the brine and set it on the wire rack to drip dry for a few minutes.
Then pat dry the skin with a paper towel. Drying the skin of the turkey will help it crisp up later.
The butter mixture goes half under and half over the turkey skin. This allows for the flavor to go directly onto the meat while getting enough butter onto the skin to crisp it up.
Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin.
Then add it to the roasting pan breast side down. Add the veggies and garlic, truss the turkey if desired, then pour white wine and lemon juice into the roasting pan.
Roast the bird at 425ºF for 45 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350ºF and continue roasting until the turkey reaches 165ºF in the thickest part of the breast. While the turkey is roasting spoon the drippings over the top every 30 minutes.
Let the Turkey Rest
Remove from the oven, let rest for 20 minutes. This will allow the turkey to come to a higher temperature while sealing in the juices. I prefer to carve the turkey in the kitchen and serve it on a platter but you can also serve it whole.
Make the Cajun Gravy
Strain the turkey drippings, once the fat rises skim off. Add enough stock to get to 2 cups. Heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until it reduces in volume by 25%.
Make a slurry by mixing ¼ cup warm stock and the cornstarch. Stir until smooth.
Whisk the starch mixture into the pan, and continue to whisk for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until thickened.
What to Serve with Cajun Turkey
I prefer to create a total Southern feast with cranberry jello salad, sweet potato fluff, creamed corn from scratch, squash casserole, and mashed potatoes.
If you aren't a big gravy person try adding a little buttery Cajun sauce on the side for spooning over your turkey.
More Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
Thanksgiving Turkey Tips
- Brine the turkey for flavor and texture. Don't skip this step.
- Let the turkey sit at room temperature for 1 hour before putting it in the oven. This ensures even cooking.
- Truss the turkey to keep it moist. Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders and tie the drumsticks with twine.
- When the turkey is done, let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
- Use a roasting rack to allow air circulation for even cooking.
- Baste the turkey with its own juices every 30 minutes to keep it moist.
- Cover the turkey with foil if the skin is browning too quickly to prevent burning.
- Preheat the oven fully to the desired temperature before placing the turkey inside.
- Start roasting the turkey breast-side down, then flip it to keep the breast juicy.
- Remove the turkey from the oven a few degrees below the target temperature to allow for carryover cooking as it rests.
- Roast at a higher temperature for the first 30 minutes to crisp the skin, then lower the heat for the remainder of the cooking time.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
To store any leftover turkey, portion the bird out into smaller pieces, then place it in an airtight container. It will last in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months.
When you're ready to enjoy again, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then warm at 300ºF in the oven until heated through. To prevent it from drying out, warm it in a foil-covered dish with a little bit of chicken broth.
Save the turkey carcass to make homemade turkey stock.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Roasted Cajun Turkey
Ingredients
- 15 pound turkey
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup Cajun seasoning use recipe below
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley minced
- 2 lemons zest and juice
- 1 large white onion cut into chunks
- 2 large bell peppers cut into chunks
- 2 stalks celery cut into chunks
- 1 head garlic top ⅓ cut off
- ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Cajun Turkey Brine
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup molasses
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 lemons cut into slices
- 4 cups ice
Cajun Seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
Cajun Gravy
- 2 cups turkey stock
- 2 teaspoons potato starch or cornstarch
Instructions
Brine the Turkey
- In a large stockpot, combine 4 cups of water, molasses, salt, pepper, and lemon. Heat until salt dissolves, remove from heat. Add the remaining 4 cups of cool water and 4 cups of ice.8 cups water, ½ cup kosher salt, ¼ cup molasses, 4 cloves garlic, 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns, 2 lemons, 4 cups ice
- Put turkey into a large pot. When the brine mixture is completely cooled and pour over they turkey. If the turkey isn't completely covered by water add enough to fully submerge. Place in refrigerator for 24 hours.15 pound turkey
Roast the Turkey
- Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. Allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes one hour before roasting. Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees.
- While the oven is preheating make the Cajun butter by mixing together the softened butter, Cajun seasoning, lemon zest, and parsley.1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup Cajun seasoning, ½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley, 2 lemons
- Place the rack in your roasting pan. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the butter mixture directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Add the turkey to the pan breast side down.
- Place the vegetables and garlic around the side of the turkey. You can add some inside the cavity if you like. Truss the turkey if you like. Pour in the lemon juice and white wine.1 large white onion, 2 large bell peppers, 2 stalks celery, 1 head garlic, ½ cup dry white wine
- Roast for 45 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven and carefully flip it breast side up. Baste with the pan juices. Return to the oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Cook the turkey until it reaches the temp of 165º for the breast and 175º for the thighs. The meat will rise an additional 10º continuing to cook as it rests. Plan on 13 to 15 minutes per pound for the total time. If your turkey isn't producing enough juices you can add water or broth to prevent the bottom from burning.
- Remove from the oven and allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Make the Cajun Gravy
- Pour drippings into a glass measuring cup, then allow the drippings to cool a bit so that the fat rises to the top and starts to solidify. Use a spoon to remove the fat. If you don't have enough drippings to equal 2 cups, add enough chicken or turkey stock until you have 2 cups of drippings.
- In a small bowl mix together a ¼ cup of the warm stock and the potato starch. Stir until smooth and dissolved. educe the heat to a simmer. Whisk potato starch mixture into the pan, continue to whisk for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until thickened. Salt and pepper to taste.2 teaspoons potato starch, 2 cups turkey stock
Notes
- Do not salt the turkey again, it should be salty enough.
- If you use store-bought Cajun seasoning make sure it does not have salt.
- Didn't have time to brine your turkey you need to season with 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of turkey. Don't forget to sprinkle the inside of the cavity.
How to Truss a Turkey
- Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders to lock them into place.
- Cross the ends of the drumsticks one over the other.
- Wrap twine around them and make a regular (overhand) knot to secure them.
Ben says
Recipe was the perfect combo spices and a classic Thanksgiving turkey!