Description
This Juicy Cajun Butter Thanksgiving Turkey recipe features a flavorful dry-brined whole turkey generously coated with a homemade Cajun compound butter, roasted to perfection with fresh herbs and aromatic vegetables. The turkey is basted and injected with a buttery marinade infused with Creole Cajun seasoning for ultimate juiciness and bold taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey & Prep
- 1 (12-14 lb) whole turkey, fresh or thawed
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
- 6 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
- 6 whole carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 large lemon, cut into quarters
- 1 heaping bundle fresh hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme & sage
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer or 1 ½ cups turkey/chicken stock as substitute
- ¼ cup neutral oil (like avocado, grapeseed, or algae oil)
Cajun Compound Butter
- 1 ½ lbs (6 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons Creole Cajun Seasoning– homemade or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 8 sprigs fresh rosemary, de-stemmed & finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground sage
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the turkey. Remove the turkey from packaging and discard or save giblets/neck. Pat the turkey completely dry inside and out with paper towels, removing all excess moisture.
- Dry-brine the turkey. Place turkey on a wire rack in a baking dish. Season generously with kosher salt on all surfaces and inside the cavity. Add fresh ground black pepper and brown sugar, massaging spices into the skin. Position the turkey breast-side up and refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours up to 3 days.
- Set the turkey out. On cooking day, remove the turkey from the refrigerator early to bring to room temperature, which may take several hours.
- Prep the Cajun compound butter. In a large bowl, combine softened butter with Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, rosemary, sage, thyme, allspice, and a small amount of salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and place in a measuring cup or microwave-safe vessel.
- Preheat the oven. Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 425°F.
- Coat & butter the turkey. Without rinsing off the dry brine, pat the turkey dry again. Use half of the compound butter to generously coat the entire exterior of the turkey, including under the skin on the breast area.
- Stuff the turkey. Fill the cavity with half of the chopped onions, celery, carrots, lemon quarters, and fresh herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
- Roast the turkey. Place remaining onions, celery, and carrots in the roasting pan with beer or stock. Put the roasting rack over the vegetables and place the turkey on top. Roast uncovered at 425°F for 30 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature and baste. Lower oven to 325°F. Microwave remaining compound butter with neutral oil until melted to create marinade. Using a meat injector, inject marinade into several spots, focusing on the breast. Soak a cheesecloth in the marinade and drape it over the turkey.
- Continue roasting and baste regularly. Roast at 325°F for approximately 3 hours (13-15 minutes per pound) until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Every 30-45 minutes, remove turkey to inject marinade and baste, keeping the cheesecloth moist.
- Rest the turkey. Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest uncovered for 30-45 minutes. Remove and discard the cheesecloth. Baste turkey with pan juices before carving.
- Serve. Carve and serve the turkey on a large platter. Use pan drippings to make gravy if desired and enjoy alongside favorite holiday sides.
Notes
- This recipe requires a cheesecloth, meat/flavor injector, and turkey baster for best results.
- Do not rinse off the dry brine to maintain seasoning and dryness for crispy skin.
- Allowing the turkey to rest at room temperature before roasting ensures even cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure turkey reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- Keep the cheesecloth well-soaked with marinade throughout roasting to retain moisture and flavor.
- Use neutral oil like avocado or grapeseed to add fat without overpowering flavors in the basting marinade.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
