Description
A juicy and flavorful Cajun Butter Thanksgiving Turkey recipe that features a dry-brined bird coated with a spicy Cajun compound butter, roasted to perfection with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and a beer or stock-infused soak. The turkey is basted and injected with a seasoned butter marinade, wrapped with soaked cheesecloth to maintain moisture and infuse flavor, resulting in a deliciously tender and savory centerpiece for your holiday feast.
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 sub
- 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, discard or save giblets and neck. Pat the turkey completely dry inside and out with paper towels.
- Dry-brine the turkey: Place turkey on a wire rack in a large vessel. Generously season all surfaces and cavity with kosher salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. Massage spices into the bird, set breast-side up, and refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours up to 3 days.
- Bring turkey to room temperature: On cooking day, remove the turkey from fridge several hours before roasting to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Prepare Cajun compound butter: In a large bowl, mix softened butter with Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, chopped rosemary, sage, thyme, allspice, salt, and pepper until smooth. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and set aside.
- Preheat oven: Position an oven rack in the center and preheat oven to 425°F.
- Coat the turkey with butter: Do not rinse the dry brine but pat dry again. Using half the compound butter, generously coat the entire turkey exterior. Loosen skin over breast and spread some butter underneath. Set remaining butter aside.
- Stuff the turkey: Fill the cavity with half of the chopped onions, celery, carrots, lemon quarters, and herb bundle. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
- Prepare roasting pan: Place remaining chopped vegetables in the bottom of the roasting pan along with the beer or stock. Position roasting rack over vegetables and place the turkey breast-side up on the rack.
- Initial roasting: Roast uncovered at 425°F for 30 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature and prepare basting marinade: Lower oven to 325°F. Melt remaining compound butter in microwave, stir in neutral oil. This mixture will be used for injecting, basting, and soaking cheesecloth.
- Inject and baste turkey: Use a meat injector to inject marinade into several spots, mainly the breast. Soak cheesecloth in marinade and drape over the turkey.
- Continue roasting: Roast at 325°F for 13-15 minutes per pound (approximately 2 ½ – 3 hours) until internal temperature reaches 165°F in breast or thigh. Every 30-45 minutes, remove turkey to inject and baste again, keeping cheesecloth moist with marinade.
- Rest the turkey: Once cooked, remove turkey from oven, discard cheesecloth, and allow to rest 30-45 minutes before carving. Baste with pan juices before serving.
- Serve: Transfer turkey to a large platter, garnish if desired, and optionally make gravy from pan drippings.
Notes
- This recipe requires cheesecloth, meat/flavor injector, and a turkey baster for best results.
- Do not rinse the turkey after dry-brining; just pat dry to retain the seasoning.
- Allowing the turkey to come to room temperature before roasting helps ensure even cooking.
- The cheesecloth soak and frequent basting help keep the turkey moist and flavorful throughout roasting.
- Feel free to save giblets and neck for making flavorful gravy or discard if preferred.
- If beer is not preferred, turkey or chicken stock can be used as a substitute for the roasting liquid.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (based on 12 servings from turkey)
- Calories: 570 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 25 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg
