Cajun Turkey

5 from 1 vote

This Cajun turkey recipe is perfect for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner menu. The turkey is flavored with a spicy Cajun butter, seasoned with aromatic spices, and roasted until the skin is perfectly crispy and the meat is juicy and tender.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2 45

Total Time3 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Calories: 786kcal

Author: Tayo Oredola

Equipment

Ingredients

8 pound turkey
1 cup Cajun butter
6 baby carrots
1 bunch green onions loosely chopped
4 celery sticks halved
6 cloves garlic peeled
1 lemon cut into four
4 cups chicken broth
8 oz turkey injector marinade

Instructions

Marinate the day before:

Wash and pat dry the turkey.
8 pound turkey
Take out any of the giblets ((neck, gizzards, and liver), from inside the turkey, if any.
Fill the turkey injector with the marinade. Stick the injector needle in various parts of the turkey and inject all the marinade. Make sure the thighs and breast get plenty of marinade. You might have to do this more than once until all the marinade is used up.
8 oz turkey injector marinade
Coat the outside of the turkey with the Cajun butter mixture. Be sure to get under the skin as well to season the meat directly. Get some of the marinade into the cavity as well.
1 cup Cajun butter
Refrigerate uncovered for 12 hours.

Prepare the turkey:

Remove the turkey an hour before roasting and let it come to room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Place the turkey on a roasting pan.
Divide the veggies into two.
6 baby carrots, 1 bunch green onions, 4 celery sticks, 6 cloves garlic, 1 lemon
Loosely stuff one-half of the veggies inside the turkey. Do not overstuff it.
Add the other half of the veggies to the roasting pan and pour in the chicken broth.
4 cups chicken broth
Place the giblets in the roasting pan.
Tuck the turkey wings behind the turkey so it doesn't burn.

Roast the turkey:

Place the turkey in the lower rack of the oven and set the cooking time to 2 hrs 30 mins (see notes below for cooking times).
Roast the turkey for 30 minutes at 400F, then reduce the heat to 350F.
Continue roasting till the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
If the top browns and the insides are not yet cooked, cover the turkey with aluminum foil.
When the turkey is done, take it out and rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Notes

My total roasting time for an 8lb turkey was 2.5 hours. It might take longer depending on how large your turkey is. If you have an 10lb or 12lb turkey it might take 3-3.5hrs. As long as the internal temperature is 165F, your turkey is ready to eat.
If refrigerating for more than 24 hours, cover the turkey with plastic wrap and uncover only for the last 24 hours so the skin begins to dry.
When injecting the marinade, make sure you inject it into different parts of the turkey to be sure the marinade is spread throughout.
Let the turkey come to room temperature before injecting the marinade.

Nutrition