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Serve a turkey like no other with my Cajun Turkey Recipe! Dry-brined turkey, Cajun butter injection, and a combination of roasting and frying makes this turkey recipe truly special. Plus, I've included oven-only instructions if you don't have a fryer!
Jump to:
- What does Cajun turkey taste like?
- Thawing Turkey for Cajun Turkey
- What size turkey should I buy when making Cajun Turkey?
- Is Cajun turkey fried?
- Ingredients for Cajun Turkey
- Ingredients for Cajun Turkey Injection
- How to Make Cajun Fried Turkey
- Oven Instructions (No Fryer)
- Tips for Making Cajun Turkey
- Tips for Deep Frying Turkey
- FAQ
- Storing Leftover Cajun Turkey
- Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
- Popeyes Cajun Turkey Recipe
- Juicy and Spicy Cajun Turkey
- Reviews
What does Cajun turkey taste like?
Inspired by Popeyes' Cajun Turkey recipe, this turkey has a slightly smoky, spicy, and robust savory flavor from the Cajun seasoning, which consists of a mix of herbs and spices typically found in Cajun cuisine, such as paprika, cayenne, thyme, oregano, and garlic powder and onion powder.
Thawing Turkey for Cajun Turkey
Need to know how far ahead of time to start thawing your turkey? See my easy guide to Thawing Turkey! For quick reference, this recipe uses a 15 pound turkey. For a 15 pound turkey, start thawing 3 to 4 days ahead of time if thawing in the refrigerator.
What size turkey should I buy when making Cajun Turkey?
You will need approximately 1½ pounds of turkey per guest. I typically will add up how many people are going to be at the table, then tack on a few extra pounds of turkey to account for the bones. This will give you a good turkey weight to serve, with leftovers to spare!
Is Cajun turkey fried?
Typically, yes, but you can also make this Cajun butter turkey recipe in the oven without using a fryer. I've included instructions below.
Ingredients for Cajun Turkey
- Whole turkey
- For Cajun turkey injection, see below
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Chicken broth (for roasting only; not needed if frying)
Ingredients for Cajun Turkey Injection
- Salted butter
- Kosher salt
- Paprika
- Black pepper
- White pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Cayenne pepper
And of course, remember to serve it up with cranberry sauce- it pairs beautifully with the spicy turkey injection!
How to Make Cajun Fried Turkey
- To begin, prepare the turkey. Trim off excess skin and fat, including the tail, neck, and giblets.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, both peppers, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne. Mix until well combined.
- Melt the butter. Combine half of the seasoning mixture (about 2 tablespoons + ½ teaspoon) and the melted butter, and mix well.
- Pour the butter and seasoning mixture into a meat injector, then inject the breast of the turkey with butter. This is best done by puncturing the breast deeply, then injecting a bit and nearly removing the needle. Without entirely removing it, adjust the direction of the tip and inject more until both breasts are seasoned and the butter has been used up.
- Use half the remaining dry seasoning to rub on the outside of each turkey breast. Then let the turkey rest overnight in the fridge, uncovered, to dry brine.
- After brining the turkey, preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the turkey on top of a rack in a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes per pound of turkey (I cooked my 15 lb turkey for 2½ hours) or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. This is the most important part!
- About 15 minutes before the turkey is finished in the oven, start preheating the oil in a very large deep fryer. The oil is ready at 350°F.
- Remove the turkey from the oven. Lift it and tilt it to gently drain all excess juice from the cavity back into the pan. Once it's no longer dripping, place it gently into the fryer basket and pat it gently dry.
- Slowly and gently place the basket into the oil, then fry for about 5-10 minutes, until the skin is a deep orange-red.
- Remove the turkey, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes to cool. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning over the entire turkey, then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Oven Instructions (No Fryer)
- Follow the fryer instructions from steps 1-5 to prepare and brine the turkey.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Transfer the turkey to a large roasting pan with rack. Tuck the wings under the bird to prevent browning, and tie the legs together. Then pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
- Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350°F, and roast for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, begin basting the turkey every 30 minutes. You can tent the bird in foil if it's browning too quickly.
- Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh joint registers 175°F and 165°F in the breast.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a carving board. Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes, and it should reach the target temperature of 180°F in the thigh and 170°F in the breast.
- Sprinkle with the remaining seasoning mixture, then carve, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for Making Cajun Turkey
- Always deep fry turkey away from the house or wooden structures! Deep frying turkey takes a lot of oil and oil fires do not go out with water. Exercise extreme caution when working with deep fryers. See safety tips below.
- To ensure the process is safe and simple, pat the turkey dry after roasting it, and do not over-fill the deep fryer with oil.
- To determine the correct amount of oil, fill the fryer pot with water and place the turkey in the water. However much water it takes to fully cover the turkey is the amount of oil needed! Just be sure to thoroughly dry the turkey and the fryer afterwards.
- The size of the turkey isn't as important as the internal temperature! Use a meat thermometer with my Turkey Temperature Chart to check the temperature.
- Make sure the butter for the injector is nice and hot. Otherwise it can clog and make a huge, annoying mess. Trust me... I know!
Tips for Deep Frying Turkey
You've seen the videos: frying turkey can be very dangerous when not done correctly! This recipe doesn't require frying directly from raw, which makes it much easier, but it's still important to follow basic fryer safety:
- Never deep fry on wooden structures or under any sort of roof like a garage.
- Fry away from children and pets.
- Measure the oil ahead of time to make sure there's no chance of oil overflow. This could lead to immediate fires.
- Make sure to thoroughly drip dry the turkey before very slowly adding it to the oil.
- Never add additional butter or sauce to the turkey before frying it. The turkey needs to be completely dry.
- Dress appropriately with heavy duty gloves, a thick apron, and thick shoes.
- Make sure a fire extinguisher is close by. Water will not put out an oil fire.
FAQ
Cajun turkey injection is simple and easy to make! Just heat up butter until it's very hot, then stir in cajun spices including paprika, salt, black and white pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder. Then inject the spiced butter into the turkey using a meat injector while it's still hot. See my Turkey Injection Recipe for more tips on using turkey injections.
If you don't need to make a whole turkey, a single turkey breast works great too! Follow the same process as for a whole turkey by injecting and seasoning the meat. Then roast it for 1 hour and 45 minutes, until the meat measures 160°F. Then place the breast in the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes, or until the meat is 165°F internally. Remove, slice, and serve!
Cajun turkey is turkey that has been injected or seasoned with a Cajun spice blend of mixed peppers, paprika, and onion and garlic powder. This zesty, spicy seasoning is paired with butter to bring out tons of flavor in the meat. Ideally, the turkey is then roasted and fried, for a juicy interior and crispy exterior!
Storing Leftover Cajun Turkey
- Fridge: Slice the leftover Cajun turkey and remove the meat from the bone. Then, store the meat in ziplock bags or plastic containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: The best method I've found for storing turkey leftovers! Freeze the turkey in separate ziplock bags, one for dark meat and one for light meat. Shuffle the bags around to make sure the turkey doesn't freeze in large chunks. Use within 3 months.
- Reheating and Thawing: The best way to reheat turkey is in the microwave with a lid, adding a small amount of water to the plate to prevent it from drying out.
Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
- Grilled Turkey
- Spatchcock Turkey
- Deep Fried Turkey
- Classic Thanksgiving Turkey
- And of course, save the carcass for my delicious Turkey Carcass Soup!
Popeyes Cajun Turkey Recipe
There's a reason I keep a big canister of Cajun seasoning in my spice cabinet. When I say I love Cajun spice, I mean it! The unique blend of two kinds of zippy, lively pepper, warming paprika, aromatic spices and fiery cayenne make for a flavor combination I can't get enough of.
So, it's no surprise that I fell in love with Popeyes' Cajun Turkey. And the whole time my family and I were enjoying our dinner, I couldn't stop thinking about how fun it would be to make myself! Butter-injected turkey roasted to perfection and then fried - could turkey get any better than that?
It turns out that delicious Cajun turkey is not only simpler and safer to fry compared to other fried turkey recipes, but can also be made without a deep fryer! Whether you prepare oven roasted Cajun turkey or turkey deep fried for that extra special touch, this is a turkey recipe worth celebrating!
Juicy and Spicy Cajun Turkey
Ingredients
- 15 lb Turkey - whole; any size
- 2 sticks Salted butter - melted, 1 cup
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- ½ Tablespoon Black pepper
- ½ Tablespoon White pepper
- ½ Tablespoon Garlic powder
- ½ Tablespoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne
- 28 quarts Vegetable oil - For deep frying; see notes
- 4 cups Chicken broth - if roasting only
Instructions
For Roasting and Frying Turkey:
- To begin, prepare the turkey. Trim off excess skin and fat, including the tail, neck, and giblets.15 lb Turkey
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, both peppers, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne. Mix until well combined.1 Tablespoon Salt,1 Tablespoon Paprika,½ Tablespoon Black pepper,½ Tablespoon White pepper,½ Tablespoon Garlic powder,½ Tablespoon Onion powder,1 teaspoon Cayenne
- Melt the butter. Combine half of the seasoning mixture (about 2 tablespoons + ½ teaspoon) and the melted butter, and mix well.2 sticks Salted butter
- Pour the butter and seasoning mixture into a meat injector, then inject the breast of the turkey with butter. This is best done by puncturing the breast deeply, then injecting a bit and nearly removing the needle. Without entirely removing it, adjust the direction of the tip and inject more until both breasts are seasoned and the butter has been used up.
- Use half the remaining dry seasoning to rub on the outside of each turkey breast. Then let the turkey rest overnight in the fridge, uncovered, to dry brine.
- Once the turkey has brined, preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the turkey on top of a rack in a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes per lb of turkey (I cooked my 15 lb turkey for 2½ hours) or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. This is the most important part!
- About 15 minutes before the turkey is finished in the oven, start preheating the oil in a very large deep fryer. The oil is ready at 350°F.28 quarts Vegetable oil
- Remove the turkey from the oven. Lift it and tilt it to gently drain all excess juice from the cavity back into the pan. Once it's no longer dripping at all, place it gently into the fryer basket and pat it gently dry. The turkey must be completely dry before frying.
- Slowly and gently place the basket into the oil, then fry for about 5-10 minutes, until the skin is a deep orange-red.
- Remove the turkey, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes to cool. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning over the entire turkey, then slice, serve, and enjoy!
For Roasting Only (No Fryer)
- Follow fryer instructions 1-5 to prepare and brine the turkey.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Transfer the turkey to a large roasting pan with rack. Tuck the wings under the bird to prevent browning, and tie the legs together. Then pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.4 cups Chicken broth
- Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350°F, and roast for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, begin basting the turkey every 30 minutes. You can tent the bird in foil if it's browning too quickly.
- Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh joint registers 175°F and 165°F in the breast.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a carving board. Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes, and it should reach the target temperature of 180°F in the thigh and 170°F in the breast.
- Sprinkle with the remaining seasoning mixture, then carve, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Deep fry turkeys outdoors, away from houses and wood structures, as oil fires are water-resistant and require careful handling.
- For safety, thoroughly dry the turkey post-roasting and avoid overfilling the fryer with oil. Check post above for full list of safety tips.
- Measure oil by submerging the turkey in water in the fryer pot first; ensure both the turkey and fryer are dry before adding oil.
- Focus on internal temperature over turkey size; use a [eafl id="143011" name="Instant Read Meat Thermometer" text="meat thermometer"] for accuracy.
- Heat the butter for the injector to prevent clogs and mess.
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