Juicy and Spicy Cajun Turkey

This glorious roasted-and-fried Cajun Turkey Recipe is like no turkey you've ever had before! If you like Popeyes Cajun Turkey, try this!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cajun injected turkey, cajun turkey recipe, popeyes cajun turkey, popeyes turkey

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2 40

Rest time 8 15

Total Time 11 25

Servings to 8 people

Calories 1442kcal

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 meat thermometer for accuracy.
Heat the butter for the injector to prevent clogs and mess.

Nutrition