Should I cover my turkey when brining or roasting?

No, as a general rule, you should not need to cover your turkey during the dry brining or cooking process. However, if your turkey is starting to get too brown, then you should loosely place aluminum foil over it. You don’t want to seal the foil, as you still want the warm air to circulate around the turkey; you just want to remove the direct heat from the top to keep it from burning.

Do I need to rinse the salt from the night before off before seasoning the turkey?

No, do not rinse the salt off from the night before. I know it seems like you should, but it is a part of the process for keeping the turkey super moist throughout the cooking process.

Can I use a pre-brined turkey?

Yes, if you would like to use a pre-brined turkey, then you can just skip the step of adding the salt and letting it sit in the refrigerator overnight. Still ensure you pat the turkey dry before you move forward, though, because you want to start with a dry turkey.

Should I inject the turkey?

With this recipe, it is not necessary to inject the turkey. However, if you still want to, you can. The butter under the skin will melt down into the meat and help keep it super moist.

When checking the temperature of the turkey, where on the turkey should I check it?

When you are checking the internal temperature of meat, you always want to check the temperature at the thickest part of the meat. So here it would be the thickest part of the breast.

Do I need to flip the turkey over during the cooking process?

No, the turkey will cook breast side up throughout the entire cooking process. There is not much meat to the back of a bird, so to ensure it cooks all the way through, it must remain breast-side up, as this is where most of the meat in the bird is located.

Cajun Turkey Recipe (Cajun Butter Turkey)

Description

This Cajun Turkey Recipe is juicy, buttery, and bursting with bold Southern flavor. A simple dry brine keeps the meat tender, while a rich Cajun butter rub adds smoky spice and locks in moisture. Roasted with onions, celery, and peppers, this Cajun Butter Turkey is everything you want in a main dish for the holidays. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any family gathering, this turkey will have your family and friends coming back for seconds (and thirds!).

Ingredients

Units Scale

10 - 15 pounds of turkey, thawed
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 cups salted butter, room temperature
1 lemon, juiced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
onion, peeled and quartered
1 green bell pepper, deseeded and quartered
2 celery stalks, quartered
32 ounces of chicken broth

Instructions

Sprinkle the salt all over the inside and outside of the turkey. Place the turkey uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours.
Pat your turkey dry with paper towels, and place it into the roasting pan. You do not want to wipe off all the salt!
Preheat oven to 325°F. Place a roasting rack into your roasting pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butter, lemon juice, garlic cloves, parsley, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
Separate the skin of the turkey from the breast by inserting your hand between the layer of skin and the turkey breast and gently moving your fingers back and forth to release it.
Take half of the butter mixture and insert it between the skin and the turkey breast, pressing it around so the turkey breast is covered with the butter mixture. Spread the remaining butter around the outside of the whole turkey.
Add your onion, bell pepper, and celery into the cavity of the turkey. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs of the turkey together.
Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of your roasting pan.
Bake for 14 minutes per pound or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Notes

Use the turkey drippings from the bottom of the pan to make gravy for mashed potatoes!
Do not wipe the salt off the turkey before covering with the buttery Cajun rub.
You do not need to cover the turkey during the 24-hour brine OR the roasting process! However, if your turkey is starting to get too brown, then you should loosely place aluminum foil over it. You don’t want to seal the foil, as you still want the warm air to circulate around the turkey; you just want to remove the direct heat from the top to keep it from burning.

Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: ~3 hours
Category: Main Dish
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: American