Cajun Turkey Brine

This Cajun Brined Turkey has the old-fashioned 12 to 24-hour brine that infuses the turkey with so much flavor for a juicy bite!

Brining the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner takes time but it is oh so worth it! This holiday bird is always a centerpiece and if you want to make something truly special, brining the whole turkey with some creole seasoning or Cajun can make a perfect home-cooked holiday meal that brings the entire family together.

You won’t regret spending so much time on it once you bite in this juicy, tender, zesty and spiced turkey. The brine is the secret to the best Thanksgiving turkey you’ve ever had!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic turkey with cajun, spices, and herbs. Absolutely delicious holiday flavors.
• Relatively easy recipe, and very straightforward, the hard part is waiting for the brining process to finish.
• Made for a real family feast and will make plenty of leftovers for the next day to finish up.

Ingredients Notes

This brine is water-based and uses just a few simple ingredients, mostly seasonings and herbs. The turkey doesn’t need any special preparation except for brining either.

For Cajun Brine

• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Brown sugar adds velvety sweetness, richness, and caramelized flavor.
• Cajun seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Bay leaves and Thyme or fresh poultry herbs.
• Lemon. I use fresh lemon, quartered, but you can replace it with lemon juice.
• Garlic smashed

For Cajun Turkey Recipe

• Whole turkey (12-14 lbs is enough for 10-12 guests). If you have frozen turkey, it should be thawed beforehand and for big birds, it may take a few days! Make sure it is just a regular turkey, not pre-salted or such.
• Olive oil
• Cajun rub seasoning

Kitchen Equipment

• Large pot
• Roasting pan
• Optional, meat thermometer
• Optional, gloves to rub the seasoning

How To Make This Cajun Turkey Brine Recipe

This ultimate cajun-flavored turkey recipe takes a few steps but is beginner-friendly.

1: Make The Brine (1 day ahead)

1. Be sure that you have cleared a large area in your refrigerator to fit the stockpot you will be using.
2. Combine the water, kosher salt, brown sugar, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, bay leaves, thyme, lemon, and smashed garlic in a large stockpot.
3. Heat the mixture over medium heat, bringing it to a boil so all the salt and sugar dissolve in the hot brine. Remove and let the brine cool completely in the stockpot before continuing (usually takes about an hour).
4. You can also first let the brine solution cool to room temperature and then place it in the fridge.

2: Brine The Turkey (12-24 hours ahead)

1. Once the brine has cooled, submerge the entire turkey in the brine in the same pot breast side down. Make sure it is completely covered in the brine.
2. Put the lid on the pot or cover in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 12-24 hours.
3. If your turkey is larger than 16 lbs, rotate it halfway through.

3: Roast Turkey

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Rub the turkey skin with olive oil and the seasonings, coating it evenly.
4. Transfer the turkey to a large roasting pan. Tuck the wings and tie the legs.
5. Roast, uncovered, for 3-4 hours (depending on weight) or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. Baste occasionally – OR you can cover the turkey tightly with foil for the first 3-3.5 hours to keep it moist. Then remove the foil for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
6. Let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes before carving for the juicier meat.
7. Make sure to serve with some cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and homemade gravy.

Storage

Brine solution. You can store cooked and unused cajun brine in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days or freeze it. But if you already used the brine, it can’t be stored and reused, discard it.

Cajun brined turkey. Leftover turkey makes great sandwiches and casseroles. You can store it in an airtight container for a few days in the fridge.

Substitutions & Variations

• Cajun injection. You can inject thighs, breast side, and wings with more flavors too but it can be a challenging task. Beer makes a great base for injection (uncooked solution).
• Instead of roasted you can make cajun-smoked turkey, especially if you have a pellet smoker sitting in your backyard. You brine the meat the same way, then place the turkey on the smoker and cook it for 2-3 hours depending on the size. The smoke flavor is extra good!
• Deep-fried turkey is another variation (will require lots of oil to cover the whole bird!). You brine the turkey the same way and then simply deep fry it in the oil heated to 365 degrees F for around 35 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 165F.
• Brine mix-ins: creole mustard (adds amazing flavor), vegetable broth, fresh apple slices, celery, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, paprika, and any of your favorite herbs and spices. Using fresh onion instead of the powder is ok too. Brine can also be made with apple cider, in which case it doesn’t require cooking.
• To rub the turkey after brining I use Cajun seasoning and oil, but you can also use compound butter.

Expert Tips To Make Amazing Turkey in Cajun Brine

• Be sure that the pot is large enough to fit the liquid ingredients as well as the turkey once you submerge it in the liquid. You may as well need a bucket 🙂
• The turkey in the brine solution will be fine even if you leave it in the fridge for 48 hours. So it is a good recipe to make ahead.
• To make sure all the salt and sugar are dissolved you can first add only those to water in the pot, and only then add the remaining ingredients.
• Measuring meat temperature check the thickest parts that take the longest to cook – breasts.
• If the brine solution takes too long to cool down, add some ice to it.
• Clean the kitchen and all the equipment that touched raw turkey very well to avoid food poisoning, especially if you have kids.

Popular Questions

How Long Should You Brine Your Turkey?

Whole turkey needs at least 12 hours to sit in the brine solution, while if making only turkey breast meat, a few hours (at least 2) will be enough to make tender turkey once it is cooked. The bigger the turkey is, the longer you should brine it.

Should You Rinse Your Turkey After Brining?

You can rinse the turkey after brining to remove extra salt, and you need to make sure to pat the turkey dry before rubbing the remaining ingredients of the seasoning before roasting, smoking, or frying it. However, I don’t rinse my turkey, only dry it and I love the flavors.

How Do You Get Crispy Skin On A Brined Turkey?

To make sure the skin will be crispy and tasty, after brining pat dry the turkey, coat it in oil, and rub dry spices. Dry brine helps the skin to crisp while roasting or smoking.

Is It Better To Wet Brine Or Dry Brine A Turkey?

Wet brine is better as it makes the turkey meat hold more moisture, so once cooked it will remain tender. Wet brine solution also penetrates easier inside the thick parts of meat while dry brine will mostly sit on top of the skin or meat which makes delicious skin.

If you love this holiday turkey dinner recipe, you’re going to love these other turkey recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Cajun Recipes

Cajun Turkey Breast

Spicy Mac and Cheese

Beignets Recipe

Boudin King Cake

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