Best 4 Cajun Brined Turkey Two Ways Recipes

THANKSGIVING TURKEY TWO WAYS

Steps:

• The morning before roasting, spatchcock one of the turkeys. Remove the backbone by cutting 1 1/2 inches to the left and right of the backbone (opposite side of breast) from front to back. Remove the backbone and reserve for stock if desired. Place the turkey breast-side up on a large flat surface. Place a clean kitchen towel on top and press down firmly on the breast to flatten. Season both sides of the spatchcocked turkey with 1 tablespoon each of the celery salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion and pepper.
• Season the whole turkey inside and out with 1 tablespoon black pepper and the remaining celery salt, granulated garlic and granulated onion. Allow both turkeys to sit in the refrigerator overnight, uncovered, to dry the skin.
• The next day, allow the turkeys to come to room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.
• Arrange one oven rack in the bottom lowest position of the oven and one in the top third. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the minced parsley, tarragon, oregano, minced thyme, lemon zest and shallots with some salt and pepper in a small bowl. The salt will help to draw the moisture and flavor from the mixture. Add the olive oil to form a paste. Divide the mixture between the turkeys and spread all around both sides of each turkey. Season again with salt and pepper. Halve 3 of the lemons. Stuff the cavity of the whole turkey with the lemon halves and parsley and thyme sprigs.
• Divide the carrots, onions and fennel between 2 roasting pans or baking sheets. Arrange the spatchcocked turkey skin-side up on the vegetables in one pan. Put the whole turkey breast-side up on the vegetables in the second pan. Divide the stock and wine between the 2 pans.
• Put the whole turkey on the bottom oven rack and the spatchcocked turkey on the top rack and roast, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices and adding a little more liquid to the bottom of the pans as needed to prevent burning. Keep an eye on the turkeys: when the spatchcocked turkey is nicely browned, remove the roasting pan and carefully move the top oven rack to the middle position (see Cook's Note). Move the whole turkey to the middle rack and the spatchcocked turkey to the bottom rack and continue to roast until the thickest part of the thighs registers 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 hours total (10 minutes per pound) for a 12-pound spatchcocked turkey and 2 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours total (12 to 15 minutes per pound) for a 12-pound whole turkey. Allow the turkeys to rest for at least 1 hour before serving.

CAJUN BRINED TURKEY TWO WAYS RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• Two days before cooking: Combine the Spanish paprika, New Mexican chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, chile de arbol and cayenne in a small bowl. Remove 1/4 cup for another use. Dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons cold water in a large (at least 16-quart) stockpot or a clean bucket. Whisk in half of the remaining spice rub, the garlic, bay leaves and onion. Add the turkey, cover and refrigerate or set in a very cold place (that stays somewhere between 32 to 40°F) for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Rinse well under cold water and pat dry to remove the salt. Let air-dry in the refrigerator for 24 hours. In the big green egg: Light a large chimney filled with charcoal briquettes (about 5 quarts) and allow to burn until all the charcoal is covered with a layer of fine gray ash. Empty the coals into the grill. Top with some of the soaked wood chips if using. Put in the ceramic plate, then the grill rack. Put the cover on and let the grate heat up. Brush the turkey with oil and rub the entire turkey (including the cavity) with the remaining spice rub. Tie the legs together. Adjust the grill vents to get and maintain an internal temperature of 350°F. Roast the turkey for 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 165°F. Remove from the grill, tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes before carving. In the caja China: Prepare the charcoal briquettes according to the instructions that come with the box. Put the roasting pan with its rack (comes with the box) inside, and put the turkey breast-side down on the rack. Put on the top and fill with charcoal. After 30 minutes, flip the turkey breast-side up and continue cooking for about 1 more hour, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 165°F. Add charcoal as necessary according to the box instructions. Remove from the box, tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.

CAJUN TURKEY INJECTION (BRINE)

Steps:

• Blend all of the dry ingredients then mix with the butter.
• Inject into the turkey prior to deep frying (the injector must have a discharge nozzle of at least 1/16th of an inch). This recipe is enough for 1 (10 to 12 pound) turkey.

DEEP FRIED CAJUN TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oil to 375 degrees F.
• Stir salt and seasonings together. Mix until well blended. Use 1/2 to 2/3 cup for a 10 to 12 pound turkey. May be stored for several months in an airtight covered jar.
• Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey. Rinse the turkey well with cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Take care to dry both inside cavities. Place in a large pan and rub the interior and exterior of the bird with the seasoning mix. To allow for good oil circulation through the cavity, do not truss or tie legs together. Cut off the wing tips and plump little tail as they may get caught in the fryer basket. Cover pan and place in refrigerator overnight.
• Place the outdoor gas burner on a level dirt or grassy area. Never fry a turkey indoors, in a garage, or in any structure attached to a building. Do not fry on wood decks, which could catch fire, or concrete, which could be stained by the oil. (Safety tip: have a fire extinguisher nearby for added safety). Add oil to a 7 to 10 gallon pot with a basket or a rack. At medium-high setting, heat the oil to 375 degrees F.(depending on the amount of oil, outside temperature and wind conditions, this should take about 20 to 40 minutes).
• Meanwhile, place the turkey in a basket or on a rack, neck down. When the deep-fry thermometer reaches 375 degrees F. slowly lower the turkey into the hot oil. The level of the oil will rise due to the frothing caused by the moisture from the turkey but will stabilize in about 1 minute. (Safety tip: to prevent burns from the splattering oil wear oven mitts/gloves, long sleeves, heavy shoes, and even glasses. It is wise to have 2 people lowering and raising the turkey). Immediately check the oil temperature and increase the flame so the oil temperature is maintained at 350 degrees F. If the temperature drops to 340 degrees F. or below, oil will begin to seep into turkey. Fry about 3 to 4 minutes per pound, or about 35 to 42 minutes for a 10 to 12 pound turkey. Stay with the cooker at all times, as the heat must be regulated. When cooked to 170 degrees F. in the breast or 180 degrees F. in the thigh, carefully remove the turkey for the hot oil. Allow the turkey to drain for a few minutes. (Safety tip: allow the oil to cool completely before storing or disposing). Remove turkey from the rack and place on a serving platter. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.