Smoked Cajun Turkey

A flavor injection to start, a liberal coating of homemade Cajun rub, and a buttery baste during the cook for crispy skinned smoked Cajun turkey.

📝 Ingredients

• 14 lb turkey (thawed)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 6 tbsp Cajun rub
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp white pepper
• 1/2 tbsp onion powder
• 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 stick butter (melted)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp Cajun rub
• 1 stick butter
• remaining Cajun rub

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- To make the Cajun rub ---
2. 2Combine all the dry ingredients in a jar with a lid or a small bowl.
3. 3--- To make the Injection ---
4. 4Melt the butter in a small pot. Add chicken broth, hot sauce, and 1 tbsp of the cajun rub and mix until well combined.
5. 5--- Smoked Cajun Turkey ---
6. 6Preheat the smoker to 300°F.
7. 7Make sure your turkey is properly thawed. You can find a more detailed guide here.
8. 8Remove the turkey from its packaging, making sure to pat it dry and remove the giblets from the cavity.
9. 9Your turkey should come with a ‘hock lock’ that holds the legs together. Be sure to leave that on. If not, use butcher twine to tie the legs together.
10. 10Using a meat injector, inject the turkey liberally. I like to start with the breasts, then the thighs, and anything else that will hold it.
11. 11Rub or spray the outside of the turkey with the olive and season well all over with the Cajun rub. Add seasoning under the breast skin as well to maximize flavor.
12. 12Place turkey on the smoker. Leave to smoke for 1.5 hours.
13. 13After 1.5 hours, start drizzling some of the baste over the turkey every 30 minutes.
14. 14If the turkey gets too dark, loosely cover with aluminum foil while it finishes cooking.
15. 15Your turkey is done when it hits an internal temperature of 165°F. I like to pull my turkey off at 160°F and let it carry over to 165°F while it rests.
16. 16Rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
17. 17--- To make the Baste ---
18. 18Melt the butter in a small pot and add the remaining rub. Combine well.