Thanksgiving
Cajun-Spiced Roasted Turkey
- Prep time 45 minutes
- Cook time 2 hours
- Serves 10 to 12
Author Notes
This Thanksgiving, why not go big and bold with your turkey? This recipe packs a punch thanks to the Cajun-inspired compound butter (bolstered with a few fresh herbs for extra aromatic flavors) that’s rubbed under the skin of the turkey right before roasting. The best part? The insulating fat of the butter ensures that no basting is necessary to get that perfectly juicy turkey, allowing you to focus on other things. And, there’s no need to worry about cleanup with Finish. Designed to tackle even the biggest, most caked-on food messes of your holiday season, it will leave you with clean dishes and peace of mind. —Food52
Test Kitchen Notes
What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Cajun-Spiced Roasted Turkey
Ingredients
- For the Cajun & Herb Compound Butter:
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8 tablespoons
unsalted butter, room temperature
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1 teaspoon
smoked paprika
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1 teaspoon
onion powder
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1 teaspoon
ground black pepper
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1/2 teaspoon
cayenne pepper
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2 teaspoons
kosher salt
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2 sprigs
cilantro, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
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2 sprigs
flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- For the turkey:
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3
large carrots, halved crosswise and cut into 2-inch pieces
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2
large red onions, cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges
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2
green bell peppers, de-seeded and quartered
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2
stalks celery, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
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6
garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
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2 sprigs
rosemary
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1 sprig
fresh thyme
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2 sprigs
fresh sage
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1
bay leaf
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4 teaspoons
kosher salt, plus more to taste
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Freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
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8 to 10 pound turkey, fresh or frozen (fully thawed)
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2 cups
chicken stock of your choice (beef or vegetable also works!)
Directions
- For the Cajun & Herb Compound Butter:
- Mix all ingredients together and set aside. Keep soft at room temperature.
- For the turkey:
- Heat the oven to 375°F with an oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Add ⅓ of the vegetables and herbs to the bottom of a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Fit a wire roasting rack over the vegetables.
- Transfer the turkey to a large roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack. Gently lifting up the skin, smear the compound butter all over the turkey. If there’s extra, spread the remaining on top of the turkey, or in places the skin was hard to lift. Stuff the turkey with the remaining vegetables and herbs. Using twine, tie the legs together.
- Pour the stock into the bottom of the roasting pan under the turkey. Loosely tent the roasting pan with foil.
- Roast about 2 hours, then increase the heat to 425°F. Carefully remove the foil. Roast for another 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers a temperature of 165°F to 175°F in the thickest part of the turkey.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, leaving the foil cover, and allow it to rest for at least 30 to 45 minutes before carving.
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