Updated: September 2026 | Original Published 2022
Long gone are the days of flavorless Thanksgiving turkey--now we all know how easy it is to make a homemade turkey brine and infuse our bird with extra cajun flavor and juiciness!
We're such big fans of juicy turkey that this month we released two epic turkey recipes, our sweet apple cider smoked turkey brine, and this sassy cajun turkey brine for those who love that zesty, southern flavor.
We recommend you paint either bird with our turkey paint (AKA turkey compound butter) just for good measure before roasting or smoking your bird this year!
Jump to:
- How To Cajun Brine A Turkey
- Brining 101 for Beginners
- How To Prepare A Cajun Turkey
- Variations and Additions
- How Long Do You Leave Turkey In Brine Solution?
- How To Season The Turkey After Removing From The Cajun Brine
- Cooking Methods Recommended For Turkey
- Related
- Pairing
- Cajun Turkey Brine Recipe (For Ultra Juicy Cajun Turkey)
How To Cajun Brine A Turkey
This recipe is simple enough, we will create "the brew" which is our cajun seasonings and spices, added to a gallon of water with our salt and sugar in a large pot.
- Step 1: Create the brew mixture with cajun seasonings, water, salt and sugar and boil until the seasonings dissolve.
- Step 2: Boil and then steep for max flavor. Add any flavor additions that strike your fancy.
- Step 3: Cool the hot brine fully in refrigerator, then add in 1 gallon of cold water in a large bucket.
- Step 4: Add the turkey or turkey breast to the brine vessel and brine overnight.
Hint: A Cambro 5 gallon bucket with a lid is a great option for brining your turkeys and fits a very large bird with plenty of room to flip it half way through the brine.
Brining 101 for Beginners
- To brine your turkey it must be completely defrosted or fresh. Frozen turkey will not brine because the brine solution can not penetrate frozen meat. Make sure to begin defrosting your bird in the refrigerator 3 days before you want to start the brine process.
- Place the turkey breast-side down into the brine, You will want to rotate larger birds once during brining.
- Brining adds moisture and seasoning: A wet brine helps season the turkey beyond the surface while improving juiciness.
- Keep it cold: The turkey and brine should stay at 40°F or below the entire time. A spare refrigerator can be a helpful option. Adjust the shelves so the whole bucket can fit into the refrigerator.
- Fully submerge the bird: Use a large food-safe container. I recommend this Cambro food safe bucket.
- Dry it well afterward: Pat the turkey thoroughly dry before seasoning or cooking; for crispier skin, refrigerate it uncovered for several hours.
- Go easy on extra salt: A properly brined turkey usually needs much less salt in the rub or seasoning afterward.
How To Prepare A Cajun Turkey
The brine is just the first step in preparing a Cajun Turkey. The brine adds moisture and flavor on the inside, the compound butter or rub adds a nice crust on the outside.
You can use any cajun rub you like on the exterior. We prepare this compound butter which we call, Turkey Paint, to the outside of the bird and it makes a beautiful crust.
Variations and Additions
Every family is different. Here are some additional ideas to boost the flavor how you like it...
- Spicy Brine - add cayenne pepper or 1/2 cup Crystal hot sauce to the brine
- Zatarain’s Liquid Crab Boil: A small amount adds a much more intense Louisiana-style flavor with clove, bay, pepper, and warm spices. Start conservatively—it’s powerful.
- Beer: Replace part of the water with a light lager or amber beer for a slightly malty, savory brine.
How Long Do You Leave Turkey In Brine Solution?
Brine overnight and up to 48 hours.
I have even gone 3 days in brine with this particular recipe with good results. We keep ours in a garage refrigerator, but those in colder climates might be able to place a lid on the brining turkey and keep in an ice cold area in the garage.
As long as the turkey is submerged in the brine and the brine and turkey stay at least 40 degrees or below, you'll be good.
We usually start breast side down and rotate the next day. At least a 24 hour soak is encouraged for maximum flavor, but you will get good results in as little as 10 hours.
Remove the bird from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brine and cook as usual.
How To Season The Turkey After Removing From The Cajun Brine
You can oil your bird with olive oil and sprinkle with a cajun rub, or our favorite way to season is to paint the outside of the turkey with our turkey compound butter (AKA turkey paint).
It's a great way to get incredible flavor on your holiday bird and works especially well with cajun smoked turkey. The breast meat is very tender when using a wet brine and our compound butter makes sure the turkey skin is equally delicious!
However you choose to roast, fry, or smoke your turkey this is a great time to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.
Cooking Methods Recommended For Turkey
While we acknowledge roasting a turkey is the mainstream method for Thanksgiving, we also recommend these methods...
Related
Looking for other turkey prep recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with your turkey this year:
Have questions? Need help? Have an addition or a suggestion to a recipe? Drop me a comment below!
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Cajun Turkey Brine Recipe (For Ultra Juicy Cajun Turkey)
Ingredients
The Brine:
- 1 gallon water
- 1 c. kosher salt
- ½ c. sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4 cup creole mustard
- 4 -6 cloves garlic minced or pressed through garlic press
- 1 lemon juice
Homemade Cajun Spice Blend:
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 4 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 t. oregano
- 1 t. white pepper
Finish With:
- 1 additional gallon cold water
- 1 turkey or turkey breast
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, add 1 gallon of water, kosher salt, sugar, creole mustard, garlic and lemon juice. Over medium heat, heat this mixture while you measure the cajun spice blend in to a small bowl.
- Add the cajun seasoning to the pot and bring it to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, or until salt and sugar dissolve, then turn off the heat and let the brine cool to room temperature.
- When the brine is about room temperature transfer it into the refrigerator until cool.
- In a large 5-gallon bucket, add 1 gallon of ice-cold water and pour the chilled turkey brine in. Insert your whole turkey or turkey breast. For a larger bird, the turkey should be turned once during the brining process. You can brine the turkey sufficiently overnight, but most people do at least 24 hours for maximum flavor. We have brined in the solution up to 2 days with excellent results.
- To prepare the turkey for the next stage of cooking, remove it from the brine and pat the turkey well with paper towels. Discard the brine.
- Your bird is now ready for roasting, smoking or frying. We recommend our turkey paint (creole turkey butter recipe) to paint your turkey with before roasting or smoking. You can view that recipe here.
- Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast through the skin of the turkey.
- At this point, you may either place the turkey in a large roasting pan or place it in the smoker or fryer.
Joey says
Nice did this last year.
I went to my local Cajun seafood spot and got a pint of butter mixture injected into my bird after brine and deep fried! let me tell you 100percent the way to go! Now have request all year long as best turkey ever!
Sarah Penrod says
Yay! Glad to hear that! I am making it tonight as well. 🙂
Whitley says
What is the green in the picture? Parsley?
Sarah Penrod says
Just parsley, it makes the pictures look engaging 🙂
Chris Allen says
Can you use the dry ingredients for the ccajun brine as a dry brine? I’ve wet brined for years, but want to dry brine this time
Sarah Penrod says
I have not tried these as a dry brine because I don't truly understand how a dry brine can add moisture. I understand how it could add flavor. If you try it, be sure to let me know how it goes as I would be curious!
Kirby says
Can I stuff the bird with stuffing and smoke using a pellet smoker? Also is it unnecessary to use a roasting pan to catch the juices? Thanks