Creole Turkey

This Creole Turkey recipe is part of a family recipe that gives an oven-roasted turkey a flavor that will leave guests asking YOU for the recipe for their own Thanksgiving turkey!

 

I can’t wait to show you this family recipe that my husband’s aunt and uncle so kindly shared with us this year, to share with you!

Although they deep fry a turkey with this recipe in mind, I wanted to provide an oven baked recipe to fit more of the traditional approach!

Cajun Turkey

LOOK at the crispy crunchy skin on that turkey! To snag the full recipe, you can see everything that you need and even print out the recipe card at the very end of this post.

However, I’d love to walk you through with photos too in case you love getting a detailed look at how to make this recipe for your own family!

Fresh and Frozen Turkey Prep

If you’ve grabbed a fresh turkey this year, then you won’t have to worry about thawing.

However, if you need to thaw your turkey, keep in mind that you will need to allow about 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds of frozen turkey in the refrigerator. (If making this recipe I’m sharing below, pull the turkey out of the refrigerator and inject the marinade the night before baking if possible!)

Once Thawed:

• Cut off the plastic around the legs

• Remove the neck, cut off the tail, and remove the giblet bag from the inside.

PRO TIP: Allow turkey to become as close to room temperature before baking!

Injected Marinade Tips

Using ingredients like chicken broth (even my homemade chicken broth recipe), onion juice, garlic juice, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice, from the Creole Roast Turkey recipe below…creates a flavor that packs the inside of the turkey with a flavor, making it a step you don’t want to skip!

What is onion juice and garlic juice?

I had the same question when we took the first peek at the recipe from our family. Those juices are sold by the bottle in some areas, but if you struggle to find them, you can do what I did…

For the onion juice, I grabbed a juicer to extract the juices. (You may also be able to use the liquid that jarred onions rest in.)

For the garlic, I simply bought a jar of minced garlic and used the liquid that the garlic rests in, inside of the jar.

Once the marinade ingredients are mixed together, they’re ready to inject into your turkey!

How to Inject a Turkey

To inject your turkey, you’ll want to inject multiple areas with the marinade, especially through the breast, thighs, thick part of the wings, and legs.

Then, if injecting the night before, place your turkey back in the refrigerator the rest of the night and pull out to allow enough time for the turkey to become room temperature before baking.

PRO TIP: Preheat oven to 475, and while preheating, you can mix up your rub!

Creole Rub

This is where the creole flavor comes in, and really gives a kick to your turkey!

Before baking, mix together the creole seasoning and mustard in a bowl.

“Rub” It On…

When evenly mixed, coat the outside of the turkey with ½ of rub, apply about a ¼ under the skin around the neck, and then use the remaining rub to coat the inside walls of the turkey.

Turkey Cook Time and Temperature

Once the turkey is injected and has the rub applied, place your turkey into a turkey roaster with a roasting rack.

Bake at 475 degrees for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 and bake until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees. (This was about 3 hours for us, and for our bird. Yours can differ depending on size and oven temperature!)

PRO TIP: Some turkeys come with a pop-up timer. But if you plan to use your own thermometer, make sure to insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, right where the thigh meets the breast, and push it in until you feel it slide into the thigh meat. (DON’T push it all the way into the bone.)

Oven Roasted Turkey – Thanksgiving Table Worthy

Now doesn’t that turkey look like something you’d be proud to put on your Thanksgiving table this year?

Friends, if you’re intimidated by cooking a whole turkey this year, I encourage you to try this one.

Or, if you’re planning a big meal, and need two turkeys, you can bake this one and also do a pellet grill smoked turkey.

My Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dish

Are you looking for side dishes to go along with your Creole Roasted Turkey?

For our Thanksgiving dinner, we ALWAYS have a salad, and when I’m assigned to bring a salad, you can almost bet that I’ll be bringing along the BEST Side Salad there is! It has a secret that makes it the best, and you’ll more than likely never go back to just dumping some lettuce in a bowl!

Recipe