Name: Juicy Cajun Butter Turkey
Total time: 225 min
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 1 turkey (12–15 lb), preferably fresh; 2 yellow onions, chopped large; 3 large carrots; 2 lemons; 4 celery stalks; 16 oz chicken broth or turkey stock; 4 oz white cooking wine or any dry white wine, such as Chardonnay; 2 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped; 1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped; 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped; 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped; 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning; 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp pepper; Salt to taste, keeping in mind the turkey is already dry-brined; Kosher salt for dry-brining: 1 tbsp per 5 lb of turkey

Bring everyone together around this juicy turkey coated in fragrant Cajun herb butter.

Instructions

1. The night before roasting, pat the turkey dry and season with the kosher salt. Refrigerate for about 6 hours or preferably overnight. Do not rinse afterward; keep refrigerated until ready to prepare. 2. Mix the softened butter with the rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, lemon juice, pepper, and salt to taste. Taste the butter before it touches the raw turkey, adding more paprika or Cajun seasoning if desired. 3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Carefully loosen the skin over the breast and legs without tearing it, then spread spoonfuls of compound butter underneath. 4. Coat the outside of the turkey generously with more compound butter, including the legs, wings, and back. Use about half the butter mixture in total for coating the turkey. 5. Cut the carrots, celery, and lemons into pieces. Put half of these and half the onions inside the turkey cavity, then tie the legs together with kitchen twine. 6. Place the remaining vegetables and lemons in a roasting pan. Pour in the broth and wine, add the roasting rack, and set the turkey on it. 7. Roast for 45 minutes at 400°F. Remove the turkey briefly and lower the oven temperature to 325°F. 8. Melt the remaining compound butter. Soak a piece of cheesecloth large enough to cover the turkey and wings in the butter, reserving some butter for injecting and basting. 9. Use a turkey injector to inject melted compound butter into about eight locations, covering both breasts, thighs, legs, and wings. Reserve a little butter for basting after the first hour. 10. Drape the butter-soaked cheesecloth snugly over the turkey and return it to the oven. Roast for approximately 2–3 more hours, checking the internal temperature every 45 minutes. 11. After the first hour at 325°F, baste with the reserved compound butter without removing the cheesecloth. 12. Continue roasting until the breast and innermost parts of the thighs and wings reach 165°F, checking away from bone. Remove the cheesecloth and let the turkey rest for at least 1 hour before carving. 13. Save the pan drippings for gravy, if desired, and serve.