This Cajun Smoked Turkey is juicy, buttery, and loaded with bold Cajun flavor thanks to a roasted garlic butter injection and homemade seasoning blend. Smoked until perfectly tender, it's the ultimate Thanksgiving or holiday turkey recipe.
Total Time:4 hours 20 minutes
Yield:10-12
Ingredients
Cajun Seasoning
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons ground oregano
Garlic Butter Injection
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 whole garlic bulb
Turkey
1 whole turkey (approximately 12 pounds)
Instructions
Preheat your smoker to 225°F.
Mix all Cajun seasoning ingredients together in a bowl.
Slice the top off the garlic bulb, wrap it in foil, and roast until soft. Let cool, then squeeze out the roasted cloves.
Blend the roasted garlic with chicken stock, melted butter, lemon juice, and hot sauce until smooth.
Fill a meat injector with the garlic butter mixture and inject the turkey throughout the breasts, thighs, legs, and wings.
Pat the turkey dry and coat it generously with the Cajun seasoning blend.
Place the turkey on the smoker for 2 hours and then increase temperature to 350°F for an additional 2 hours, or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F.
Remove from the smoker and let rest for 10–15 minutes before carving.
