main dishes

Cajun Smoked Turkey

Name: Cajun Smoked Turkey Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 9 h 30 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Cajun or Creole,
Ingredients: 1 whole turkey (12 to 14 pounds), fresh or frozen, thawed; 1 jar (16 oz) Creole Butter Injectable Marinade; 1/4 cup oil; 2 tbsps Creole Seasoning; Oak wood chips

Fire up the smoker and grab a jar of Zatarain’s® Cajun Injector Creole Butter Marinade. Injected directly into your bird, it quickly creates a buttery heat and moist, juicy meat that perfectly complement the smoke. Sprinkle turkey with Zatarain’s® Creole Seasoning before cooking for an extra hit of authentic New Orleans flavor.

20m

PREP TIME

9hr 30m

COOK TIME

5

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients
Instructions
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Ingredients 12 Servings

1 whole turkey, (12 to 14 pounds), fresh or frozen, thawed
1 jar (16 ounces) Zatarain's® Cajun Injectors® Creole Butter Recipe™ Injectable Marinade Refill
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons Zatarain's® New Orleans Style Creole Seasoning
Oak wood chips Substitutions available
- Pecan wood chips

KEY PRODUCTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Remove turkey from packaging and remove the neck, giblets, etc. from the cavity. Rinse turkey thoroughly and pat dry. Place in large pan.
2 Attach needle to Injector by turning clockwise until snug. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN NEEDLE. Pour Marinade into separate container and draw into injector. Inject marinade at points 1 to 2 inches apart in the turkey.
3 Tie turkey legs together and brush all over with oil. Season turkey evenly with Creole Seasoning.
4 Set smoker temperature to 225°F. Remove turkey from pan and place in smoker.
5 Place desired amount of wood chips in smoker, making sure no chips remain in the chute after loading. Once the chips start to smoke, begin timing the smoking process. Smoke turkey about 35 to 40 minutes per pound (about 7 to 9 1/2 hours for a 12- to 14-pound turkey).
6 After the first hour of smoking, check wing and leg segments for browning. Cover turkey with foil halfway through smoking if browning too quickly. Turkey is done when juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork and internal temperature reaches 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh. (Do not let the thermometer touch the bone.) Remove turkey from smoker and place on platter or carving board. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Test Kitchen Tip : Smoked turkey will have a different color than roasted turkey. It often looks more pink, due to the meat’s reaction to the smoke. As long as the turkey registers an internal temperature of 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh, it is done and completely safe to eat.