Cajun Turkey Brine (for Breast or Whole Turkey)
Elevate your turkey dinner with New Orleans flavor. Our Cajun brine recipe will infuse your meat with a delicious blend of spices.
Servings: 1 batch (up to 14 pounds)
Calories: 572kcal
Equipment
- 1 large non-reactive container we used a plastic brining bucket
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup sea salt or kosher salt (don't use iodized table salt)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup prepared creole mustard or 2 tablespoons mustard powder
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup lemon juice (juice of 1-2 lemons)
Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1.5 teaspoons for spicier flavor
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1.5 teaspoons ground pepper black or white
Instructions
- To a large stockpot over medium-high heat, add 1 gallon of water, kosher salt, sugar, mustard, garlic and lemon juice.
- Add the cajun seasoning blend to the pot and bring mixture to a full rolling 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 reaches room temperature, transfer to the refrigerator to chill.
- When you're ready to brine your turkey, place it in a clean, 5-gallon bucket or stockpot. Add the chilled brine and 1 gallon of cold water.
- Brine the poultry in the fridge for at least 12 hours, and up to 48 hours. Before cooking, remove bird from brine and rinse under cold tap water. use paper towels to pat the turkey dry.
Notes
- Once it’s been used, throw out and discard the Cajun turkey brine or leftovers.
- To avoid getting sick from bacteria in the uncooked meat, you should never reuse marinades or brines that were in contact with raw meat.
- Citrus Herb Cajun Brine - Add orange and lime juice along with lemon juice, plus a handful of fresh rosemary and parsley for a bright, herbaceous twist on the classic Cajun flavor.
- Sweet and Spicy Maple Cajun Brine - Replace the brown sugar with maple syrup and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a sweet heat that complements the smoky Cajun spices.
- Smoky Bourbon Cajun Brine - Stir ¼ cup of bourbon into the cooled brine before chilling to give the turkey a subtle smoky-sweet depth, perfect for holiday dinners.
- Store unused brine in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- You can also freeze the unused brine if you’d like. Pour it into large containers, and label it with the date it was made. It will keep well in the freezer for up to three months.
- To thaw, put the container in the refrigerator overnight or heat it in the microwave if you need it the same day.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 batch brine | Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 138g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 121073mg | Potassium: 791mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 111g | Vitamin A: 4455IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 468mg | Iron: 9mg