If you're looking for a way to bring some extra flavor to your Thanksgiving turkey this year, I've got just the recipe for you! We're taking a whole turkey, soaking it in my new Cajun Turkey Injection & Brine, seasoning it with Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub, and cooking it on the pellet grill until we've got beautiful, crispy skin and juicy meat.

Now, I know cooking a big Thanksgiving turkey can seem like a lot of work, especially when you've got a kitchen full of other dishes to prepare. That's one reason I like using a pellet grill. We can get our turkey cooking outside, keep an eye on the internal temperature, and focus on everything else we've got going on for Thanksgiving dinner.

For this cook, I've got a 21-pound turkey, which is a little bigger than what I normally like to use. We're going to give it a full 24-hour brine for maximum flavor, then cook it at 300°F on my Yoder pellet grill using Royal Oak Hickory Blended Charcoal Pellets.

Let's get started!

Cajun Brined Thanksgiving Turkey | Heath Riles BBQ

This Cajun Brined Thanksgiving Turkey is all about getting plenty of flavor and moisture into the bird before it ever hits the grill. We're using my new Cajun Turkey Injection & Brine as an overnight wet brine, then coming back with Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub to season the outside.

You don't have to inject this turkey to get great results. By letting it sit in the brine overnight, we're giving that Cajun flavor time to work its way into the meat. Then we'll cook it on the pellet grill until the skin is golden brown and the turkey is ready to carve.

Why This Recipe Works

• Flavor throughout the turkey. My Cajun Turkey Injection & Brine adds savory Cajun flavor and helps the turkey retain moisture. We're letting the bird soak overnight rather than injecting it.
• Adjustable Cajun heat. You can use one cup of brine mix per gallon of water for a milder flavor or the full 16-ounce bag for a stronger Cajun kick, like I'm doing with this big turkey.
• Garlic butter flavor on the outside. My Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub adds savory seasoning and gives the skin a beautiful color as it cooks.
• Easy holiday cooking. Using a pellet grill makes Thanksgiving a little easier. With a temperature probe in the turkey, you can keep an eye on the cook while working on your other holiday dishes.
• Crispy skin and juicy meat. Drying the turkey after brining, cooking it at 300°F, and using a little cooking oil spray help us get the skin looking just right.

The Ingredients

You don't need a long list of ingredients to make a good Thanksgiving turkey. We're keeping things simple and letting the brine, seasoning, and pellet grill do most of the work.

• Whole Turkey. I'm using an approximately 21-pound turkey for this cook. Normally, I prefer a bird around 14–16 pounds, but this bigger one is what I could find early in the season.
• Heath Riles BBQ Cajun Turkey Injection & Brine. This is the star of the recipe. I'm using the entire 16-ounce bag for a stronger Cajun flavor. You can use half the bag if you prefer a milder brine.
• Water. One gallon of cool water is all we need to mix up the brine. There's no need to heat the water since the mixture dissolves in cool water just fine.
• Heath Riles BBQ Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub. This is what I'm using to season the outside of the turkey. It's got garlic butter flavor, savory Cajun seasoning, and a great color without being overly spicy.
• Graza Frizzle High Heat Cooking Oil Spray. A light coating of cooking oil spray helps the skin brown and crisp up while the turkey cooks.

Cooking Setup

For this Thanksgiving turkey, I'm using my Yoder YS640 Pellet Grill, running at 300°F with Royal Oak Hickory Blended Charcoal Pellets.

Since this turkey weighs around 21 pounds, I'm expecting the cook to take approximately five to six hours. We'll be monitoring the internal temperature throughout the cook rather than relying on time alone.

I'm using my ThermoWorks Square DOT with the probe inserted into the turkey breast to keep an eye on the temperature. I'll also have my ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE handy to check different areas of the turkey before taking it off the grill.

For preparation, I've got a gallon pitcher and whisk to mix the brine, along with my Heath Riles BBQ Brine Bags. I'll also be using a baking rack and baking sheet to make the turkey easier to handle.

The plan is to brine the turkey for 24 hours, dry it thoroughly, season the outside, and get it on the pellet grill. Once it's done cooking, we'll give it a good rest before carving.

The Process

Mix the Cajun Turkey Brine

First, we're going to get our brine mixed up. I've got my gallon pitcher about halfway full of cool water, and I'm going in with my Cajun Turkey Injection & Brine. The instructions on the bag give you a couple of options. You can use one cup of the mixture, which is half of the 16-ounce bag, for one gallon of water. But if you want a stronger Cajun flavor, you can use the whole bag. Since we're cooking a big 21-pound turkey, I'm using the full bag to get plenty of that Cajun flavor into the bird.

Take your whisk and stir everything together until the mixture dissolves, then add enough cool water to bring the total volume up to one gallon. There's no need to heat the water because this brine dissolves just fine in cool water.

Prepare the Turkey and Brining Bag

Before handling the turkey, I'm putting on a pair of gloves. For brining, I'm using one of our Heath Riles BBQ Brine Bags. These are heavy-duty bags with a double-lock seal, and you get two in a pack.

One thing I always recommend is setting your brining bag inside a large pan or food-safe bucket before adding the turkey and liquid. I've actually poked a hole in a brining bag before without realizing it, and when you've got a bird this big and a gallon of liquid, the last thing you want is brine leaking all over your refrigerator. That extra pan underneath gives you a little peace of mind.

Position the Turkey Breast-Side Down

Here's a tip that I think makes a big difference when you're brining a whole turkey. I like putting my turkey into the bag breast-side down because most folks are going to be eating the breast meat. I want to make sure that part of the bird stays completely submerged in the brine overnight.

When you place the turkey breast-side down, the liquid settles around the breast meat at the bottom of the bag. That's exactly what we're looking for. Go ahead and position the turkey in the bag, making sure you've got enough room to pour in the brine and seal everything up.

Add the Brine and Seal the Bag

Now we're going to pour our Cajun brine into the bag with the turkey. I like pouring it into the cavity and letting it work its way around the bird. Once all the liquid is in, you'll see it settle around the breast and legs. These brining bags have a gusseted bottom, which helps the turkey sit down in the bag with the liquid surrounding it.

Straighten out the top of the bag and close the double-lock seal. Here's another little tip: If you want to bring the liquid up around the bird even more, you can gather the top of the bag and secure it with a zip tie. For this turkey, I've already got the breast and legs well submerged, so I'm happy with how it's sitting in the bag.

Refrigerate the Turkey for 24 Hours

Now it's time to get this turkey into the refrigerator. I recommend brining for at least 12 hours, but if you've got the time, 24 hours is what I prefer for maximum flavor. With this big turkey and the full bag of Cajun brine, we're giving it that full 24 hours.

Make sure the bag stays upright in its pan or bucket and keep the turkey refrigerated the entire time. Once that overnight brine is finished, we'll take the turkey out, dry it off, and get it ready for the grill.

Remove the Turkey and Dry the Skin

After 24 hours in the brine, we're ready to get this bird seasoned. Take the turkey out of the brining bag, discard the used brine, and place the bird on your baking rack over a baking sheet.

One thing I want to do is get the skin as dry as possible. I've already dried off the top of the turkey, but I'm also going to lift it up and make sure I get underneath. You don't want to leave a bunch of moisture sitting on the outside because getting that skin dry is going to help us get better color and a crispier finish once it goes on the grill.

Season with Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub

Now let's get some seasoning on this bird. I've already tucked the wings back behind the turkey to keep everything nice and compact. I'm coming in with my Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub and giving the outside a good, even coating. What I like about this seasoning is that it's got that garlic butter flavor along with some Cajun seasoning. It's savory, gives the turkey a beautiful color, and isn't quite as spicy as some other Cajun seasonings.

You can layer it with another seasoning if you want, but I'm keeping it simple for this cook. I'm not pulling the skin back and seasoning underneath it today. You certainly can if that's how you like to prepare your turkey, but with the full-strength Cajun brine we've used, I don't think we need it. Once you've got a nice, even coating of rub on the outside, we're ready to head to the grill.

Get the Turkey on the Pellet Grill

I've got my Yoder YS640 Pellet Grill fired up to 300°F using Royal Oak Hickory Blended Charcoal Pellets. I'm leaving the turkey on the baking rack so it's easier to move around. With a bird this big, having that rack underneath makes handling it a whole lot easier. Place the turkey in the center of the grill.

Now I'm going to take my ThermoWorks Square DOT and insert the probe into the thickest part of the breast. I've got my temperature alarm set to 162°F so I'll know when we're getting close to the finish and can check the turkey with my instant-read thermometer. One reason I like cooking a Thanksgiving turkey on a pellet grill is that I can get everything set up, monitor the temperature, and spend time working on the other food we've got going on inside. We're expecting this bird to take around five to six hours, but we're going to let the internal temperature tell us when it's ready.

Check the Turkey and Spray the Skin

Once the turkey has been cooking for about an hour and a half, I'm going to open the grill and take a look. The skin is already starting to dry out and develop some good color, which is exactly what I want to see. Now I'm going to give it a light coating of Graza Frizzle High Heat Cooking Oil Spray to help the skin brown and crisp up as the turkey continues cooking.

You don't need to soak the bird. Just give the outside a light, even mist and close the lid. At this point, my turkey is reading around 94°F internally, so we've still got some cooking to do. I'm going to let it keep going and come back to check on it again in about an hour.

Monitor the Internal Temperature

After approximately five hours at 300°F, our turkey is getting close to being done. The ThermoWorks Square DOT has reached the 162°F temperature setting, so I'm going to come in with my ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE and check a few different spots. First, I'm checking the dark meat, which is reading around 195°F. Then I'm checking the breast in another spot, where I'm seeing temperatures around 157–158°F. The skin has developed a beautiful color, and everything is looking good.

For food safety, the thickest part of the breast and thigh should reach 165°F before serving. I set my probe alarm to 162°F and expect some additional temperature rise as the turkey rests, but it's important to verify the final temperature with an instant-read thermometer rather than relying on the alarm setting alone. Once the turkey has reached a safe temperature, it's time to take it off the grill.

Rest and Carve the Turkey

Now that our Cajun Brined Thanksgiving Turkey is off the grill, we're going to let it rest before carving. I let this bird rest for about 35 minutes on a pan before moving it over to my cutting board. With a turkey this big, you're going to have plenty of juices coming out while it rests, so keeping it in a pan makes cleanup a lot easier.

Once it's rested, take your Heath Riles BBQ Chef Knife and start carving. The first thing I notice is how crispy that skin turned out. You can hear it when you cut into it, and the Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub has given the outside a beautiful color. Now let's get into that breast meat. Look at how juicy that turkey is! We didn't inject this bird at all. All that moisture and Cajun flavor came from letting it sit in our brine overnight. That's exactly what I was looking for with this Thanksgiving turkey.

The Results

Y'all, this Cajun Brined Thanksgiving Turkey turned out beautiful! After about five hours on the pellet grill at 300°F, we've got some crispy skin, great color, and plenty of moisture in that breast meat.

What really makes this turkey stand out is the combination of my Cajun Turkey Injection & Brine and Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub. The brine gives us that Cajun flavor throughout the meat, while the rub adds a savory garlic butter flavor and beautiful color to the outside.

And remember, we didn't inject this bird at all. We let it soak in the brine for 24 hours, dried it off, seasoned it, and put it on the grill. When I sliced into that breast, you could see just how juicy it turned out.

If you're looking to change things up for Thanksgiving this year, this is one turkey recipe I'd definitely recommend giving a try.

Perfect Pairings

You can't have Thanksgiving turkey without some good sides to go with it! Here are four recipes that would make a great addition to your holiday table.

• Creamy Green Bean Casserole. Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving classic, and this creamy version goes great alongside our Cajun turkey. It's rich, savory, and a good way to round out your holiday plate with something everybody knows and loves.
• Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes. These Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes bring a little sweetness to the table, which pairs really well with the savory Cajun flavor of the turkey. They're a great option if you're looking for a holiday side that's a little different from your usual sweet potato casserole.
• Smoked Funeral Potatoes. If you like a good cheesy potato casserole, you've got to give these Smoked Funeral Potatoes a try. They're creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor. This is the kind of side dish that fits right in at Thanksgiving dinner and goes great with a slice of juicy turkey.
• Honey Hot Jalapeño Cornbread. This Honey Hot Jalapeño Cornbread brings a combination of sweetness and a little heat that works great with Cajun-seasoned turkey. It's also perfect for soaking up some of those turkey juices or any gravy you've got on your plate.

Storing Leftovers

One of the best things about cooking a big Thanksgiving turkey is having leftovers for the next few days. Here's how I recommend storing and reheating them.

• Refrigerating. Once the turkey has cooled slightly, remove the meat from the bones and transfer it to shallow, airtight containers. Refrigerate within two hours of cooking and store for up to 3–4 days.
• Reheating. To keep the turkey from drying out, place the sliced meat in a baking dish with a little chicken broth or turkey drippings. Cover with foil and warm in the oven at 300°F until the meat reaches 165°F. You can also reheat smaller portions in the microwave.
• Freezing. If you've got more turkey than you can eat in a few days, freeze it in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3–4 months for the best quality. I recommend dividing it into smaller portions so you can thaw only what you need. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Tips for the Best Cajun Brined Thanksgiving Turkey

I've cooked plenty of turkeys over the years, and there are a few things I recommend to help you get the best results.

• Choose the right size turkey. I used an approximately 21-pound bird for this recipe, but I normally prefer a turkey around 14–16 pounds. A smaller bird is easier to handle and generally won't take quite as long to cook.
• Adjust the brine strength to your liking. You can use one cup of Cajun Turkey Injection & Brine per gallon of water or the full 16-ounce bag for a stronger Cajun flavor. I used the whole bag for this big turkey.
• Give the brine enough time. I recommend at least 12 hours in the refrigerator, but 24 hours is what I prefer for maximum flavor. Make sure the turkey stays refrigerated the entire time.
• Keep the breast submerged. Place the turkey breast-side down in your brining bag. This helps keep the breast meat surrounded by brine overnight.
• Use a pan underneath the brining bag. Even with a heavy-duty bag, accidents can happen. I always recommend putting the bag inside a pan or food-safe bucket in case of a leak.
• Dry the turkey before seasoning. Once the bird comes out of the brine, pat the skin dry all over, including underneath. Getting rid of that excess moisture helps the skin brown and crisp up on the grill.
• Use a temperature probe. My ThermoWorks Square DOT makes it easy to keep an eye on the turkey without constantly opening the grill. Use an instant-read thermometer to verify that the thickest parts of the breast and thigh reach 165°F before serving.
• Give the skin a light spray. A little Graza Frizzle High Heat Cooking Oil Spray can help the outside brown and crisp up as the turkey cooks. You don't need to overdo it.
• Let the turkey rest before carving. I rested this bird for about 35 minutes. Giving it time to rest makes carving easier and helps keep those juices in the meat.

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for a way to bring some Cajun flavor to your Thanksgiving table, give this Cajun Brined Thanksgiving Turkey a try. It's a pretty simple process, and letting the turkey sit in the brine overnight does a lot of the work for you.

I really like how my Cajun Turkey Injection & Brine works with the Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub. You get that savory Cajun flavor throughout the turkey, beautiful color on the outside, and some crispy skin when everything is cooked just right.

And one of my favorite things about using the pellet grill for Thanksgiving is being able to get the turkey cooking outside while I work on everything else in the kitchen.

Give this recipe a try for your next holiday gathering, and let me know what y'all think!

Equipment & Tools

Yoder YS640 Pellet Grill, Royal Oak Hickory Blended Charcoal Pellets, Heath Riles BBQ Brine Bags, ThermoWorks Square DOT, ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, Baking Rack, Baking Sheet, Gallon Pitcher, Whisk, Heath Riles BBQ Chef Knife, Graza Frizzle High Heat Cooking Oil Spray