What are Cajun injection recipes?
Cajun smoking has grown in popularity over the past few years. The titillating taste of Cajun cuisine has struck the right chord with food enthusiasts. Cajun food is now amazingly prepared in almost every foodies’ home. With such a rise in its popularity, it becomes important that you, as a foodie, know about different aspects of Cajun smoking. One such aspect of Cajun smoking is Cajun injection recipes.
Cajun injections are liquids with Cajun spices that are put into a large needle and inserted into a thick, larger piece of meat like chicken, turkey, or brisket. It’s either oil or butter based, or it could include a brand of liquid smoke. The Cajun Injector was invented by a restaurant owner in Clinton, LA, in 1977, as a fast, easy way to marinade big cuts of meat from the inside out.
Cajun injection recipes are great to try and taste. They make the dish all the more fulfilling and delightful to enjoy. Using them in your meat can make the whole experience of Cajun smoking noteworthy. Here we will talk about some Cajun injection recipes, the different ways you can prepare them, and how one should go about choosing the right Cajun injection for their meat. So, let us begin our journey into the world of Cajun injection recipes.
Cajun Injection Recipes
We will now discuss some amazing recipes that one ought to try in order to feel the real taste of Cajun cuisine. You should get a good grasp on the different ingredients and the methods of using the Cajun injection before giving it a try.
Cajun Turkey Injection Marinade
One very popular Cajun dish, deep-fried turkey, was actually prepared years ago. The first step is an amazing injection marinade. You need to mix the traditional recipe and it is then directly injected in the bird. You definitely need to ensure that you mix it well before loading it through your needle. When deep frying, make sure that any extra marinade that may be present is wiped off.
Ingredients:
- Lemon juice – 1 cup or the juice from a large lemon
- 1/4-1/2 cup liquid crab boil (optional)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup butter
- Onion powder, 1 – 2 tablespoons
- Garlic powder, 1 – 2 tablespoons
- Cajun seasoning, 1 – 2 tablespoons
- 1-2 teaspoons tabasco sauce (depending on your preference)
- 1-2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on heat level)
If you opt not to use the crab boil then you will want to increase another liquid or two.
Directions:
- Bring all your ingredients together.
- Place them in a saucepan. Slowly simmer them over low heat. Do this till the butter melts. Then, stir slowly and keep heating till the sauce has fully melted and all ingredients have married.
- Then cool the mixture by taking it off of the heat. *Do not refrigerate.
- Inject it while it is still warm. Make sure that you are able to distribute the marinade all over the bird and spreading it evenly throughout.
- You then need to wipe off any excess that could be leaking out.
- Cook, serve, and enjoy the Cajun cuisine.
Sriracha Beer Injected Cajun Turkey Recipe
Sriracha is an amazing sauce that every foodie must try at least once. So, if you want to make crazy Cajun turkey this year for Thanksgiving, try out this recipe and you will win everyone’s hearts.
INGREDIENTS:
For the Turkey
- One whole turkey, 12–16 lb.
- 2 green bell peppers, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3–4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup vegetable or Canola oil
CAJUN SPICE RUB
- salt, 1 Tablespoon
- cayenne pepper, 1/2 – 1 tablespoon
- garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoon
- paprika, 1/2 tablespoon
- onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon
- oregano, 1/4 tablespoon
- thyme, 1/4 tablespoon
- black pepper, 1/4 tablespoon
- chile powder, 1/4 tablespoon
CAJUN SRIRACHA BEER MARINADE
- Sriracha sauce, 9 oz. bottle
- garlic powder, 1 tablespoon
- Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon
- Cajun dry spice rub, 1/2 tablespoon
- Sriracha spice, 1-2 tablespoon
- Salt, 1 tablespoon
DIRECTIONS: Prepping The Turkey
- One hour before you start roasting, remove turkey from the refrigerator.
- Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan.
- Fill up your meat injector with the Sriracha beer marinade. Inject the turkey evenly throughout. Most foodies usually inject each breast, each drumstick, each thigh, and both sides of the back of the turkey in at least two locations.
- Pat it dry by using paper towels. This is important if you want a crispy, crunchy skin.
- Sprinkle it with the Cajun spice rub. Massage into the skin.
- Brush it all over with oil.
- Fill the cavity with the bell peppers, celery, and onion. Place additional veggies around the turkey in the roasting pan.
- Cook for about 2-3 hours, basting occasionally. Turkey is done when the thickest part of the breast is 165° or internal thermometer pops.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
- Serve and enjoy this Cajun cuisine!
CAJUN SPICE RUB
To make the Cajun spice rub, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
CAJUN SRIRACHA BEER MARINADE
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
Cajun Slow Cooked Whole Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
- hot smoked Spanish paprika, 1 tablespoon
- Cajun blackened seasoning, 1 tablespoon
- ground oregano, 1 teaspoon
- black and/or white pepper, 1 teaspoon
- seasoning salt, 1 teaspoon
- ground chipotle, 1 teaspoon
- ground cumin, 1 teaspoon
- 4-6 oz of a creole butter injection
- Half a white onion
- 8-10 cloves of garlic
- 1 whole fryer chicken
Directions:
- Mix all the dry ingredients to make a rub
- Stuff the chicken body cavity with half an onion and 5-6 cloves of garlic
- Liberally rub chicken with Cajun seasoning
- Inject creole butter into breasts, thigh, and drumsticks
- Tie legs together with cooking twine
- Place in slower cooker breast side up. Cook on high for 2 hours, then on low for 5-7 hours or until internal chicken thermometer pops.
Butter Injected Turkey
INGREDIENTS:
Turkey:
- 1 turkey, 10-15-pounds
- 1-pound butter
- 2 sprigs thyme
- salt and pepper
Dressing:
- 2 pounds specialty bread, (wheat, oat, French, whatever you like), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups turkey or chicken stock
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 Spanish onion
- 3 slices of bacon
- 1 bag crushed walnuts, toasted
- 2 grated fresh carrots
- dried raisins or cranberries as garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- Preparing your turkey:
- Preheat the oven to 500°F.
- Melt the butter.
- When it comes to injecting the butter into the turkey, you will need to use a hypodermic needle or an injection needle. You may also use a baster injector for this. Another option is stuffing solid butter mixed with seasoning under the skin of the turkey.
- Place thyme in the cavity of the turkey. Then lightly sprinkle pepper and salt on the bird that you will be Cajun smoking.
- Put the turkey in the oven or smoker. Once it reaches the internal target temperature. Let it then until the internal thermometer pops out, letting it cook till the exterior of the bird looks crisp. You can decrease the heat as per the cooking progress. The end goal is to have a turkey which has a thick golden-brown exterior. You may also tent the bird with aluminum foil if you feel the exterior is becoming to brown.
Preparing the Dressing:
When it comes to preparing the dressing, you need to keep the following points in mind:
- You need to render the bacon while reserving the fat at the same time.
- You can add onion and garlic to the bacon drippings. Add salt and pepper as per your taste.
- You then need to sauté the onions until they are translucent.
- Add bread cubes. Add stocks and reduce slightly.
- Add some grated carrot and mix it gently.
- Crush the crispy, cooked bacon and combine it with the mixture.
- Add in eggs (crack them open in a separate bowl to ensure freshness before adding) and mix them until they are incorporated.
- You may add some walnuts (optional)
- Pour the mixture into a cake pan.
- Place it in the oven or smoker to cook.
- The top will brown and become crispy on top.
- Enjoy with friends and family.
Cajun Beer Can Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup of a creole butter recipe (Use the brand of your choice. We prefer to make our own.)
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 teaspoons creole seasoning (Use the brand of your choice. We prefer to make our own.)
- 1 -12 ounce can of beer
DIRECTIONS:
- Prepare your grill for medium heat.
- Preheat it by turning all burners on medium. Then turn off the burners on any single side.
- For attaching the needle to your injector, you need to turn it in clockwise direction till it is snug. You should never over tighten it. Then pour all the marinade in a different container. Inject it at various points which are at least two inches apart. Then sprinkle creole seasoning.
- Remove 1/4th cup of beer from the can. Poke two holes at the top of the can just under the rim. Hold your chicken in an upright position. Spread open the chicken’s cavity and slide the open beer can into its cavity. You should then position the chicken legs in such a way that they can easily support it. You then need to close the grill’s lid.
- Grill it for at least 1. 5 hours. Remove the chicken from the can before serving.
Turkey Injection Marinades
We will now discuss about different kinds of turkey injection Marinades that food enthusiasts can use in their Cajun dishes. Making these marinades would be easy. You can use them to prepare your own Cajun injection recipes that can be a slight modification of the originals. Let us begin.
We will begin by talking about Cajun turkey injection sauce. It is the sauce that can be used to be injected in a turkey. The birds that are fried in the Cajun way are injected using it. The flavor is settled inside the turkey, which means that you need not worry about any flavor getting washed off. As mentioned earlier, it is vital that you can distribute the whole injection in an even manner.
Turkey injection is such a vital part of Cajun cooking that every aspect of it needs to be covered. It is a great injection marinade that has paved its way to become one of the most commonly used items, as far as Cajun smoking is concerned. It is easy to prepare, enhances the taste and above all is a foodie’s delight.
Cajun Turkey Injection Sauce
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup liquid crab boil (optional)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon tabasco
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all your ingredients well, using a saucepan. Then heat till you can see that your butter has melted. You should then stir the whole mixture using a regular and gentle rhythm. Heat it until the sauce Is pretty liquefied. Then inject it while it is warm enough to remain in liquid state.
Now let us discuss the next recipe for turkey injection marinade. We will discuss an herb made with Italian seasonings. It can be used to make your turkey more outstanding and tastier.
Italian Injection Marinade
There are many great marinades that are mostly built up on Italian flavor. The one we are going to talk about is great in herb and is mild in heat. All food enthusiasts should ensure that the herbs that they are using, are well grounded. You can run them through a grinder or a mortal and pestle. Mix all your ingredients well beforehand. Then use the marinade. It will settle easily so you need to keep on stirring it all the times when you are about to reload your needle.
Italian Herb Injection
INGREDIENTS:
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons dried sage
- 2 tablespoons dried marjoram
- 2 tablespoons savory
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
We will now talk about the “hot talk of the foodie town” that is a hot and spicy injection.
Hot and Spicy Injection
This is a great marinade which can add real heat under the skin of any bird that you cook. For the food enthusiasts who want a little fired in the meat that they will be Cajun smoking this becomes a great choice. The only thing that you need to keep in mind is that you need to put small quantities in each part or pocket of the meat. You then need to mix the ingredients and stir well until the salt dissolves.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons hot sauce
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Savory Turkey Injection
It is also one of the most used injection marinades when it comes to Cajun smoking. This can also be made from scratch in the comfort of your home. As a foodie and as a Cajun lover, you should try using this injection in your bird to make it more appealing to the taste buds.
It is an amazing marinade and is filled with great flavor for your turkey. Keep in mind that failing to spread the marinade evenly will cause you to end up with pockets of marinade in the center of the meat. Also, make sure to mix the whole mixture well. The herbs should also be small by the time you are done with the process.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup light oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Beer and Butter Poultry Injection
We talked about the dish, now let us talk about the injection. This injection is an amazing way to make your bird more flavor filled and moist. It can be used to make a thanksgiving meal more remarkable. It is a great injection which can provide you with more taste and more fun with your turkey. Try it out and enjoy the Cajun smoked turkey.
Using the above injection will help you in going deeper into the meat of the bird that you are cooking. You should ensure that you can keep the mixture warm enough to keep the butter in liquid state. Then mix all your ingredients together in a saucepan. Stir and heat it till the salt is dissolved.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2-pound butter
- 1/2 can beer
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tabasco
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
Fried Turkey Rub With Cajun Injection
We will end this article with a surprise recipe. It is a recipe that you can prepare at any time of the day for lunch or for dinner. The taste is unique, and the flavors just melt into your mouth seamlessly. We are going to talk about- Fried Turkey Rub with Cajun injection.
It is a great dish that is easy to prepare and does not require much effort. You can easily make it at home by just going along with the recipe. All you need is the enthusiasm and diligence of a seasoned Cajun cuisine enthusiast. Let’s begin!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 1⁄4 cup ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons cayenne powder
CAJUN INJECTION RECIPE (USE 1/4 TO 1/2 CUP RUB FROM ABOVE)
- 12 -24 ounces bottled beer
- 2 -3 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- 1 -2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1⁄4 cup hot sauce (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Start by mixing all your ingredients together and then applying them on the turkey. A duration of eight to twenty-four hours is right when it comes to marinating your meat.
- You should then combine all the injection recipe ingredients. This will include half a cup of the rub. Then comes cooling and straining the mixture and then injecting it in the turkey.
- You should fry the bird depending up on the weight of the turkey.
These are some Cajun injection recipes that you should definitely try if you want to get a full taste of Cajun cuisine!