Cajun Dry Brine Turkey

*THAW THE TURKEY (5-6 Days Ahead of Time)

1. Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator, placing it in a roasting pan or large tray to catch any liquid. Allow approximately 5 hours of thaw time per pound. For a 14-pound turkey, plan on about 3 days.

BRINE THE TURKEY (2-3 Days Ahead of Time )

1. Remove the giblets from the thawed turkey, then pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
2. In a small bowl, combine salt, brown sugar, lemon zest, and pepper. Sprinkle generously all over the turkey, including the cavity, focusing on the breast and legs.
3. Place the turkey on a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24-48 hours to allow flavors to penetrate.

UNCOVER THE TURKEY (1 Day Ahead of Time)

1. After 24 hours, remove the plastic and let the turkey rest for another 24 hours in the refrigerator. (This step will create a crispy skin on your turkey.)

PREPARE, REST, and BAKE THE TURKEY (The Day Of )

1. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator, and let it rest at room temperature for about 1 hour. Do not rinse the turkey.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. In a small bowl, combine butter, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Reserve ¼ cup of the Cajun butter, and store it in the refrigerator to use in the gravy.
4. Place the turkey, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast with your hands, being careful not to tear it. Rub 3 tablespoons of Cajun butter under the skin. Rub the entire turkey with the remaining Cajun butter.
5. Tuck or tie the legs with kitchen string, and tuck the wings under the bird.
6. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan.
7. Bake the turkey at 425°F for 30 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue cooking for an additional 2 to 2 ½ hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160°F.
8. Every 30 minutes baste the turkey with pan drippings. (Cover with aluminum foil if the turkey browns too quickly.)
9. When done, remove the turkey from the oven and transfer it to a serving platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Cajun Gravy

1. While the turkey is resting, prepare the cajun gravy. Strain the drippings from the roasting pan through a fine mesh strainer, discarding any solids. Measure out about 2 ½ cups of drippings.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the reserved chilled Cajun butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes until it forms a smooth paste.
3. Gradually add the reserved drippings, whisking constantly.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Carve and serve turkey with the cajun gravy.