Homemade Cajun Turkey Deli Meat

How to make homemade Cajun turkey deli meat. It is so much tastier than store-bought, plus a fraction of the cost!

Homemade cajun turkey deli meat sliced on a wooden cutting board.

I was tired of paying over $10 a pound for “good” deli turkey sandwich meat. There is only one brand I’m willing to eat and it’s fairly expensive.

You guys I can’t even begin to describe the tremendous flavor of this turkey. The key is dry brining for at least 24 hours.

Try our Strawberry Shortcake!

Homemade Cajun Turkey Deli Meat

Homemade Cajun Turkey Deli Meat - turkey breast rubbed in spices and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap

Skip the deli counter, head to the meat department and do it yourself.

Mix the spices together and completely cover the turkey breast evenly. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours.

We brined ours for 48 hours.

Homemade Cajun Turkey Deli Meat - turkey breast on a foil lined roasting pan

Remove the turkey breast from the fridge for at least 45 minutes before roasting. Do not rinse the turkey breast.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

We placed a skewer through the breast to keep it upright in the pan. Oven roast the turkey for 15 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees and continue cooking until the internal temperature in the thickest part reads 165 degrees.

Homemade Cajun Turkey Deli Meat - baked turkey breast on a foil lined roasting pan

Remove it from the oven, allow to rest and cool enough to wrap tightly and place in the refrigerator overnight.  

Refrigeration will give you the best thin slice lunch meat possible.

Homemade Cajun Turkey Deli Meat sliced thin on a wooden cutting board

Once chilled and ready to slice, cut each breast off the bone.

Homemade Cajun Turkey Deli Meat sliced thin on a wooden cutting board

Using a very sharp knife, start slicing as thin as you like. PERFECTION!

This homemade Cajun turkey deli meat is so tender and full of Cajun flavor. Seriously, the flavor is all the way through the meat!

Check out our Smoked Chicken Wings!

Homemade Cajun Turkey Deli Meat made into a sandwich on a red plate

This is exactly what you have been waiting for, an amazing sandwich using this bread recipe.

Who doesn’t love deli meat? Just look at that sandwich!  This is the sandwich we’ve been longing for at a fraction of the price!

Turkey Deli Meat Recipe

Homemade cajun turkey deli meat sliced on a wooden cutting board.

Homemade Cajun Turkey Lunchmeat

Homemade Cajun Turkey Deli Meat – So tender and full of flavor you will never buy deli lunchmeat again!
4.73 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Lunch, Sandwich
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 278kcal
Author: Don’t Sweat The Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 6-7 lb Turkey breast
  • 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried Thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Dry the turkey breast with paper towels, inside and out.
  • Mix all the above listed dry brine ingredients together in a small bowl.
  • Rub the spice mixture evenly over the turkey breast.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap, place on a baking tray or large plate and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
  • Remove from the refrigerator and allow to stand at room temperature for 45 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. (Remove the plastic wrap from the turkey.)
  • Roast the turkey breast, uncovered for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees. Continue cooking until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast is 165 degrees. About 1 1/2 hours. Check frequently, you DO NOT want to overcook the turkey. (ours was at 165 degrees in 1 hr 30 minutes total time, including the 15-minute high heat roast)
  • Allow the turkey to cool, wrap the turkey and place it in the refrigerator overnight to chill completely.
  • Using a very sharp knife remove the breast from the bone, then slice as thin as you like for sandwiches.

Notes

Serving size depends on how high you pile your sandwiches.
You can use boneless as well, just adjust your cooking times accordingly.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 1260mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1.7mg

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37 Comments

    1. Sure would but cooking time will be less and if you make the full recipe for the rub, you’ll probably have some leftover.

      1. Hi, Velda. The cajun rub will act as a dry brine to help keep the turkey juicy. I suggest placing onion slices over the bottom of the crockpot, then placing the turkey on top of the onions, and cook low and slow. Cook on the Low setting for 3 hours. Cook until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Check at 2 ½ hours and continue to cook as needed. Remove it to a board and tent loosely to rest, it will continue to cook will resting.

  1. I followed the recipe to a tee except I smoked the Turkey breast over Hickory. Absolutely incredible! Thank you for the recipe!5 stars

  2. This was so good!! Made it in quarantine while trying to move away from deli meats and towards healthier home lunches. I’ve made it 4 times already and each time was perfect. Only change I made was to add olive oil to the marinade. So tasty. Thanks for a great recipe!5 stars

  3. Wanting to try this. Was your turkey breast pre-brined? Many folks don’t realize that most turkeys are pre-brined from the producer. Just trying to determine if your recipe is really a dry brine on a pre-brined bird.

        1. We have never tried it without skin. The skin helps provide a little protection from the heat to preserve a little moisture in the meat. Breasts tend to be dry.

  4. Used this recipe to bribe my thanksgiving turkey. I did a breast as well bc I was tired of failing at turkey year after year. It came out amazing! My family loved it especially my youngest sister who is very picky with turkey. She told me to never loose this recipe.

  5. It looks like the skin is removed which would allow the seasonings to penetrate deeply but could make the turkey dry. Just want to make sure before I make this. It sounds amazing!

    1. Patti, the skin is still intact. We do not remove the skin, the dry brining allows the flavors to penetrate. You will be so surprised how flavorful the meat comes out. I really hope you enjoy the recipe! Thank you so much for dropping by.

    1. We use bone-in, but you could use boneless. Adjust your cooking time accordingly. Thank you so much for coming by!

  6. This is awesome! We will be trying this very soon! Pinning to share. Thanks so much for being a part of Brag About It this week! Have a great weekend!!

  7. This sounds amazing!!!! We love deli meat, Boar’s Head is my favorite! Several years ago we bought an electric slicer. A smaller version of what you see at the deli counter. It saves us a ton of money, but the selection of whole, unsliced meats aren’t very good. I’m SO excited to try your Recipe, thank you!!

    1. Thank you, Vicky! A meat slicer is on my husbands wish list. Boar’s Head is our favorite too but it’s so expensive. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

  8. Smart! I just don’t buy deli meat anymore because it is so expensive so this is a wonderful alternative. Thank you for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday!

  9. What a great idea and a great recipe, thanks so much for sharing it with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen5 stars

  10. I really like how you brine your turkey first. Such a great idea. I can’t wait to give it a try! Thanks for sharing.5 stars

  11. What a great idea! We would love to have you at our To Grandma’s house we go link party that opened this Wednesday morning and lasts all week!5 stars

  12. My husband would love this for his sandwiches each week!!! Also, wow, your slicing looks “deli” professional. Great recipe!!

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