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!
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
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.
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.
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.
Once chilled and ready to slice, cut each breast off the bone.
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!
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 Lunchmeat
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
You can use boneless as well, just adjust your cooking times accordingly.
This recipe looks amazing! Can you freeze the turkey after you cut it?
Absolutely!
This recipe sounds wonderful! Once it is prepared, how long does it keep in the fridge… thank you
General rule is 4 days.
Our oven is out. Any recommendations on how to do this with an air dryer?
I’m sorry but we don’t use an air fryer. But you can try this recipe cooking instructions.
This recipe is so delicious and easy. Worth the wait!!
I plan on making this today but it is only 2.88 lb breast. Will it still work???
Sure would but cooking time will be less and if you make the full recipe for the rub, you’ll probably have some leftover.
I want to use the crockpot will it still be juicy?
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.
I followed the recipe to a tee except I smoked the Turkey breast over Hickory. Absolutely incredible! Thank you for the recipe!
what brand did you use? I am only finding breast that has already been flavored. Thank you
I can’t be for sure but I think it was Butterball.
U say i brined it r u calling the spices and frig time the brine or did u wet brine it first
“The key is dry brining for at least 24 hours.” Yes, the salt and spices are a dry brine, not wet.
I cannot wait to try this!
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!
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.
No, it was not pre-brined.
Is there a way to remove the shin and still keep it moist?
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.
What type of turkey do I need to buy for this?
6-7 lb Turkey breast
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.
So glad to hear it, thank you so much!
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!
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.
Did you use a bone in or boneless breast?
We use bone-in, but you could use boneless. Adjust your cooking time accordingly. Thank you so much for coming by!
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!!
Thanks so much, Laurie!
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!!
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!
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!
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 Helen
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.
Thank you, Tina!
This looks amazing…I can only imagine how great this would taste on a sandwich!
Thank you so much, Colleen!
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!
My husband would love this for his sandwiches each week!!! Also, wow, your slicing looks “deli” professional. Great recipe!!
Thanks, Maria! My husband devoured the turkey in a flash. 😉