Cajun · French

Cajun Turkey au Poivre with Andouille Cream Sauce

Name: Cajun Turkey au Poivre with Andouille Cream Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cajun, French
Ingredients: 1 bone-in turkey breast, skin on, about 3–4 pounds, fully thawed; 3 TBSP olive oil; 2 tsp salt-free Cajun seasoning; ½ tsp kosher salt; ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground; ½ cup red bell pepper, finely diced; 1 tsp olive oil, only if needed for sautéing; 6 oz fully cooked smoked andouille sausage, small dice; 1 tsp salt-free Cajun seasoning; kosher salt, to taste; 2 TBSP unsalted butter; 1 large shallot, finely diced, about ½ cup; 3 medium garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed; ½ cup brandy or cognac; 2 cups unsalted chicken or turkey stock, plus extra as needed; ½ tsp dried thyme leaves, not ground thyme; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; Louisiana hot sauce, to taste, optional; 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Au poivre recipes were having a viral moment, and I kept seeing everyone putting their own spin on that beautiful peppercorn cream sauce. With Thanksgiving coming up, I thought, why not give turkey a turn? My French culinary training makes me especially fond of a good sauce, and this one has all that lovely richness, with a splash of cognac and a little Louisiana personality from smoky andouille and Cajun seasoning. It brings French inspiration to an American Thanksgiving favorite—and gives you something a little unexpected to spoon over your turkey. This is one holiday dinner where I’d happily make room for extra sauce.

Recipe by Mary Keelan Williams | One Recipe Two Cultures ✓ TESTED & DEVELOPED BY MARY KEELAN WILLIAMS

🇺🇸 American+🇫🇷 French

JUMP TO RECIPEPIN RECIPE

Mary’s Introduction

This turkey breast is built around a generous sauce. The andouille and red bell pepper cook first, then return to the finished peppercorn cream before it goes over the turkey. Carve the rested breast and spoon the sausage-studded sauce over each portion, with rice or mashed potatoes alongside.

Why These Flavors Work

Smoky andouille and Cajun seasoning give the mild turkey a savory backbone. Sweet red bell pepper and shallot soften the bite of crushed black peppercorns, while reduced stock, brandy and thyme add depth. Cream rounds out the spices, with Dijon and Worcestershire providing a tangy, savory finish.

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LEFTOVER IDEAS

Turn the leftovers into something new.

Photo coming soon

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COOKING MODECajun Turkey au Poivre with Andouille Cream Sauce

Follow Mary’s published recipe step by step. Use Keep Screen Awake on the recipe card if needed.

Step 1 of 9

STEP 1

Prepare the turkey. Heat the oven to 350°F. Pat the fully thawed turkey breast dry. Place skin-side up in a deep ovenproof casserole or roasting dish. Rub with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

STEP 2

Brown the andouille. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the diced fully cooked andouille in batches for about 5–7 minutes total, stirring and turning to color the pieces. Transfer to a plate.

STEP 3

Sauté the pepper. Leave the rendered sausage fat in the skillet. Add the finely diced red bell pepper and sauté for about 3 minutes, until slightly tender. Add the optional 1 teaspoon olive oil only if needed. Transfer the pepper to the sausage plate. Do not wipe out the skillet or discard its remaining drippings.

STEP 4

Start the sauce. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 4–5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, coarsely crushed peppercorns and remaining 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning; stir for 30 seconds.

STEP 5

Add the brandy and stock. Remove the skillet from the burner before adding the brandy or cognac. Return to the heat and simmer for 3–5 minutes; do not ignite. Add the 2 cups stock and dried thyme leaves. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by about half.

STEP 6

Finish and combine. Reduce the heat. Stir in the heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 5–8 minutes, until lightly thickened but still pourable. Fold in the browned andouille and sautéed pepper and warm through. Taste before adding kosher salt or optional Louisiana hot sauce. Do this tasting before the sauce contacts the raw turkey.

STEP 7

Pour over and roast. Pour the finished sauce with the sausage and pepper over and around the turkey breast. Place in the 350°F oven immediately and roast uncovered, basting about every 20 minutes. If the skin or sauce browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil. Add a little warm stock around the breast if the sauce becomes too thick.

STEP 8

Check doneness and rest. Begin checking after about 1 hour in the oven. Allow approximately 1¼–2 hours total roasting time, or longer as needed. The turkey must reach at least 165°F in the thickest part of the breast, with the thermometer clear of bone. Check the sauce in several places for 165°F as well because it has contacted raw turkey. Transfer the turkey to a clean platter and rest for 20 minutes. Keep the sauce warm; if holding, keep it at 140°F or above.

STEP 9

Carve and serve. Stir the sauce gently, adding a splash of warm stock if needed. Skim excess fat if present. Carve the turkey and spoon the andouille and red pepper cream sauce over the portions. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes if desired.

How to Make Cajun Turkey au Poivre

Season the breast

Heat the oven to 350°F and rub the thawed bone-in breast with its olive oil, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.

Brown the sausage and soften the pepper

Brown the diced andouille, set it aside, then sauté the red bell pepper in the rendered fat. Set it aside too; do not wipe the skillet.

Cook the aromatics

Melt butter in the retained drippings, soften the shallot, then briefly cook the garlic, peppercorns and remaining Cajun seasoning.

Reduce the sauce base

Add brandy off the burner, then simmer without igniting. Add stock and thyme and reduce the liquid by half.

Finish the cream sauce

Gently simmer in cream, Worcestershire and Dijon, then fold in the sausage and pepper. Taste and season before raw-turkey contact.

Roast with the sauce

Pour over and around the breast and immediately roast at 350°F, basting every 20 minutes. Tent or add warm stock as needed.

Check and rest

Check the breast clear of bone and the sauce in several places for at least 165°F. Rest the turkey 20 minutes on a clean platter.

Carve and spoon over

Adjust sauce consistency with warm stock, skim excess fat if needed, then spoon over the carved turkey.

Recipe Guidance

Storage

Within 2 hours of cooking (1 hour above 90°F ambient temperature), carve remaining turkey off the bone and refrigerate it and the sauce in shallow covered containers at 40°F or below. Use within 3–4 days. Keep any reserved portion clean and separate from food served at the table. Freeze cooled, promptly refrigerated turkey portions with sauce in airtight freezer containers for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat to 165°F. Cream sauce may separate or become slightly grainy; stir gently and loosen with stock.

Reheating

Reheat only the portions needed. Place sliced turkey and sauce in a covered oven-safe dish with a splash of stock and heat at 325°F until the meat and sauce reach 165°F. Stir the sauce gently where accessible and avoid a hard boil; add warm stock if thickened.

Make Ahead

Up to 1 day ahead, dice the sausage and vegetables and refrigerate separately in covered containers at 40°F or below. Measure dry seasonings separately. Keep raw turkey sealed on a tray below ready-to-eat foods. Make the sauce and assemble with the raw breast on cooking day, then roast immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Arrange carved turkey on a warm platter and spoon over the andouille and red bell pepper sauce. Serve rice or mashed potatoes alongside to catch the sauce. Accompaniments are suggestions and are not included in the nutrition estimate.

Mary’s Introduction

Why These Flavors Work