Now Try This: Epic Smoked Cajun Turkey Legs at Granny’s Cajun Cooking

We’re spoiled in Dallas these days. The city’s culinary scene is flourishing, and our budding metropolis has quietly cemented itself as one of the elite-tier food towns in the country.

But one cuisine we’re not brimming with is authentic Cajun. We do have them, though – if you know where to look. Aunt Irene’s, Dodie’s, The Free Man and Restaurant Beatrice, to name a few.

Granny’s Cajun Cooking on Lovers Lane (a stone’s throw from the Dallas North Tollway) is another you can add to that list. Granny’s boasts a Cajun-Creole curated menu that includes fried catfish, chicken strips, wings, pork chops, jumbo shrimp, po'boys, turkey legs, boudin and gumbo. All seasoned with Granny’s signature Cajun spices.

Granny’s is a ghost kitchen, so you’ll either have to pick it up or have it delivered. We ordered online, set a pick-up time and headed over.

Our first order was Granny’s jumbo wings. They come in five different flavors: Cajun-fried, lemon pepper, hot, BBQ and Cajun sweet and spicy (our pick). A six-piece basket will set you back a cool $18.90 (you can also order a 12-piece basket for $27.30). Seems steep, yeah? But considering Buffalo Wild Wings (the Walmart of chicken wings) charges close to 11 bucks for six,  without a side, you start to realize it’s really not as crazy as it sounds.
Wings ain’t cheap nowadays, folks (what is, for that matter?). And at Granny’s, you get a gargantuan-sized side to pick from: fries, onion rings, red beans and rice, mac and cheese, gumbo, fried okra, hushpuppies or Cajun-fried cauliflower. They don’t skimp on the sides here, believe us.

For our side, we opted for the Cajun-fried cauliflower, and while the wings delivered (the Cajun sweet and spicy sauce was a hit), the fried cauliflower stole the show. They were fried to a perfect golden crisp, and that trademark Granny’s Cajun seasoning, pronounced in every bite, was outstanding.

But the real headliner for us, and the reason we went, was the turkey leg. We wanted to try just the basic leg first before moving on to the stuffed options. Exquisitely Creole-seasoned and smoked to tender perfection, it is glorious. On par with the iconic State Fair turkey legs. Granny’s also has a mind-blowing smoked turkey leg stuffed in creamy mac and cheese and then topped with Cajun alfredo sauce and grilled chicken (yeah, wild). At some point, sooner rather than later, this is one menu item that will have to be tried. There’s no way around it.

There’s a lot to like about Granny’s. But if for no other reason, at least go for the turkey legs. They alone are worth the trip.
Granny’s Cajun Cooking, 5601 W. Lovers Lane, No. 110. Daily, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.