Buffalo Style Turkey
Yes, you read that right.
Buffalo Style Turkey.
I mean, why not? Buffalo Wings are awesome…we all know that. Turkey is awesome. Turkey is poultry; chicken is poultry. Therefore, Buffalo Style Turkey must be awesome, at least in theory.
Science is science.
Taste is taste.
Buffalo Style Turkey tastes awesome.
This idea of Buffalo Style Turkey is fairly ingenious. That little bit of heat from the spice is something you rarely find in a turkey, and that kick made the juicy bird unique and delicious. I wish we hadn’t eaten the whole thing, as I just know the sandwiches made from that spicy turkey would have been incredible. Instead, we ate it like our lives depended on it.
As if the Zombie Apocolypse was upon us, and the turkey was to be our last civilized meal.
You should try it. In case. You never know if and when the outbreak will occur. You’ll thank me as you run, jumping that fence at midnight, dirty from hours spent looting the local Piggly Wiggly, where there was Vaseline, but were no turkeys left.
Damned zombies.
Excellent Turkey.
Buffalo Style Turkey
For the Brine:
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Rosemary
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Sage
- 1 Tablespoon Summer Savory, Dried
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 green peppers, chopped
- 1 cup Kosher Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
- 1 Quart Chicken Broth
- 12 ounces Beer
- 2 1/2 quarts water
Twelve hours or the night before baking your turkey, prepare the brine. Bring all ingredients to a boil over medium heat. Allow to boil for roughly 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Once cool, place the thawed turkey in a large pot and pour the brine over it. If the turkey is not entirely submerged, add water to the brine until it is completely covered. Keep refrigerated (or in a cooler with ice) for 12 hours.
Prepare the rub and injection while the turkey chills.
Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly. Pat dry.
For the Rub:
- 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon mustard powder
- 1 Tablespoon black pepper
For the Injection:
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/3 cup Franks Red Hot
- 1/3 cup prepared rub
Once the turkey has been pat dry, place it in a roasting pan filled with about half an inch of water. Rub the skin down with butter and olive oil. Inject the meat with as much of the prepared injection as possible. If you have leftover injection, add it to the water in the roasting pan. Rub the turkey with the prepared rub over the top skin and on the inside of the skin and in the cavity. If desired, fill the cavity with chopped carrots, onions, and celery.
Bake at 350 until the thermometer reaches the recommended safe temperature.
For tips and tricks on preparing the finest turkey for Thanksgiving, head on over to the post I did. It’s full of good ideas, if I do say so myself.
For reference – we use the Le Creuset Roasting Pan. It is fantastic! The insert does a great job of keeping the meat out of the liquid, and it cleans up like a dream. Lucky for you, it looks like it’s half price on Amazon!
Have a great Thanksgiving!
