Roasted Buffalo Turkey

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Roasted Buffalo Turkey

Prep: 30 minutes
Roast: 3 hours 30 minutes • Serves: 12

1-1/4cups buffalo wing sauce
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 fresh or frozen (thawed) turkey (12 to 14 pounds)
2 medium carrots, cut in half
1 medium onion, quartered
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
1 container (32 ounces) less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1.Adjust oven rack to lowest position; preheat oven to 325°. Place roasting rack in large, heavy metal roasting pan. In small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce and 1/2 cup butter. In separate small bowl, combine pepper, salt, celery salt and garlic powder.

2.Remove and discard giblets, liver and neck from turkey. With fingers, gently separate breast skin from breast meat to make 2 pockets, being careful not to tear skin. Evenly place buffalo sauce-butter mixture over each breast under skin. Place turkey, breast side up, on rack. Sprinkle inside cavity and outside of turkey with salt mixture. Place carrots, onion and celery inside cavity. Tuck wing tips under turkey to hold in place. Roast turkey 1 hour.

3.Meanwhile, in small saucepot, heat remaining buffalo sauce to simmering over medium heat. Whisk in remaining 1/2 cup butter until melted; remove saucepan from heat.

4.Pour 2 cups broth in bottom of roasting pan. With brush, baste turkey with buffalo sauce mixture. Loosely tent turkey with aluminum foil. Roast turkey 2-1/2 to 3 hours longer or until juices run clear and internal temperature reaches 160° in thickest part of thigh, making sure thermometer doesn’t touch bone, basting every 20 minutes.

5.Transfer turkey to cutting board; loosely cover with aluminum foil. (Internal temperature will rise 5 to 10° upon standing.)

6.Meanwhile, remove rack from roasting pan; with spoon, carefully skim excess fat from drippings. Place roasting pan with drippings across 2 burners; heat to simmering over medium heat. Whisk in flour; add remaining 2 cups broth and heat to simmering, stirring frequently to remove browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 8 to 10 minutes longer or until gravy thickens, stirring occasionally. If desired, strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Approximate nutritional values per serving:  
544 Calories, 29g Fat (12g Saturated), 261mg Cholesterol,
1678mg Sodium, 5g Carbohydrates, 1g Fiber, 62g Protein

Chef Tip:
Serve with a simple blue cheese dip: In small bowl, stir 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 garlic clove crushed with press, and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice until well combined. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.