Turkey Breast w/ Traditional Stuffing and Herbs
For many, the traditional twenty pound Thanksgiving turkey poses the same question year after year, and that is, what to do with all the leftovers. The answer for many is either a very small turkey or no turkey at all. As an alternative why not a delectable turkey breast, stuffed with an amazing stuffing and served with all of the traditional sides.
This month’s eat recipe is just that; the perfect roasted/ stuffed turkey breast and a couple of other nice recipes to grace your table. This recipe is very easy and the cooking time is much less than a whole turkey. And for accompaniments I am sharing two of my all-time favorites.
Blessings to you from our table to yours...
Ingredients
- 1 whole boneless turkey breast, butterfly
- Fresh garlic cloves, sliced into quarters the long way
- Poultry Seasoning
- Celery, chopped about 1 cup
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- Bay leaves, 2
- Chicken stock (broth)
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Butter, 1 stick
- Multigrain bread, unsliced and cut into cubes
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Sage
- 1 egg
Technique
Butterfly turkey breast to create a flat surface for stuffing. In a large sauté pan, melt ½ stick butter and add onions and celery. Saute until just tender. In a large mixing bowl add bread cubes, 1 teaspoon each of sage, thyme and poultry seasoning. Add a little salt, pepper and granulated garlic, about ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and garlic. Add enough chicken stock to moisten bread crumbs along with slightly beaten egg. Using your hands mix stuffing until ingredients are well-combined. Wash hands. Flip over turkey breast to have underside of breast facing upward. Spoon in stuffing lengthwise along one side of turkey breast.
Beginning with the stuffing side nearest you, begin to roll the turkey breast as you would a jelly roll. Fold in the ends before reaching the end in order to enclose the stuffing.
Seal the breast by inserting two skewers and wrapping with butcher’s thread leaving about 4-6 inches between the thread and tying off once completed.
Using a small very sharp knife make small slits in random areas on the turkey breast and gently insert the thin slices of garlic. Season turkey breast with a mixture of granulated garlic, black pepper, salt and poultry seasoning. Rub into the breast with your fingers to completely cover the entire surface. Melt the remaining ½ stick of butter and brush the turkey breast with the butter until all of the butter is used. Throw a small quartered yellow onion and 1 stalk of celery cut into large pieces into the pan around the breast.
*Note: You can also use your favorite cornbread or other stuffing for this recipe.
Place in a hot oven, 425 degrees and roast for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees, cover loosely with a piece of foil, being careful not to seal but rather create a tent over the breast, and pour ½ cup of broth in the pan around the turkey breast. Do not pour over the breast.
Bake 15 minutes for every pound or until a thermometer inserted in the center reaches 170-175 degrees.
Check the breast periodically and baste to keep moist. Do not overbake. Remove foil the last 10 minutes to create a nice brown crust.
Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. Remove from pan and use the drippings for gravy. To make gravy low-cal, take a paper towel and place across the top of the drippings to soak up the excess oil. You can also use an oil separator or simply spoon off the excess fat. Slice as you would a jellyroll and serve with gravy and fresh cranberry sauce.
