A large stuffed turkey breast is ideal for smaller holiday gatherings.
My father reminded me the other day that Thanksgiving turkey doesn’t have to be a whole bird.
You could roast just a couple turkey legs if you like dark meat.
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If you prefer white meat, stuff and roll a turkey breast.
Brine Your Turkey for the Win!
For extra flavor and juiciness, considerbrining your turkey breastbefore stuffing it.
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What Size Turkey Breast to Buy
This recipe calls for a 2-pound boneless turkey breast.
Thats a fairly small size.
If larger ones are all you could find, double the stuffing ingredients and cut the breast in half.
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Then, roast two stuffed turkey breasts.
Adjust roasting time, as needed (this is when a good meat thermometer comes in handy!).
Plan for for about 1/2 pound of turkey per person.
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A 5-pound breast will feed 8 to 10 people.
Turkey breast meat is an especially lean cut, so it’s easy to overcook.
Here’s alittle handy guideon getting the right temperature for your bird.
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Can You Stuff Turkey Breast Ahead of Time?
You don’t want to leave your stuffed turkey uncooked, because of salmonella concerns.
What you could do is make the stuffing 2 to 3 days in advance, cool, and refrigerate.
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What To Serve With Turkey Breast Roast
More Turkey Recipes to Make!
It will bathe the turkey in flavor and will keep the breast from drying out.
If you don’t eat bacon, just use a generous tablespoon of butter to saute the shallots instead.
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Once rehydrated, then chop.
Slowly cook the bacon in a medium frying pan on medium heat until crispy.
Remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.
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Once cool enough to touch, chop.
You should have at least a tablespoon of fat in the pan.
Add the chopped dried cranberries, minced sage and chopped mushrooms.
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Stir well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the breadcrumbs, parsley, chopped bacon, and turkey or chicken stock and stir well.
You want a rough paste, something that will stick to itself.
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Remove from the heat and allow the stuffing to cool.Season to taste with salt, as needed.
Remove the kitchen string, and thinly slice the rolled breast into about 1/2-inch slices.
To make the stuffed turkey breast, remove the skin from the turkey in one piece and reserve.
(It may be easier to butterfly the breast first, depending on how thick the breast is.)
Trim the pounded breast until it is roughly a rectangle.
Spread a thin layer of the stuffing over the breast, leaving about 3/4-inch border around all sides.
Starting with one of the shorter ends of the turkey rectangle, roll up the turkey breast.
Lay the skin over the top of the rolled breast and tuck any under the edges.
Paint it with olive oil, or smear butter or bacon fat over it and sprinkle with salt.
USDA guidelines recommend cooking turkey to 165F or until no longer pink in the middle.
The turkey should reach 165F as it rests; check with an instant-read thermometer before serving.
Let it rest at least 10 minutes, and up to 25 minutes.
While the turkey breast is resting, if you want, make a little gravy with the drippings.
But even a little bit of drippings can flavor a gravy.
Sprinkle with flour and stir until the flour is incorporated into the drippings.
Slowly add stock, whisking constantly until smooth.
Season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning or ground sage or thyme.
Let simmer on the stove until thickened to your preference.
