¼ cup (60 mL) white wine, poultry broth or orange juice
Turkey Breast
One 2 lb (1 kg) boneless turkey breast, skin on *
2 Tbsp (30 mL) butter, room temperature
Freshly ground black pepper
*The skin is essential in this recipe to keep it moist. If you can’t find boneless, skin on turkey breast, you can easily debone a breast yourself.
Do you like your stuffing soft and moist, or crispy? This rolled turkey breast provides both in one compact Thanksgiving feast. Even though the prep for this dish is a bit messy, the final results carve beautifully, ensuring even a novice will impress guests with perfect slices.
Directions
Stuffing:
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, but not browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Place in a large bowl and toss with the dried cherries, and orange zest. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and sage, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent and soft.
Add onion-celery mixture to the bread cubes, being sure to scrape out all the butter from the pan.
Give a generous grinding of black pepper and mix well.
Drizzle with white wine, broth or orange juice and combine well. Let the stuffing soften while you prepare the turkey. (The stuffing can be made the day before and refrigerated in a covered container. Do not pre-stuff the turkey roll a day ahead!)
Turkey breast:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut two pieces of string about 12” (30 cm) long and set aside. Grease the bottom of a baking dish with 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of the butter.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Set the turkey breast, skin side down on the parchment and spread a plastic freezer bag on top to prevent splatters. Pound the turkey breast until it’s about ¾” (2 cm) thick. The edges will be uneven, but aim to get the thickness uniform.
Cover the turkey breast with 1” (2.5 cm) of stuffing and press to compact. Place any excess stuffing in the baking dish to form a bed for the turkey roll.
Using the parchment as a guide, roll the breast into a log, starting at one of the short ends. Don’t worry if some of the stuffing escapes, just be sure to wrap the breast tightly enough that the turkey ends overlap. Slip one piece of string under the turkey roll and tie securely about 2” (5 cm) from the end. Repeat with second piece of string, tying it at the other end of the roll.
Gather up any escaped stuffing and add it to the baking pan.
Place the turkey breast seam side down on top of the stuffing.
Rub the turkey skin with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of butter, and top with more freshly ground black pepper.
Roast 50 to 80 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted in the centre of the roll registers 165°F (74°C). Allow the finished turkey breast to rest for 10 minutes before slicing in rounds. Be sure to remove the string when you carve.
Bon Appetit! Take a photo and share this recipe #ThinkTurkey
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