Singular Thanksgiving: Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipe

So everyone’s probably thinking about Thanksgiving dinner next week – what to eat, or what to make.

Last year, I made Thanksgiving dinner (and live blogged about it) at my studio apartment for my nephew and his girlfriend. But this year, it’s back to the Single Guy Thanksgiving, and like most years I’m probably just going to make a roast chicken and maybe pumpkin pie.

And there may be a few of you out there like me who’s an orphan this Thanksgiving, far from home and reluctant to accept the various invitations from friends to join their big family gatherings. So I figured I’d come up with the following recipe for a simple Thanksgiving dinner for one.

Stuffed turkey breast seems to be making a comeback this Thanksgiving. And why not? You get your turkey and stuffing all in one and you don’t have to spend hours cooking since turkey breast cooks pretty fast. My basic version uses the same pot used to bake the turkey breast to also make a sauce or gravy for the final dish.

You can buy the boneless turkey breast roasts if you can find them at the grocery store, or you can do what I ended up doing, which was buy a turkey breast and then deboned it, and then trying to butterfly it to make it an even layer that can be tied up into a roll.

The only thing about this recipe is that you end up with lots of stuffing. But shouldn’t we all be stuffed at Thanksgiving? Enjoy!

Sweet Pork Sausage Stuffing
Copyright 2010 by Cooking With The Single Guy

Ingredients
1 Sweet Italian pork sausage, casing removed, crumbled
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 shallot, finely diced
1 T fresh sage, minced
1 T fresh thyme, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 cups bread crumb cubes, unseasoned
1 T vegetable oil
1 T butter
salt

In a pot, warm the oil over medium heat and then add the shallots and cook to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the celery and carrots and continue to cook for another 3 minutes, adding a pinch of salt.

When the vegetables have softened a bit, add the sausage and brown, breaking it apart as you cook. Then add chicken broth and bring to boil.

Remove from heat and add bread crumbs, herbs and butter, then season with salt to taste. Mix thoroughly and cover pot and set aside.

Makes six servings

Stuffed Turkey Breast
Copyright 2010 by Cooking With The Single Guy

Ingredients
1 turkey breast, boneless (about 1.5-2 lbs.)
Sausage stuffing
2 T extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Butterfly turkey breast so that it’s evenly flat. Season with salt and pepper on both sides, then lay on flat surface. Spoon a layer of stuffing on top of the turkey breast (don’t overdo it because you need room to roll). Then roll the turkey breast and tie up your breast into a log using cooking twine.

In a dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat and then add the turkey breast, browning all sides, especially the skin portions. Cover dutch oven and then place in oven and cook for 30 minutes. Then remove cover and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness of breast meat) or until the turkey registers 165 degrees when using a meat thermometer. (Be sure to stick the meat portion and not into the stuffing in the center.)

When cooked, remove turkey breast from the dutch oven and let it rests before removing twine and slicing about inch thick.

Makes 2 to 3 servings

Brown gravy
Copyright 2010 by Cooking With The Single Guy

Ingredients
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 T flour
1 T butter
salt and peper to taste

Using the same dutch oven that you cooked your turkey breast in, place on stovetop on medium heat and add flour and cook for about 30 seconds. Then add Marsala wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape off all the nice burnt bits at the bottom of the pan, then add broth and stir until thicken. Add butter then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Plate up your turkey breast, drizzle some of the gravy and garnish with cranberry sauce and serve with mashed potatoes and cooked greens like string beans.