This succulent stuffed turkey breast will have everyone filled with Christmas cheer
The perfect holiday meal starts with a good succulent roast. Whether it's cooking for your loved ones or looking for a new roast recipe to spice things up this festive season, this stuffed turkey breast recipe will make an elegant festive main. It’s also the kind of recipe that doesn't require the whole bird, so it's less intimidating to cook. This recipe feeds a party of six to eight, and you won't have to eat two weeks' worth of leftovers after.
A good roast dish also requires a good quality roasting pan. We used the Le Creuset 3 Ply Stainless Steel Square Roaster for this recipe. This square roasting pan is perfect for smaller roasts and offers superb heat retention for optimal cooking and roasting. This allows your roast to crisp beautifully on the exterior and stay moist on the inside. Turkey breast does have a tendency to be less juicy—that's where the glaze comes in. This citrus port glaze adds an additional depth of flavour to this dish that makes it lip-smacking and delicious.
How long does it take to cook a stuffed turkey breast?
In general, cooking a stuffed turkey breast may take longer and can go up to four to five hours, depending on the weight of the bird. This recipe only requires the turkey breast hence it can be cooked under two hours.
Should I cover my stuffed turkey with foil?
Covering a turkey in foil produces more moisture than roasting without, however, it will also mean that your turkey may not develop a crisp exterior. If you prefer a perfectly browned and crisp roast, do without the foil.
Stuffed Turkey Breast with Citron Port Glaze
Prep Time: Under 2 hours | Cook time: Under 2 hours | Serves 6-8 Ingredients For the turkey:- 1 turkey breast 2,5 -3kg, skin removed
- 30ml olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
- 100g Pancetta or Parma Ham, chopped
- 200g baby spinach, wilted
- 10g rosemary, finely chopped
- 80g candied chestnuts, finely chopped
- 3 medium onions or shallots, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 145g breadcrumbs
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
- 2 x 25g sachets of mushroom stock concentrate
- 15ml whole grain mustard
- 125g butter
- 100ml maple syrup/honey
- 100ml orange juice
- 15ml port
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 sprigs rosemary
Method 1. Heat a frying pan on medium heat with a good splash of olive oil to make the stuffing. Depending on the size of your turkey breast, you will use 1/2 - 3/4 of the amount of stuffing for the actual bird (the rest is deliciously fried and served warm on the side). Add the pancetta and fry until crispy; remove from the pan, and in the remaining pork fat, fry the onions and garlic and sauté until fragrant and softened or translucent. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, except for the egg and the spinach. Mix to combine and fry for about 10 minutes on medium to low heat to allow the flavours to mingle. Taste for seasoning and leave aside to cool. Squeeze out any excess water from the spinach and roughly chop it up (keep the stalks on). Only once it is cooled, add the beaten egg and spinach and stir to combine; this will ensure that your stuffing stays together and does not fall apart when carving.
2. To prepare the rolled turkey breast, lay two layers of plastic wrap on your countertop, and place the breast on top to butterfly it. To butterfly, cut the thick piece of the meat partially in half to form one large, flatter piece. Next, place another two pieces of cling film on top of the turkey and, using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, flatten the turkey to about an even layer of 2cm thickness, careful not to tear the flesh.
3. Generously season the surface of the flattened turkey with salt and pepper. Place the stuffing down in the centre of the turkey and press it down on the flesh in an even layer. Leave a border around the stuffing in order to make it easier for rolling, in order to tie and secure without the stuffing falling out. Now roll the turkey from the short end, making sure it is tightly rolled. Roll tightly in the cling film, twisting the ends of the cling film up like a sweet wrapper to secure and shape the breast into a perfect cylinder. Now do the same with tin foil, rolling up tightly. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
4. To make the glaze, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk until the butter is melted. Bring to a simmer until slightly reduced and syrupy.
5. Fill a large Le Creuset 29cm Signature Oval Casserole (or a casserole dish big enough to hold the rolled turkey) with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn it down to a simmer. Place the turkey roll into the simmering water and gently simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Ensure the turkey is completely submerged in the water for the entire cooking time; by poaching your turkey, you ensure it is evenly cooked, stays moist and tender, and retains that beautiful shape. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the turkey from the water and plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cool, remove the foil and plastic wrap from the ice water. Drizzle the Le Creuset 3-ply Stainless Steel Square Roaster with olive oil and place the turkey inside. Drizzle with more olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 20-30 minutes. Baste with the sweet basting sauce every 5 – 10 minutes to ensure it is sticky and delicious. Remove from the oven and allow to rest before plating and carving.
6. Before serving, glaze again with pan juices and serve with roasted potatoes, steamed green beans, tender stem broccoli, and creamy shallot gravy.
Recipe source: Le CreusetNext Read: 3 Delicious Recipes For A Beautiful Christmas Feast
