Preparing a delicious stuffed turkey breast is a great alternative to roasting a whole bird if you are hosting a smaller Thanksgiving gathering this year. A bone-in turkey breast provides plenty of juicy white meat and crispy skin, and stuffing it adds incredible flavor. Follow this guide to learn how to butterfly, fill, tie, and roast a stuffed bone-in turkey breast.
Why Stuff a Bone-In Turkey Breast?
Stuffing a bone-in turkey breast provides several advantages over roasting an unstuffed breast or cooking a whole turkey:
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Yields moist, flavorful white meat infused with stuffing and seasoning. The stuffing keeps the breast meat from drying out
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Provides that nostalgic stuffed turkey taste in every bite.
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Cooks much faster than a whole turkey freeing up oven space for side dishes. A 6-8 pound bone-in breast takes only 2-3 hours to roast.
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Easier to carve and serve than a whole turkey.
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Feeds 4-8 people, ideal for smaller gatherings like Friendsgiving.
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Impressive, elegant presentation when brought to the table whole and then sliced.
How to Prepare and Butterfly a Bone-In Turkey Breast
Butterflying opens up the breast like a book so it cooks evenly. Here are the steps:
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Remove the skin: Slide your fingers under the skin and gently peel it off the breast meat. Set aside.
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Slice horizontally: Place the breast smooth-side down. Using a sharp knife, cut into the thickest part, keeping the knife parallel to the cutting board. Slice to 1/2 inch from the edge.
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Open and pound: Open up the breast and cover with plastic wrap. Gently pound to a 1/2 inch thickness all over.
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Season: Rub the exposed breast meat with olive oil or butter, salt, pepper, and any other desired seasonings.
How to Make the Perfect Turkey Breast Stuffing
An aromatic, savory stuffing complements the mild turkey flavor. Try one of these delicious stuffing recipes:
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Classic bread stuffing: Toast bread cubes then mix with sausage, celery, onions, herbs, broth, and eggs.
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Cornbread stuffing: Combine cornbread, cranberries, pecans, parsley, sage, and chicken broth.
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Wild rice stuffing: Cook wild rice and mix with sauteed mushrooms, shallots, parsley, thyme, and chicken stock.
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Apple and sage stuffing: Saute apples, onions, celery, and sage then mix with cubed challah or white bread.
How to Stuff a Bone-In Turkey Breast
Once butterflied and seasoned, stuff your turkey breast with these steps:
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Fill the cavity: Spoon some stuffing into the main breast cavity. Pack lightly but fill the space.
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Roll: Starting at a short end, roll up the breast around the stuffing into a tight log, pressing to seal.
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Replace the skin: Lay the reserved skin over the roll and tuck it under to enclose the stuffing.
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Tie: Use butcher’s twine to tie the log at 1-inch intervals. Make sure the stuffing stays put.
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Fill extra cavities: Stuff more stuffing into the neck flap and any other small openings.
Roasting a Stuffed Bone-In Turkey Breast
Follow these guidelines for perfectly roasted results:
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Use a roasting pan and rack.
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Brush breast all over with olive oil or melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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Roast for 2-3 hours until the thickest part reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer.
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Baste occasionally with pan juices to keep moist and brown evenly.
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Let rest 15 minutes before carving to allow juices to absorb back into the meat.
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Carve into slices, spoon over pan juices, and serve with your favorite Thanksgiving sides.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can prep your stuffed bone-in turkey breast 1-2 days ahead:
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Butterfly, stuff, tie, and brush with oil up to 2 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator.
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Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.
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Roast as directed, checking temperature early as it may cook faster than a cold breast.
A stuffed bone-in turkey breast makes for an elegant yet easy Thanksgiving meal. Follow these tips for carving-ready results your smaller gathering will love.
How to Debone a Turkey Breast | Gimme that Recipe!
FAQ
Can you stuff a bone-in turkey breast without?
How to stuff a single turkey breast?
Do you cook a bone-in turkey breast at 325 or 350?
How do you cook a bone-in Turkey Breast?
To cook a bone-in turkey breast following Ina Garten’s recipe, first preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Next, place the fully defrosted turkey breast skin side up in a roasting pan. In a bowl, combine all the herbs, dry mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Rub the remainder of the paste on the outside of the turkey breast skin.
How to stuff a turkey breast?
To stuff a turkey breast, loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers and stuff butter under the skin. Tuck in a few thyme leaves. Fill the turkey with your choice of stuffing. Here are two tasty stuffing recipes to try. Once stuffed, tie the ankles together. Spread the thickly sliced onions over one of the disposable trays and place the bird on top.
Can I use a boneless turkey breast instead of a breast?
For the Turkey Turkey breast: (about 3-4 pounds): I use a boneless turkey breast with the skin on. You can substitute a bone-in turkey breast, but it will take slightly longer to cook. Be sure to use an instant-read meat thermometer and check for doneness at 165°F in the thickest part of the breast.
What does a bone-in Turkey breast look like?
Before cooking, a bone-in turkey breast has a bone running through the middle and usually has the skin attached, giving it a different appearance compared to a boneless turkey breast. Once they are both cooked and sliced, they look the same.
How to remove the bone from a turkey breast?
To remove the bone from a turkey breast, start by making a long slice to remove the bone from the turkey’s back. This will give you access to the rib cage, which you can then remove to access the turkey breast’s thigh bone. This bone also needs to be removed.
How to cook a turkey breast with butter & thyme?
In a small bowl, add the softened butter, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, and thyme and mix it together with a fork. Rub the butter mixture over the entire turkey breast (even lift the skin gently and rub it underneath as well.