Turkey Breast Recipe

Prepare filling

In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the minced shallot and diced celery and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Combine stuffing

In a bowl combine shredded duck confit, sautéed aromatics, chopped dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, chopped parsley, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Fold gently until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning; set aside at room temperature.

Prepare turkey breast

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, make a pocket by slicing horizontally through the thick side of the breast without cutting all the way through. Season inside the pocket and the exterior with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stuff the breast

Spoon the confit filling into the pocket, packing it evenly but not overstuffing (reserve any extra filling for serving). Press the opening closed and use kitchen twine to truss the breast every 3–4 cm to hold the stuffing in place. Rub the exterior with olive oil and softened butter; tuck thyme and rosemary sprigs under the twine for flavor.

Roast

Place the stuffed breast on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast in the preheated oven for 50–65 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (not the stuffing) reads 68–70°C (155–158°F). Baste once halfway through with pan juices. If the skin browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.

Rest

Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and loosely tent with foil. Let rest 15–20 minutes — carryover cooking will bring internal temperature to safe range and juices will redistribute.

Cook chutney

While turkey roasts or during resting, combine fresh cranberries, brown sugar, diced apple, chopped red onion, grated ginger, red wine vinegar, orange juice, ground cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently 12–15 minutes until cranberries burst and mixture thickens. Mash slightly with a spoon for desired texture. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature; adjust sweetness or acidity to taste.

Make gravy base

After removing the turkey from the roasting pan, pour pan drippings through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup and skim off excess fat, reserving about 1 tablespoon for flavor. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. When melted, whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook 1–2 minutes to form a roux, stirring constantly until the raw flour smell cooks out and it turns lightly golden.

Finish gravy

Slowly whisk in turkey or chicken stock and the reserved pan drippings until smooth. Add fresh thyme leaves, bring to a simmer, and cook 4–6 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If too thin, simmer a few more minutes; if too thick, thin with additional stock or water.

Un-tie the turkey and slice the breast crosswise into medallions about 1–1.5 cm thick, revealing the confit stuffing. Arrange slices on a platter, spoon warm cranberry chutney alongside or atop slices, and drizzle desired amount of turkey gravy. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve remaining chutney and any reserved stuffing on the side.