Best Make Ahead Turkey Breast With Herb Stuffing Cooking Light Recipes

MAKE-AHEAD ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Bring 1 quart water, 3/4 cup salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves and lemon zest to a boil in an extra-large pot (large enough to hold the turkey breast). Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and add 4 quarts water. Let cool to room temperature.
• Add the turkey breast to the pot (use a plate to help submerge it if needed), cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.
• Remove the turkey breast from the pot, and discard the brine. Blot the breast dry all over with paper towels.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Pulse the butter, parsley, sage, thyme, paprika and cayenne in a food processor to combine. Rub half the herbed butter under and over the skin of the turkey breast; roll the rest into a log, and freeze. Place the breast on a rack set in a roasting pan, and roast, rotating as needed to ensure even browning, until the deepest part of the breast registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
• Let the turkey breast cool completely. Wrap it well with plastic wrap and foil, label and date, and freeze, deep in the freezer, for up to 2 weeks.
• Two days before you plan to serve it, put the turkey breast in a baking dish and transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw.
• To serve, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the breast from the bone, and slice. Shingle the slices onto a large baking dish, pour in the stock and dot the turkey with slices of the frozen herbed butter. Wrap the dish tightly with foil, and reheat in the oven until the turkey is hot and the butter is melted, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a platter, and drizzle with some of the pan liquid.

DO-AHEAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook and stir until tender, about 10 minutes. Blend in the bread crumbs, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper, thyme and sage. Stir in enough chicken broth to moisten. Spoon into large resealable bags and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the stuffing into greased casserole dishes.
• Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. If stuffing a bird, cook according to the recipe for your bird and place any extra stuffing into a casserole dish to bake.

TURKEY WITH HERB STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onions and celery in butter until tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the bread cubes, basil, thyme, savory, salt, pepper and broth; toss to mix. Just before baking, loosely stuff turkey. Place remaining stuffing in a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish; refrigerate., Skewer openings of turkey; tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush with melted butter. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until a thermometer reads 165° when inserted in center of stuffing and the thigh reaches at least 170°. Bake additional stuffing, covered, for 45-60 minutes or until heated through., When the turkey begins to brown, baste with drippings (if turkey browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil). Cover turkey and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy.

SLOW-COOKED TURKEY WITH HERBED STUFFING

Steps:

• Place turkey in a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Whisk 1/4 cup gravy, condensed soup and seasonings. Cover and refrigerate remaining gravy. Stir apple, celery, onion and, if desired, mushrooms into gravy mixture. Stir in stuffing cubes; spoon over turkey. Cook, covered, on low until a thermometer reads 170° and meat is tender, 3-4 hours., Remove turkey from slow cooker; tent with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Warm remaining gravy. Serve with turkey and stuffing.

MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY BREAST WITH HERB STUFFING (COOKING LIGHT)

Steps:

• To prepare stock, combine first 10 ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil; add turkey breast. Return to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until turkey breast reaches 170° (use an instant-read thermometer).
• Carefully remove the turkey breast from stock. Cover the turkey breast, and refrigerate. Strain stock through a colander into a large bowl; discard solids, and return stock to pot. Reduce heat, and continue to simmer stock until reduced to 2 quarts (about 1 1/2 hours). Cover and chill stock for 8 hours. Skim solidified fat from surface of stock, if necessary.
• Preheat oven to 250°.
• To prepare turkey, rub poached turkey breast with oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Wrap the turkey in heavy-duty plastic wrap and foil. (Double-wrapping in plastic and foil helps retain moisture when reheating.) Bake at 250° for 2 hours or until thoroughly heated.
• To prepare the stuffing, melt 1/4 cup butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and diced celery; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in bread cubes and the next 7 ingredients (bread cubes through 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Stir in 2 1/2 cups turkey stock. Place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake simultaneously with turkey at 250° for 1 hour and 55 minutes.
• While the turkey and stuffing cook, prepare gravy. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour; reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Gradually add reserved 5 1/2 cups turkey stock, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 3 cups (about 2 hours).
• Uncover turkey; remove turkey breast halves from bone. Slice turkey, and serve with stuffing and gravy.