Chorizo Stuffed Boneless Turkey Breast

A succulent roast turkey with all the trimmings makes a delicious holiday celebration meal; however, there are many other ways to enjoy turkey. This preparation works well if you are looking to scale down your holiday feast and add a bit of spice, or if you're simply looking to incorporate a new turkey recipe into your meal rotation.

When baked in a convection oven, a turkey breast cooks fairly quickly, in approximately 40 minutes, and remains very juicy. Any extras can be enjoyed gently reheated, but are also delicious served cold with a salad or in a sandwich.

In this recipe, a boneless turkey breast is stuffed with fresh chorizo, roasted peppers, herbs, fresh breadcrumbs, and egg to bind the stuffing together. You can use mild or spicy chorizo, but be sure it’s fresh, not smoked. If you want extra spice, you can include some peppers, such as poblano or jalapeno; in other words, this recipe is easy to customize to your taste.

When baking a boneless stuffed roast, using an oven meat probe can be tricky because an accurate reading of the internal temperature can only be obtained if the probe is inserted directly into the meat. Since the meat is pounded slightly to make it easy to fold over the stuffing, there isn’t really enough to give the probe sensor purchase.  For this reason, it’s best to follow the recipe cooking and resting time, but you also check the meat with an instant-read thermometer when it comes out of the oven, just be sure the tip remains in the meat.

INGREDIENTS

1 boneless turkey breast 2.5 - 3lbs

½ medium yellow onion, cut into small dice

1 lb (about 3)  fresh chorizo sausages, mild or spicy (available at Latin markets)

2 large peppers, assorted colors

1 tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves

1 tsp dried oregano

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

1 egg beaten

PREPARATION

To make the stuffing, arrange the oven racks so that the top rack is in the second position from the top, and preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C) in Broil Mode or Hi.

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and discard the ribs and seeds.  Cut each half in half and press down on each section to slightly flatten the pepper.  Place the prepared peppers, skin side up, on a rimmed baking tray lined with foil. Place the peppers in the oven and cook until the skins are charred.  Remove the tray from the oven, cover the peppers with a paper towel, and set the tray aside to cool. When cooled, remove the blackened skin and chop the peppers into a small dice.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the oil, and sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and oregano, and cook for another minute. Then, stir in the chorizo and cook for about 5 minutes. When cooled, stir in the chopped peppers, fresh parsley, breadcrumbs, and egg and mix gently to combine.

To butterfly the turkey breast, lay it skin side down on a cutting board or in a rimmed baking sheet. With a sharp knife, cut through the thickest side of the breast, taking care not to cut all the way through.  Open the breast like a book, cover it with plastic wrap, and gently flatten the meat to a uniform thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Season the meat with salt and pepper. Form the stuffing into a sausage shape, place it on the prepared turkey breast, and roll the turkey up around it. My turkey breast came with a stretchy netting, and once it was stuffed, I slipped the netting over the turkey to hold it securely together. Another option is to tie the breast in intervals with kitchen twine to maintain its shape.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180 °C) in Convection Bake or Convection Roast mode.

Place the turkey breast on a shallow, rimmed baking sheet, and spritz it with a light spray of oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt.  Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven. The cooked roast should feel firm to the touch, and the internal temperature of the turkey should read between 165°F and 175°F (74°C and 80°C).  Allow the roast to rest for 15 - 20 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6