Turkey breast stuffing can be made with a variety of ingredients to suit individual tastes, such as sage, onions, and celery, or fruit like cranberries and apples. A basic recipe involves toasted bread cubes mixed with butter, onions, celery, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Other variations include using rice, cornbread, or adding sausage, bacon, or ham. Different cuts of meat can also be stuffed with cheeses or vegetables.
Exactly what makes the best turkey breast stuffing is a matter of individual taste. Some appreciate the taste of sage, onions and celery on moist croutons offered by the traditional Christmas filling. Others enjoy a fruitier flavor, with cranberries or apples added into the mix. A healthier filling can use oatmeal, quinoa or rice. There are a variety of turkey breast stuffing recipes that cater to a variety of tastes.
The basic turkey breast stuffing recipe is often considered the best because it brings back many childhood memories. This filling usually involves toasted bread cubes mixed with melted butter, fried onions, celery, sage, thyme and rosemary. It creates a very solid foundation for the flavor of turkey meat. Unlike a whole bird, for which cooking the stuffing inside the breast cavity could cause problems, stuffing just one breast works very well and imparts moisture and turkey flavor to the stuffing.
The classic filling can be easily modified to take on different desired flavours. Cranberries or other dried fruit can be placed in the filling and will reconstitute during cooking. The sausage taken out of its casing and crumbled into the mixture adds a savory accent. Different greens and spices, such as green onions, cinnamon, ginger and coriander can be used to add complexity.
A variation of sweet turkey breast stuffing does not contain bread, instead calling for cooked white rice. The rice is mixed with dried apricots, raisins and nuts such as walnuts, hazelnuts and pecans. Thyme and onions are added to the mixture and then stuffed inside the turkey breast. The result is a sweet complement to the turkey meat that also adds texture.
Some turkey breast stuffings use cornbread crumbs in place of Italian or white bread. It adds a different, stronger flavor and can stand up to more aggressive ingredients. Sausage, bacon and ham are some options and can be paired with apples, walnuts or chestnuts. The cornbread will cook and act as a loose binder for the ingredients, creating a filling that has more body than some after roasting.
Depending on the cut of meat, turkey breast stuffing can be very different from traditional holiday stuffing. The boneless cuts can be buttered and filled with butter, seasonings and ham. The brisket can be stuffed with cheeses such as bleu, swiss cheese, or feta. Vegetable stuffing bound with a small amount of Japanese breadcrumbs and egg whites can fill the inside of a turkey breast, especially with ingredients like asparagus, mushrooms and diced sweet potatoes.
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