Today, November 28th, our American neighbors are celebrating their Thanksgiving Day. It encompasses both religious and secular aspects … being both a harvest festival and a festival of family.
Here in Canada, our Thanksgiving was celebrated on October 14th. When it comes to this occasion, some dishes are required eating. Turkey, gravy, cranberries and don’t forget the stuffing.
Stuffing can be whatever you want it to be. I love stuffing, dressing, filling or whatever you choose to call it. Something that has never left my food memories, was my mother’s turkey stuffing. Of course, I’ve tried to replicate it and I think I’m fairly close but then the ‘taste of a memory‘ equation comes in and ….
In the bottom of one of her cupboards she kept a brown paper bag. In it were dried herbs still on their stems. This seemed to be the magic ingredient whatever they were.
I can honestly say I love the stuffing almost more than the ‘bird’. Over the years, Brion and I have had stuffing that contained rice, cornbread, oysters, apples, mashed potatoes, bacon, various types of breads, etc., etc..
In acknowledgement to the USA Thanksgiving today, I am featuring a stuffed turkey breast. This particular stuffing is really what makes this recipe delicious. The white meat of the turkey has a tendency to be dry, so adding bratwurst sausage with its higher fat content, and not to mention great flavor, keeps the breast moist. The turkey, bratwurst and cranberry sauce are all wrapped in bacon to make a ‘all-in-one‘ main course.
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- 1 onion, chopped
- drizzle of vegetable oil
- 6-8 slices hickory smoked bacon
- 2 Tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
- 400 grams bratwurst sausages, meat squeezed from their skins
- 8 fresh sage leaves, copped plus a few for garnish
- 250 ml cranberry sauce (my choice was an Orange/Brandy Cranberry Sauce
- 454 grams turkey breast 'steaks'
Ingredients
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- Heat a drizzle of oil in a skillet & saute onion gently for 10-15 minutes until caramelized. Place in a large bowl & set aside to cool. Line a 9 x 51/2 x 3-inch (23 x 13 x 7 cm) loaf tin with a double strip of foil, leaving plenty overhanging on either end to use as handles once meat is cooked.
- Stretch each piece of bacon a little with the back of a knife. Arrange slices so the base of the tin is covered with overlapping bacon & the slices come neatly up the sides in a single layer, overhanging generously. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the bacon.
- Add sausage meat & sage to cooled onion. Combine well, then pack half the mixture into the loaf pan. Spread over about a third of the cranberry sauce.
- Cut each turkey breast in 3 strips. Layer roughly half the turkey on top of the stuffing mix, filling the gaps like a jigsaw, but keeping the turkey in one thick layer, then season. Spread over a little more cranberry sauce, then top with remaining stuffing, cranberry sauce & turkey in the same way, making sure there are no gaps between the layers. The parcel should be full to the top when you are finished. Fold over the overhanging bacon & wrap the tin in foil paper.
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Place the tin on a baking tray & bake for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the tin from the oven & allow to cool for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the parcel out of the tin, using the foil handles. Roll the parcel over onto baking tray removing the foil.
- Return to oven for about 15-20 minutes until the outside is crisp & browned. Test the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, it should read 170 F when its ready. Cover loosely with foil & leave to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh sage leaves if you wish.