It doesn’t get any betta’ than this stuffed and smoked turketta!
In Italy they serve stuffed hogs called porchetta on special occasions.
So don’t ask me what possessed me, but one day I took the idea and substituted turkey. The results were very special.
I chose to stuff mine with drunken cranberries, dried cranberries reconstituted with port. But you can stuff it with a bread stuffing, fruit, or whatever moves you.
Smoked Stuffed Turkey (Turketta) Recipe
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This is a twist on the Italian porchetta, but with turkey, making it a perfect alternative to a whole turkey during the holidays.
Course: , ,
Dinner
Lunch
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Makes:
Takes:
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey breast, bone in
- Simon & Garfunkel Rub
- Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
- 1 batch drunken cranberries
- 2 medium onions, chopped into quarters, skin on
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1″ chunks
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped into 1″ chunks
- 1/4 cup dried mushrooms
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup apple juice
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
Notes:
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.
Metric conversion:
These recipes were created in US Customary measurements and the conversion to metric is being done by calculations. They should be accurate, but it is possible there could be an error. If you find one, please let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page
Method
- Prep. Carefully remove the skin from the breast trying to keep it from tearing.
- Stretch it out, inside up, on a cutting board and sprinkle the Simon & Garfunkel on it.
- Remove each breast lobe from the bones by sliding a flexible knife along the keel bone and down the ribs. I use a fileting knife Then flip it over and remove the tenderloin, a muscle that is loosely attached with a thick tough white tendon in it.
- Remove the tendon from the tenderloins and freeze them for another meal. The make a great grilled turkey sandwich.
- Sprinkle salt on both sides of the meat and place the breast lobes on the skin, thin sides overlapping.
- Pile the drunken cranberry stuffing in the middle. Slip butcher twine under the skin, roll it up and tie it off. Try to cover the ends so the stuffing doesn’t spill out.
- Once you have it hogtied, sprinkle on some salt and more rub.
- Chop the onions into quarters, leaving the skin on. Peel the carrots and chop into 1-inch (25 mm) pieces. Cut the celery into 1-inch (25 mm) pieces.
- Fire up. Chop up the carcass and throw it in a drip pan with any other trim. Add the celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, herbs, and wine in a drip pan. Fill it up with water or chicken stock. No salt yet. Fire up your smoker or set up your grill in 2 zones. Place the drip pan under the grate on the indirect side and get the temp stabilized at about 325°F (163°C) in indirect heat.
- Cook. Place the meat above the drip pan on the indirect side, add some wood for smoke, and close the lid. When the meat hits about 150°F (65°C), lift out the drip pan, strain it, skim off excess fat, taste the stock, boil it down if you want to concentrate it, and season it with salt only after it is the proper richness.
- Serve. When the meat hits 160°F (71°C), remove it and carve it into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) thick slices. And don't forget to remove the string! Plate and serve.
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