Fresh Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast

 In the spirit of full disclosure, everything I learned in this post came from a Rachel Ray Special YEARS ago.  The info was so helpful to me that it's become my tradition and bears repeating.

We go to my in-laws for most holidays so I don't have to cook.  I REALLY enjoy left overs so it's not uncommon that I will prepare a turkey breast for home.  Also, our supermarket offers a free turkey if you spend $400 during the month of October and November.  Instead of getting a whole turkey (which is too much for us) I opt for a frozen turkey breast to make our holiday meal.

In this post you will learn:

1.  How to bone a fresh turkey breast
2.  How to roast a fresh turkey breast
3.  How to make broth

Each section is clearly labeled so that you can skip to the section you need.



PART 1 - HOW TO BONE A FRESH TURKEY BREAST

First, please know that if you buy a fresh (not frozen) turkey breast you can simply ask the butcher to bone it for you.  Ask to take home the bones.  They make a great broth!  I get a free (frozen) turkey from the supermarket each year, so I bone it myself.  Plus, I like the boning process.  The other option is to buy a boneless breast, but then you won't have bones to make broth.

For this project you will need:

Cutting board
Garbage bowl or small bag
Cutting Board
Plate for carved meat
Large pot to make broth and store bones
Sharp knives!
Kitchen scissors (optional)
Roasting pan

Safely thaw your turkey breast

Safely thaw your turkey breast.  [I allow mine to sit in the refrigerator for about 2 days.]    Rinse the breast and pat dry with paper towels.  Toss the paper towels.

Sharpen your knives!

With a sharp knife, split your breast down the middle from top to bottom.

Split breast down the middle (front)

 

Next, turn the breast over and cut  down the back.  It might already be cut for you! (mine was).  Since you'll be cutting through bones, kitchen scissors work well for this job

Back of turkey breast

Remove the spine

Next cut off  the turkey spine and place it in the stock pot.  The spine in the very bony piece in the middle of the back.

Spine remove!

Spine in stock pot

Now, you'll need to remove the meat from the bone.  The goal here is to keep the breast in 1 piece.  Work slowly and carefully with a sharp knife.

Peel the meat away from the ribs

 Now that the spine if gone, you should be able to peel the meat away from the bone a little bit.  Using your knife slowly cut along the rib cage and separate the meat from the bone.

One breast removed!

Let the bone be your guide.  Cut along the bone until the breast is removed.  If you get stuck as to what to cut next, hold the turkey up by the breast.  Gravity will pull the meat away from the bone and show you where to cut next.

Both breasts removed!

Before you know it both breasts are removed!  Put the turkey carcus (bones) in a stock pot.

Lightly oil a roasting pan

Season the bottom side of the breast

I use basic seasonings (salt, pepper and onion powder)

Seasoned breast bottom

Season UNDER the turkey skin

Season the top of the turkey skin

UN-tucked turkey edge

Tucked edges

Nobody likes dry turkey.  To help it cook more evenly, tuck in any loose edges.

Now, it's ready to bake!

Bake in a 300 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until it reaches a temperature of 160 degrees.

Allow the meat to rest covered in foil

Remove the turkey from the oven and cover it with foil.  Since the meat will continue to cook once it's removed from the oven, leave it covered until it reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees.

Once the meat reaches 165 degrees, remove the foil.  Now you're ready to eat!

Fully Cooked!

Note:  If you like the skin extra crispy, run the breasts under the broiler for just a few minutes.



Part 3 - HOW TO MAKE TURKEY BROTH

For this section you will need:

Turkey carcus
seasonings
large stock pot
assorted veggies (carrots, onions, etc)

If I'm cooking a full holiday meal, I keep a stock pot simmering on the stove.  As I cook I'll toss in most food waste.  That is to say carrot tops, onion skins, parsley stems, etc.  This recipe is for a basic broth.  It's SUPER easy and works well.

Place the turkey carcus, bones and trimming in a large stock pot.

Turkey carcus in a stock pot

Add a hand full of salt, 2 Tablespoon of pepper and 3 Tablespoons of onion powder.

About this much salt

Basic seasonings

In truth you could add just about any seasonings to this broth.  Since I use it in lots of different foods I typically stick to the basics.  That is salt, pepper and onion powder.

Add veggies to stock pot

Add 1 whole [uncut] onion and a couple of [washed, uncut] carrots to the pot.  Fill the pot about 1/2 - 3/4 full of water and simmer over med/low heat with the top on the pot.

Simmer over med/low heat

Allow the broth to simmer with the until the veggies are fully cooked.  Strain out the meat and veg and use the broth to make gravy, rice, soup or anything you heart desires!

I store strained broth in mason jars in the refrigerator or in ziploc bags in the freezer.



Broth Pro Tip:  Making from from bones is very easy and pretty forgiving.  It can be cooked quickly or slowly.  It can even be made in the slow cooker if you like.

If I have a long cooking day, I bone my turkey first and start the broth early.  As the day goes along I add veggie scraps to the simmering pot. 

If I have a short cooking day, I turn up the heat to medium and cook things a little faster.  It works out great either way!

Mario and Luigi Hats in various sizes

From time to time people ask me to make Mario and Luigi hats for parties.  Several years ago I made a batch of these hats for my son's birthday party and they were a real hit!

Mario and Luigi Hats - Party Favor

 The other day a reader of this blog reached out to me and asked if I could make a large batch of hats in various sizes and colors for a video game themed family party. 

Party Favors are usually One Size Fits All

Children's party favors are usually one size fits all.  Because this order was for Small, Medium and Large hats I needed several patterns.  This blog post will cover the pattern making process for various size hats.

If you need to make one or two hats, read this blog post!


Pattern Making Materials
To make this pattern you will need:
Felt or fleece
Ruler or Tape Measure
Marker
Scissors
Circle Skirt Calculator (available online)


Hat Sizes
I have divided the hats into Small, Medium and Large
Small - child size hat (approx 12" across - unsewn)
Medium - teen size hat (approx 14" across - unsewn)
Large - adult size hat  (approx 16" across - unsewn)

Making Circles
These hats are basically 3 circles.

3 Circles

There is a solid circle = top of the hat
Circle with a hole = head band
Small circle = the bill of the hat


Use your ruler or tape measure to begin marking a circle on the fabric.  For a 16" circle mark a spot at the tip of the tape measure, the center point (at 8")  and the end point (at 16").

Marking the circle

Using the center point as an anchor, continue to mark the circle.

Mark a circle

Connect the marks on the fabric to draw a circle.

Draw the circle

Cut the circle out.

Cut out your new pattern

Calculating head size

Using a tape measure, measure your head.

Measure your head

Fold your hat pattern in half

Fold the pattern in half

Fold the pattern in half again.

Fold in half again

Find a circle skirt calculator on the Internet or on your phone.  There are LOADS of circle skirt calculators available.  I use Circle Skirt App - By Hand London but they're pretty much all the same.  The skirt calculator will help you cut the correct size hole for your head.

Circle Skirt App

On the circle skirt app select "Full Skirt".  Also select Mini (this selection doesn't matter).

Waist size = head size

When asked for the waist size, enter your head size.  My head is 20".  Because the fabric is stretchy, I entered 19 inches.

This is the number you need

The number that you need to pay attention to is "your waist radius".

Measure and mark

Measuring from the center point of your folded fleece, mark the pattern.

Mark your fabric.

The circle skirt calculator told me that I needed to measure 2 3/4".  So I measured and marked 2 3/4" from the center of the folded circle.

Cut out the center

Cut out the the center circle as marked.  Your pattern is now complete!

Your pattern is now complete.

Putting it all together - Making the Hat

Fold a piece of Blizzard Fleece in half.  Mark the pattern on the fabric.

Fold fleece in half - mark and cut pattern

You will end up with 2 circle.

2 Circles

Carefully cut the center circle from one of the hat pieces.

3 Circles

Fold the smallest circle in half.  Cut along the fold.

Fold the circle in half

You should now have 4 hat pieces.

4 hat pieces

Sew the outer edge of the hat pieces together.

Sew the outer edges

Sew the outer edge of the hat bill.

Sew the hat bill

Turn the hat at the bill inside out.

Turn the hat inside out

Center the bill on the edge of the hat band.  Stitch in place.

Stitch the bill in place

Adding the Letter

Using white fleece, cut a circle that is small enough to fit on the front of the hat.

Cut a white circle

Cut colored fleece that is smaller than the white circle.

Must fit inside the circle

Fold the colored fleece in half and out your letter.

Fold fleece in half

Cut out basic letter shape

Center the letter on the circle

Stitch your letter to the white circle.

Stitch the letter on the circle

Stitch the white circle to the hat

Stitch the circle to the hat

That's it - You're Done!!