Turkey Breast , Cornbread , Dressing , Sage
Best for: A sliceable holiday centerpiece with dressing tucked inside.
A boneless turkey breast rolls around a thin layer of sage-scented cornbread dressing for a handsome platter. It brings turkey and dressing together in one slice, with a careful thermometer check at the center to finish the job.
Grill: Covered gas or charcoal grill with indirect heat at 350°F. Equipment: Skillet, shallow chilling dish, meat mallet, kitchen twine, rack and drip pan, instant-read thermometer.
Ingredients
40 Minutes–2 Hours 10 Minutes Filling chill: 30 minutes. Rest: 20 minutes. Total: 3 hours 5 minutes–3 hours 35 minutes.
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- 2 cups crumbled fully baked plain cornbread
- ⅓ cup unsalted chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Turkey
- 1 fully thawed 3½–4 lb boneless, skin-on turkey breast half, butterflied by the butcher, not enhanced or kosher
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 9 g kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Melt butter in a skillet and cook onion and celery for 8–10 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and fold in cornbread, stock, sage, thyme, salt and pepper; the dressing should be moist enough to hold together without being wet.
Spread the dressing in a shallow dish and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes, until it measures 40°F or below; extend chilling if necessary. Keep the raw turkey refrigerated while the filling cools.
Preheat the grill to 350°F for indirect cooking. Place the butterflied breast skin-side down between sheets of food-safe wrap and gently pound thick areas to an even ¾-inch thickness.
Remove the wrap and spread the cold dressing in a thin layer, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll snugly with skin outside, tie with kitchen twine every 1½ inches, rub with oil, salt and pepper, and cook immediately.
Set seam-side down on a rack over a drip pan in the indirect zone. Grill with the lid closed for 1½–2 hours, rotating as needed, until both the thickest turkey meat and the very center of the dressing reach 165°F in multiple spots; shield dark skin with foil if necessary.
Rest for 20 minutes, remove every piece of twine and cut into thick rounds. Refrigerate remaining slices in shallow containers within 2 hours.
Grilling tip: Keep the dressing layer thin and even so the center can reach 165°F without excessive cooking of the outer turkey.
Shared safety notes: Turkey is fully cooked at 165°F. Brine only under refrigeration at or below 40°F and discard used brine. Thaw frozen turkey in the refrigerator (about 24 hours per 4–5 pounds). Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, use within 3–4 days, and reheat to 165°F.
