Few things say fall is here to me like the delicious flavor of roast turkey. While many think of roasting a turkey as only a routine done on Thanksgiving, I think of roasting a turkey as an easy weeknight dish that can be turned into delicious packed sandwiches for my kid’s lunchboxes and a lifesaver for busy weeknights when I don’t feel like cooking.
When I worked in Massachusetts, there was a tiny little shack of a restaurant that was situated just across the street from our complex where I worked. People would line up for miles and miles around this little hut and after eating one sandwich from there, I was able to see what the fuss was all about.
The owner would get up at 3 in the morning to begin the process of roasting turkeys for her customers. The turkeys were transformed into turkey sandwiches that were served smeared with a delicious cranberry spread. The other turkeys were made into turkey salad sandwiches and delicious turkey-filled soups. It smelled like Thanksgiving every day there and, I can tell you, there is just nothing more distracting than a smell like that when you are trying to accomplish the day’s work.
This is my little replica of a roasted turkey sandwich that I have been missing since we moved away. We vary our toppings depending on what is in the fridge. These can be served with fresh veggies and cheese, served open-faced with a little gravy on top, or smeared with a little cranberry spread (should you be feeling festive).
The best part is that these are just as easy as roasting a chicken, especially since I love to buy the boneless turkeys at grocery local store (I buy the Kirkwood Boneless Turkey Breast at Aldi, $7.99 for 3 pounds). To keep the turkey moist, I add a cup of chicken broth to cover it.
I guarantee that once you try this meat for your sandwiches, you will never want to go back to the processed deli meat.
And who doesn’t want to enjoy a little taste of Thanksgiving on an otherwise ordinary day?
Recipe:
Weeknight Roast Turkey Sandwiches
Ingredients
1- 3 pound boneless, white turkey breast (thawed)
2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
Salt & Pepper
Poultry Seasoning
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the skin of the turkey with olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning generously on the top of the turkey breast. Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth in the bottom of a roasting pan to keep the bird moist. Roast the turkey at 350 degrees for 90 minutes. Allow the bird to roast uncovered until the skin is crisp & golden. Cover with a foil tent after it has reached the desired color.
Allow the turkey to rest fifteen minutes after cooking before cutting.
Note: To store the meat, pour the other half of the can (one cup) of chicken broth in a container to cover the turkey meat and keep it moist.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serving Size: 8
Wow!It looks so yummy i want to try it!thank you for sharing the recipe.I will try to make like this and share with my freind..
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Amy Reply:
October 24th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Nicole!
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Amy-do you have an idea of a good price on this when it’s not holiday sale time? i saw and almost bought one yesterday at Food Lion (no Aldi here) but it seemed expensive…(9.99 for 3 lb boneless breast).
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Amy Reply:
October 24th, 2011 at 11:56 am
Kelly- I know that it can seem expensive even at $10, but $3-4 per pound for fresh roast turkey is still a better bargain than our deli counter or the stuff in the packages on the shelf. Aldi has the turkeys on sale here until (usually) about a month after Christmas and I just keep buying them as often as I can afford to keep on hand for our lunch meat. If Food Lion drops the price though in their store flier, stock up. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
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Amy – I just love your posts – especially the Aldi ones! I have an Aldi in my town and have been shopping there more frequently since you have been posting about it. I love turkey but I dislike the turkey breast you can get from the deli and especially dislike it when it is “wet” or what I call ” slimy” – I like a more dry type of turkey – this looks delicious and I am so anxious to stop by Aldi today and try one of these turkey breast! Thanks again for all your time and hard work on these posts!
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Amy Reply:
October 24th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Traci- I am with you. Lunch meat really grosses me out. I will eat it on occasion and I do like the Fit & Active turkey deli meat at Aldi if you are ever in a pinch. It is dry and not slimy (from a lunch meat snob myself). I think you would really like this alternative to the lunch meat though and you really can’t beat the price
Hope you can give this a try, Traci!
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Traci Funk Reply:
October 25th, 2011 at 3:38 am
Amy – went to Aldi’s today and got my turkey breast – can’t wait to try it out – thanks again – I just LOVE your blog!!!! Keep up the good work!
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Amy Reply:
October 25th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Oh, I can’t wait to hear what you think about the recipe, Traci! So glad you got some inspiration for your dinner tis week and thank you for the sweet comment today!
I am a crock-pot cookin fool & wonder of I put the turkey in there for the day with some chicken broth if it’ll be just as good. My husband takes lunch to work so I’m always looking for ways to make the food stretch & pre-packaged lunch meat doesn’t do that.
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Amy Reply:
October 25th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Misty- Rachel just commented that she saw this for the slow cooker with an apple on top. You might want to try that. I am sure it would be just as delicious in your slow cooker. Good luck!
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This sounds great! Someone just told me yesterday that they put a turkey breast in the crock pot on top of some sliced apples, and it was great. I guess I’m going to Aldi tomorrow!
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Amy Reply:
October 25th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
That is a great idea, Rachel! I like the crisp skin on the outside, but throwing it in the slow cooker would definitely be a little easier
Hope you can get a turkey this week!
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I am SO going to try the crockpot method with apple slices, that sounds delicious. I did NOT know Aldi did turkey breast, I’m going to pick one up this week and give it a try. That price is better than even the military commissary where I usually purchase them.
However, I have a question-You do mean put the sliced leftover meat in a container to store, and pour the broth over it, correct? Now, when you remove it, do you dry it off with paper towels or something? I always get frustrated that leftover turkey gets dry unless I use the vacuum sealer to package it up.
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PS-I’m thinking, like another poster, of sandwich filling. My hubby is diabetic and sometimes there are things in lunchmeat that probably ought not be there, so we’re really trying to cut out on processed products like that. He doesn’t always take a sandwich but when he does I want it to be good for him!
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Pingback: The Motherload » Freebie Friday: October 28, 2011
Finally tried the turkey!
I cut the twine off, and it basically fell into 3 chunks that looked like chicken breasts. I just tossed them in the slow cooker with some apple juice, salt, and pepper. The whole family enjoyed it – and that is rare!
Next time I’ll get 2 because there was plenty of space in my slow cooker, and I need to get some poultry seasoning too.
I was going to try potatoes with it, but I wasn’t sure how they would taste being cooked in apple juice, so I made mashed potatoes separate. yum!
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Amy Reply:
November 7th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
So glad that you liked the turkey, Rachel, and that it worked for you in the slow cooker. Yet, another easy way to enjoy turkey on a weeknight
So glad it was a hit!
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