How to Cook Aldi Kirkwood Boneless Turkey Breast?
If you’re hosting a smaller Christmas dinner and have no need for the whole turkey, the good thing is you can buy only a part. White meat tends to be dry after roasting as it has no bones and no collagen to discharge. Sure, there are so many ways you can still make a luscious turkey by only using the breasts. The question is: How to cook Kirkwood boneless turkey breast?
Cook the Aldi turkey breast on a roaster with a rack so you can cover it with its juices. Roasting will take between 1 to 3 hours at 350 °F, depending on its size whatsoever. For extra tenderness, soak it in brine or baste it. You can also add spices, herbs, and broth to make the best out of it.
When making holiday dinners, I always make a special effort as I want them to be perfect. Roasting a big bird can be a little delicate, especially for beginners. I listed some instructions, tips, and tricks I found helpful below. If you read on, you’ll get some ideas on side dishes, too.
Cooking Instructions for Kirkwood Boneless Turkey Breast
Cooking instructions are very simple. Here you can read what the manufacturer recommends, with some inputs to make your life easier.
Step 1: Defrosting the turkey
Defrosting is the first step to preparing a delish turkey. Do not skip this step, and toss it to the oven still iced, as it won’t come out as you wanted it to. Also, do not defrost it at room temperature for safety reasons. The best option is to leave it in the fridge for 1-3 days, depending on its size.
Every 4 pounds of turkey need about 24 hours to defrost, so calculate the optimal time for your piece of meat. Furthermore, don’t remove the packaging. Don’t forget to put it on a tray or, even better, a pan, as it will discharge water and blood while defrosting. Check it from time to time for it to not overflow.
Step 2: Preheat the oven
The next thing is cooking. Preheat your oven to 350°F and unpack your turkey. Remember to take the gravy container out. Keep the gravy in the fridge till the turkey is done, so it’s fresh to serve.
Step 3: Seasoning and cooking
Use a roasting pan with a rack if you have one; if you don’t have one, a simple roasting pan will do. Place your turkey on the rack, and here comes the fun part. Season the turkey according to your taste.
Roast your turkey at 350 °F for 1,5 to 2 hours if it weighs 3-5 lbs. (48-80 oz), 2,5 to 3 hours for 5-7 lbs. (80-112 oz), and 3 to 3,5 hours for 7-9 lbs. (112-144 oz) turkey. If it’s golden brown before the time is up, cover it lightly with aluminum foil to prevent roast burn.
The meat has to gain a temperature of 165 degrees. Check it with a thermometer by poking the turkey in the middle. That’s the optimal temperature for meat to be ready and safe to eat.
After the roast is ready, let it rest for about half an hour, so it’s easier to slice. If you use foil, remove it before resting.
Step 4: Preparing the gravy
Let’s see how to prepare Kirkwood gravy. Take a skillet and pour the marinade into it. Whisk persistently on a medium heat up till seethes. If you want a richer flavor, add turkey dripping in desirable amounts, whether you like it more or less diluted. And you’re done!
Tips on How to Improve Kirkwood Boneless Turkey Breast
If you have spare time, make a brine out of water, salt, sugar, herbs, and citrus. Submerge the whole turkey in brine and leave it for no more than 24 hours. You can add herbs you like, cloves, bay leaves, citrus zest, and rosemary are common though.
You can also do a dry brine with the same ingredients except for water. The brine will ensure the moistness of your turkey, no matter how you roast it. For the heads up, if using wet brine, dry out the turkey with a cloth before seasoning and roasting.
For richer flavor, exchange recommended vegetable oil with olive oil or butter. Their particular tastes go very well with bird meat. If you like to kick off some crispiness, spread herb butter under the turkey skin.
The next thing you can do is to baste your turkey every 15 minutes to half an hour while in the oven. You can use turkey juices or melted herb butter. Basil or garlic butter compliments white meat exceptionally.
Roasting the turkey in the oven is a common practice, but you won’t go wrong if you opt for other ways. You can use an air frier, slow cooker, or a smoking method. If you’re trying the smoking method, wrap the whole piece of meat in aluminum foil to prevent it from dehydrating.
Slow cooking will leave you without crunchy skin, but it’s definitely a totally fuss-free option. You just need to toss it in the cooker with some herbs and broth and let it simmer for hours while you do anything you want.
How to Reheat Kirkwood Turkey Breast?
When reheating turkey breast, the goal is to keep it moist. High temperatures tend to dry out the meat, leaving it chewy and parched. Let’s see some ways to keep turkey succulent even the day later.
You can broil it in the oven by covering it with aluminum foil to secure hot air flow. Steaming will guarantee you tender and juicy meat. Make sure the meat reaches a temperature of about 160 degrees for optimal heating.
If you’ve left with turkey dripping residue, you could use it for heating it. Put the leftovers in its juices and baste them from time to time. Basting will keep them lush, while heat will add some crunchiness at the sides.
If you ate all the gravy, don’t worry. Soak the meat in the broth and heat it in the oven or slow cooker. For best results, cover it with foil or a lid. If you opt for microwaving, soak it in broth or water, cover it with plastic wrap or a lid, and heat it to high temperature.
What to Serve With Kirkwood Turkey Breast?
Mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce are GOATs among the side dishes of every Christmas dinner. If you want to upgrade your mashed potatoes, sauté red onion till golden crisp and mix it with potatoes. Sweet aftertaste and crunchiness of onion pair well with the silky texture of purée.
If you can’t imagine turkey with a side of potatoes, try to roast them too. You can cook them unpeeled till semi-soft, strain them, and throw them on the baking sheet. Smash them slightly with a potato masher and drizzle with olive oil and seasoning. Bake till crunchy-brown and enjoy.
For cutting carbs even in the holiday season, make purée out of cauliflower. To elevate its bland taste, blend it with herb butter and garlic. For salad fans, try fresh vegetables and cannellini beans salad.
This year forget about simple, roasted corn as a side but try flavorful, creamy corn. Mix canned sweet corn with some cream cheese, butter, and spices to get a special delight everyone will love. What’s better, you don’t need more than 15 minutes to make it.
If you like a little bit of sweetness, prepare honey-glazed carrots. For brussels sprouts lovers, roast them drizzled with honey, and mix them with pecans and dried cranberries for taste rhapsody.
How Long Does Kirkwood Turkey Breast Last?
Cooked meat shouldn’t stay in the fridge for more than three days. You could keep it longer for sure, but for safety reasons, don’t cross this limit. The good thing is you can freeze it, but try to eat it in a 3 months frame.
Keep in mind once you defrost your meat, you can’t freeze it again. So, pack it in portion sizes, in zip-lock bags, and take as much as you can eat.
Aldi Boneless Turkey Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Aldi Kirkwood Turkey Breast with Gravy
- Salt, pepper, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chopped rosemary
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
Turkey
- Defrosting is the first step to preparing a delish turkey. Every 4 pounds of turkey need about 24 hours to defrost. The best option is to leave it in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Prepare the seasoning. Mix the spices in the following quantities: 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 tsp sweet paprika, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ garlic powder, ½ tsp dry rosemary.
- Now, cooking. Preheat your oven to 350°F and unpack your turkey. Remember to take the gravy container out. Keep the gravy in the fridge till the turkey is done, so it’s fresh to serve.
- Use a roasting pan with a rack if you have one, if don’t simple roasting pan will do. Place your turkey on the rack and here comes the fun part. Spread the butter all over the turkey.
- Now season the turkey with prepared seasoning.
- Roast your turkey at 350°F for about 2 hours if it weighs 3-5 lbs (48-80 oz).
- If it’s golden brown before the time is up, cover it lightly with aluminum foil to prevent roast burn.
- The meat has to gain a temperature of 165 degrees. Check it with a thermometer by poking the turkey in the middle. That’s the optimal temperature for meat to be ready and safe to eat.
- After the roast is ready, let it rest for about half an hour, so it’s easier to slice. If you use foil, remove it before resting.
Gravy
- Let’s see how to prepare Kirkwood gravy. Take a skillet and pour the marinade into it. Whisk persistently on a medium heat up till seethes. If you want a richer flavor, add turkey dripping in desirable amounts, whether you like it more or less diluted. And you’re done!
Notes
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
