Homemade Turkey Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Place on a rack in a roasting pan.

Season

Rub olive oil over the skin and underside. Combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme; sprinkle evenly over the turkey, rubbing the mixture into crevices.

Roast

Place 1 cup of chicken or turkey broth in the bottom of the roasting pan to keep the meat moist. Dot the turkey breast with the unsalted butter. Roast in the preheated oven until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes for a 3 lb breast. Baste with pan juices every 20–30 minutes.

Rest and shred

Remove turkey from oven, tent loosely with foil and let rest 15–20 minutes. The internal temperature will rise to 165°F (74°C). Using two forks or clean hands, pull the turkey into hand-pulled shreds. Reserve any pan juices and shred into bite-sized pieces.

Optional pan-sauté

Optional: For a lightly browned, moist finish, heat a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat, add pulled turkey and 2–3 tablespoons reserved pan juices, and sauté 2–4 minutes until warmed through and slightly crisped on some edges.

Prepare vegetables and mayo

Slice tomatoes into 1/4-inch rounds, thinly slice the red onion into rings, and pat tomato slices lightly with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Mix mayonnaise with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl; taste and adjust seasoning.

Toast bread (optional)

If toasting, spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice. Heat a skillet over medium and toast buttered side down 1–2 minutes until golden. Alternatively, toast bread in a toaster or oven broiler briefly.

Layer the sandwich

Spread about 1½ tablespoons of seasoned mayonnaise on the bottom slice of bread. Place a single layer of provolone (1 slice) on the mayo, add a generous portion (~3–4 oz) of hand-pulled turkey evenly distributed, then top with another slice of provolone. Add 1 leaf of lettuce (or fold to fit), 2 tomato slices, and a few rings of red onion. Place pickles on top if using. Finish with remaining bread slice spread with mayo.

Serve

Cut the sandwich in half on the diagonal or down the middle. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve immediately while turkey is warm.

If you prefer a melty cheese finish, after assembling the turkey and provolone on the bottom bread slice, place the open-faced sandwich under a broiler for 1–2 minutes until cheese just melts before adding lettuce and tomato. Watch carefully to avoid burning.