Pastrami Turkey Breast

I would just as soon skip the cooking marathon that leads up to Thanksgiving. But I would feel truly bereft to miss out on the festival of leftovers, including days of sandwiches piled high with slabs of stuffing fried in butter and stacks of thinly shaved turkey breast. (No, I am not above going full tetrazzini if the situation demands it.) I am hardly alone in celebrating a fridge full of Thanksgiving leftovers, but this year I am taking things a bit further and cooking my Thanksgiving turkey specifically to eat as leftovers.

Let me explain. There is very little magic for me in having a whole turkey on hand for this year’s small celebration since it would be overkill for my family. Yet I want the turkey sandwiches. So this turkey breast is engineered to create the most flavorful roast turkey possible, specifically using the cut I consider ideal for sandwich duty: the breast. I cover it with an overnight peppery cure that imparts tons of pastrami-like spice, lightly sear it to bring out its flavor and set the pungent bark in place, then roast just until done. Chilled and thinly sliced, mounded onto squishy buns, this light meat is way better than a turkey breast that has simply gone along for the ride with a whole roast turkey.