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Turkey Cutlets with Cherry Sauce

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 28, 2011

Yield

Serves 4

Turkey Cutlets with Cherry Sauce

Ingredients

6 turkey cutlets (each weighing about 4 ounces), rinsed and patted drySalt and pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ½ cup minced shallots ½ cup dried cherries 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary ½ cup port ½ cup orange juice 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

Before You Begin

One cutlet per person makes a skimpy serving, so we call for a total of six to serve four people. Add rice pilaf or mashed potatoes and a green vegetable, such as our Nutty Green Beans.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, set large heatproof plate on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of cutlets with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place 3 cutlets in pan and cook without moving, until golden, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until meat feels firm when pressed, about 1 minute. Transfer cutlets to warm plate in oven. Cook remaining cutlets and place them on plate in oven.
  3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to empty skillet and return to medium heat. Add shallots, cherries, and rosemary and cook until shallots become softened, about 1 minute. Add port and orange juice, and, using wooden spoon, scrape any browned bits from bottom of pan. Increase heat to high and simmer until liquid becomes thickened and syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, along with any accumulated juices from cutlets. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange cutlets on platter or individual plates and spoon sauce over them. Serve.
Turkey Cutlets with Cherry Sauce

Turkey Cutlets with Cherry Sauce

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

6 turkey cutlets (each weighing about 4 ounces), rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup minced shallots
½ cup dried cherries
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
½ cup port
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

Ingredients

6 turkey cutlets (each weighing about 4 ounces), rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup minced shallots
½ cup dried cherries
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
½ cup port
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

Ingredients

6 turkey cutlets (each weighing about 4 ounces), rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup minced shallots
½ cup dried cherries
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
½ cup port
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

Why This Recipe Works

Our Turkey Cutlets with Cherry Sauce recipe provides a welcome weeknight alternative to chicken cutlets: The cutlets cook quickly, are healthy, and have a great flavor. We cooked the cutlets over medium-high heat without moving them so that they browned a bit. Only one side needed to be browned; if both sides were browned, the meat was liable to overcook. Once the meat was cooked, we used the same pan to prepare the sauce. We combined the tart flavor of dried cherries with sharp shallots, port, and orange juice for a deep, complex sauce. A little fresh rosemary added an herbaceous note that tied the sauce together.

Before You Begin

One cutlet per person makes a skimpy serving, so we call for a total of six to serve four people. Add rice pilaf or mashed potatoes and a green vegetable, such as our Nutty Green Beans.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, set large heatproof plate on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of cutlets with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place 3 cutlets in pan and cook without moving, until golden, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until meat feels firm when pressed, about 1 minute. Transfer cutlets to warm plate in oven. Cook remaining cutlets and place them on plate in oven.
  3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to empty skillet and return to medium heat. Add shallots, cherries, and rosemary and cook until shallots become softened, about 1 minute. Add port and orange juice, and, using wooden spoon, scrape any browned bits from bottom of pan. Increase heat to high and simmer until liquid becomes thickened and syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, along with any accumulated juices from cutlets. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange cutlets on platter or individual plates and spoon sauce over them. Serve.

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