Bacon and Turkey Panini

Stuffed to the max with sliced turkey, crispy bacon, and cranberry sauce, this Bacon and Turkey Panini is very juicy and loaded with melted, gooey cheese!

We had a huge turkey for Christmas dinner. The problem is that only two of us eat turkey. And, both of us don’t care for white meat. Whenever I roast a whole turkey, once it’s done, I simply remove both of the breasts and set them aside. The rest of the turkey is what we want!

So two days after Christmas, I had two very large turkey breasts sitting in the fridge. I needed to do something with them, but I wasn’t in the mood for Leftover Turkey Soup. I’m always in the mood for a sandwich though! So that’s just how those turkey breasts were put to use.

BACON AND TURKEY PANINI

Many, many years ago, I used to work part time in a stadium parking lot. Yes, I most certainly did! Along with a few other guys, my job was to ticket vehicles pulling into the lot. Once the lot was full, we would make a few rounds to ensure the safety of the vehicles. Then, once the show was over, we would direct traffic out.

I used to love that job! Since the parking lot was really close to the stadium, we could go inside and watch the show for free. Nobody would say anything, because we were in our uniforms. But, the best part of that job was the little sandwich shop across the street. They served the best turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce. That’s where the inspiration for this Bacon and Turkey Panini came from.

Can you just imagine how good that sandwich tasted after a few hours of being in an outdoor parking lot in the middle of winter in St. John’s, Newfoundland? I’d try to describe it, but I can do better. I’ll recreate it and share it with you!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE:

1. Turkey – The best turkey to use is thick slices of leftover roasted turkey. Could you use chicken? Yes, absolutely! A roasted or rotisserie chicken would be great. Also, in a bind, you could use deli turkey slices as well.
2. Cranberry Sauce – I do not make homemade cranberry sauce, simply because we are not huge fans of it. From time to time, I will buy a can of it from the grocery store. I’m using canned cranberry sauce in this sandwich recipe. If you have homemade on hand, even better!
3. Cheese – I used a mozzarella ball that I sliced about 1/4 inch thick. You can use provolone, swiss, cheddar, etc. Even brie works great on this sandwich.
4. Bread – Use a nice firm bread. A regular loaf of white bread will just not do. I used a very seedy and grainy rye bread. A hearty bread will hold up well to the mound of ingredients you’ll stuff into it.
5. Bacon – Whichever bacon you like can be used. Turkey bacon would be great. I used just regular maple smoked Canadian bacon that I cooked in the oven.
6. Butter – Use real butter. Salted or unsalted, that’s up to you. But, use real butter whenever possible. It always makes a world of difference.

HOW TO MAKE BACON AND TURKEY PANINI:

This particular sandwich can be prepared using a panini press, like I have used. Or, you can use a skillet on the stovetop. In addition, you can use your oven to make this sandwich too. I’ll tell you how to do each one, but first, let’s assemble it!

1. Butter one slice of bread and place it butter side down on a cutting board.
2. Next, add a layer of cheese.
3. Follow the cheese layer with slices of cooked bacon, sliced turkey, and then dollops of cranberry sauce.
4. Add another layer of cheese.
5. Top the sandwich with another slice of buttered bread. This time, the buttered side should be facing up.

PANINI PRESS INSTRUCTIONS:

Do not preheat your panini press! If you do this, the outside of the very thick sandwich will brown too quickly. The inside of the sandwich might still be a little on the cold side.

It’s best to place the assembled Bacon and Turkey Panini onto the press, close the lid, and turn the panini press on. Use a low heat. This will slowly bring the temperature up, while warming and re-heating the inside of the sandwich. The goal is to have a hot sandwich, with melted, gooey cheese, and a well toasted bread.

Once the bread is a nice deep, golden colour, remove the sandwich to a plate, cut in half, and serve with a side of chips.

STOVETOP SKILLET INSTRUCTIONS:

Assemble the sandwich as outlined above. Place the sandwich into the skillet and turn on the heat. Use a medium-low heat. Once you can smell the butter and hear it sizzling, flip the sandwich over.

This is a big sandwich, so flipping can be a bit of a challenge. I like to slide a flipper under the sandwich and place another flipper or spatula on top. It will help to keep the sandwich slightly pressed together as you gently flip it over.

Once it’s flipped, slide the bottom flipper or spatula out first. Then, lift off the top spatula. Again, cook until the butter is sizzling and you can smell that wonderful, familiar toasty scent.

OVEN INSTRUCTIONS:

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Next, place a wire cooling rack onto the foil. Set the assembled sandwich onto the cooling rack. Using a cooling rack allows the heat to surround your sandwich. This will do two things. First, it will speed up the toasting/cooking process. And, secondly, it will keep the bottom slice of bread from getting soggy.

The Bacon and Turkey Panini should go into a cold oven. Close the door and set the heat to 400 degrees F. Once the oven reaches the right temperature, set a timer for 5 minutes. At this point, the sandwich is ready. If you want, you can broil the sandwich to get a toastier crunch.

Plate, slice, and enjoy! It couldn’t be more simple. Now, if you’re much like me, a panini is nothing without a side of really crispy, kettle-cooked chips!

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