Ina Garten's Butter Tip For Keeping Stuffed Turkey Breast Moist Is So Simple

Turkey breast is one of those cuts of meat that can be a bit polarizing. On the one hand, it's a sustaining, versatile protein that's great as the centerpiece of a meal or the slice in the middle of your sandwich. On the other, it has a reputation for being dry at times. Fortunately, there's a pro tip that keeps this meat super moist, and it comes from a very trusted source.

Celebrity chef, cookbook author, and TV host Ina Garten is known for educating home cooks on the easiest ways to elevate their repertoire. And while she's weighed in before on the answer to the butter vs. oil saute debate, when it comes to making turkey breast, her hack uses one of these fats in perhaps a less familiar way. In a video on YouTube, she grates a stick of butter over the surface of her turkey breast and prepares the audience before demonstrating the technique. "I know you're going to think I'm crazy," she said, but added the justification: "It's the easiest way to distribute it." The reason grated butter is so useful is thanks to the size of those little shreds, which can be easily sprinkled across the surface of your protein, where it will be absorbed quickly and evenly, and prevent that unpleasant dryness.

To grate your butter, it helps to freeze it first. This allows you to hold the stick and apply pressure without it smushing. Ina Garten employs a box grater in her video, but you can also use a food processor equipped with a handy shredding disc.

It turns out that this tip has applications beyond the breast, too. If you're looking for juicier turkey burgers, you can also grate some unsalted butter into the mixture. A good starting point is about 2 tablespoons for every pound of ground meat (this trick is also useful for chicken), which will help the meat retain moisture as it cooks — not to mention add a boost of that delicious rich flavor. Grated butter can also help you when it comes to baking efforts like buttermilk biscuits and pie crust.

Perhaps you have a basic roasted turkey recipe in your culinary skillset, but with this easy butter trick, you might just have a dish that would even impress Garten if she were at your next dinner party.