This sweet and tangy barbecue is flavored by some of the usual suspects: Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and ketchup. But it’s also got a couple unique flavorings that I think make it something really special. I sweeten it up with pineapple juice and balsamic vinegar. The balsamic also has the benefit of giving it a nice deep color. It’s a hot mess on the plate, just like it ought to be, so break out the bibs and dig in!
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 turkey or regular bacon slices, chopped
- 1 can (6 ounces) pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup balsamic or cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup regular or reduced-sugar ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 boneless, skinless turkey breasts (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds each)
- Whole-wheat or regular hamburger buns, for serving
- Coleslaw and pickles, for serving
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook to a golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add water if the onion begins to brown too quickly or needs more moisture. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the onion and garlic from the pan and reserve. Add 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil to the pan and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the pineapple juice and vinegar to the bacon and cook until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and the caramelized onion and garlic. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes. Taste for seasonings and add more if you like.
4. Carefully pour the sauce into a blender and puree until smooth. Place the turkey breasts in a 13 by 9-inch casserole or baking dish. Slather the breasts with half the sauce, reserving the other half for later. Drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil.
5. Roast until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 140 °F on an instant-read thermometer, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let the turkey rest for at least 10 minutes, then shred the meat using two forks or your hands. Add the remaining sauce to the shredded turkey and stir to coat thoroughly.
6. Serve the shredded meat warm or room temperature, sandwiched in buns with coleslaw and pickles on the side.
Makes 8 to 10 large sandwiches
More about Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Recipes All Lightened Up
Paula Deen has lost over 40 pounds and has maintained her weight loss for over two years by swapping out ingredients to reduce fat and calories. Paula’s key to weight loss is moderation and accountability, and one day a week she still enjoys good old southern cooking with biscuits and all. One does not have to give up taste when reducing calories, and these recipes are a testament to that. Paula shares 250 of her favorite recipes lightened up. This brand-new, New York Times best-selling cookbook presents lightened up versions of fifty of her classic southern recipes and presents new recipes that cut the calories but not the delicious taste.
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