Roasted Turkey Roulade

Turns out, you don’t always need to cook an entire bird when it’s time to feast! This Roasted Turkey Roulade uses a turkey breast and some special stuffing ingredients for a much more economical option that feels just as special. It’s like an entire feast all rolled up – a feast where the meat stays moist and every bite is backed up with a ton of flavor. Maybe a whole bird is the right choice when you’ve got a big crowd, but for a smaller gathering, I love this easy (and seriously yummy) stuffed option.

You want to start with a boneless, skinless turkey breast that’s been butterflied and flattened. Flattening the meat makes it easier to roll and helps it cook more evenly. Any good turkey feast involves stuffing, but in this instance, it’s rolled up in the meat which really helps it get nice and flavorful.

The foundation of this stuffing is a packaged stuffing mix, but it’s doctored up with some Italian sausage, dried cranberries, onion, celery, sage, and rosemary so it tastes way better than the basic boxed option. You want to spread that mixture out on the meat stopping about a half-inch from the edges.

Then, you roll the turkey breast up jelly-roll style, tucking in any stuffing that escapes as you go.

You tie it up with twine. Every two inches will do, but keep in mind that the tightness you use here is what is really determining the final shape of the roll. A little melted butter gets brushed over the top and into the oven it goes.

It should take two hours or less to bake, which is certainly much more convenient than an entire turkey occupying your oven all day! You’ll have fewer leftovers, maybe, but that might just be because it gets devoured a whole lot faster than the traditional turkey.

Roasted Turkey Roulade

2 hours 30 minutes to prepare serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 (5 lb) turkey breast, boned, butterflied and flattened
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1/2 lb bulk pork sausage, casings removed
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F and place a baking rack on a sheet pan or into a roasting pan. Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Add onions and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add cranberries, rosemary, and sage and stir to combine, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.
  4. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, followed by the stuffing mix. Add chicken stock, egg, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  5. Lay the turkey breast out on some parchment or wax paper and season liberally with salt and pepper. Spread the stuffing evenly over the meat in a 1/2-inch thick layer, leaving a border of a 1/2-inch on all sides.
  6. Note: If you have any leftover stuffing, you can baked it in a greased baking dish for the last 45 minutes of roasting time with the turkey.
  7. Starting at one short end, roll the turkey up jelly-roll style, tucking in any stuffing that comes out as you go. Tie the roast with kitchen twine every 2-inches to hold it together tightly.
  8. Place turkey seam side down on baking rack. Brush with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast until a thermometer reads 150°F in the center, about 1 3/4 to 2 hours.
  9. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from No Spoon Necessary.

Whizzco for LPE