Turkey Roulade
Juicy turkey breast swirled around sausage and herb cornbread stuffing packs the best fall flavors into a single bite.
Serves6 to 8
Prep45 minutes
Cook1 hour 33 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes
No part of the holiday meal gets more attention than the turkey, and here we’re taking the traditional roast on a (literal) spin. A roulade is a dish that’s filled and rolled. It can be sweet, like pumpkin Swiss cake roll, or savory, like chicken roll-ups or this turkey roulade. This roulade recipe features juicy white turkey breast meat spiraled around a savory mixture of fresh herbs, cornbread crumbles, apples, and crispy browned pork sausage. It’s a stunning take on turkey that’s sure to impress.
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s easier than cooking an entire bird. Roasting a whole turkey is a delicate dance to make sure the meat cooks evenly and remains juicy. Rolling turkey breast into a uniform shape takes the guesswork out of roasting.
- You can assemble it early. Turkey roulade tastes even better when you prepare it in advance. Allowing the skin to dry overnight means it’ll brown and crisp, while leaving the breast meat juicy and tender.
Key Ingredients in Turkey Roulade
- Turkey breast: You’ll need skin-on, boneless turkey breast for this recipe. If you only see bone-in turkey breast displayed, ask the grocery store’s butchers to remove the bones for you.
- Cornbread: Prepare your favorite store-bought cornbread mix or use a recipe and make homemade cornbread.
- Pork sausage: You’ll need 8 ounces of fresh pork sausage for this recipe. If using links, remove casings before cooking.
- Apples: Sweet-tart apples are best for this recipe to balance the savory flavor of the pork and turkey.
- Fresh herbs: A medley of fresh herbs, including parsley, sage, and thyme, add to the flavor and aroma of this holiday dish.
How to Make Turkey Roulade
- Prepare the stuffing. Cook the aromatics and onions in butter until tender, then combine with browned, crumbled sausage. Stir in crumbled cornbread and chopped fresh herbs.
- Pound and season turkey breast. Use the flat side of a meat mallet, a rolling pin, or small skillet works to pound boneless turkey breast to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Season the meat on both sides with kosher salt.
- Add the stuffing. With the turkey breast arranged skin-side down, transfer the stuffing to the turkey and spread into an even layer. Leave a 1/2-inch border so that the stuffing stays inside the swirl.
- Roll and tie the turkey. Roll the turkey and stuffing together into a tight log. Use cotton string or kitchen twine, to tie the length of the roast. Tie around the width at 2-inch intervals to secure the roulade.
- Roast the turkey roulade. Place in a baking dish with chicken broth to help keep the meat juicy, then roast until the skin is golden-brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers at least 160°F. The temperature will rise to 165°F as it rests.
- Rest and slice. Transfer the turkey to a clean cutting board and rest before slicing. Use the pan juices to prepare turkey gravy, if desired.
Storage and Make Ahead Tips
Once the turkey roulade is rolled and tied, you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before roasting. Keeping the roast uncovered in the refrigerator helps to dry out the skin so that it browns and crisps in the oven.
After the big day, leftover turkey roulade can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
What to Serve with Turkey Roulade?
A turkey roulade is turkey and stuffing in one, leaving even more room on the plate for your favorite holiday sides.
Turkey Roulade Recipe
Juicy turkey breast swirled around sausage and herb cornbread stuffing packs the best fall flavors into a single bite.
Prep time 45 minutes
Cook time 1 hour 33 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 medium stalks
celery
- 1
medium yellow onion
- 1
medium sweet-tart apple, such as Honeycrisp or Gala
- 3 cloves
garlic
- 2 tablespoons
fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon
fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon
fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoons
unsalted butter, divided
- 3 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
- 8 ounces
uncooked pork sausage
- 4 ounces
store-bought or homemade cornbread
- 1 whole
skin-on, boneless turkey breast (about 5 pounds)
- 1 cup
low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons
olive or vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare the following, placing each in the same large bowl as you complete it: Finely chop 2 medium stalks celery (about 3/4 cup), 1 medium yellow onion (about 1 cup), and 1 medium sweet-tart apple (no need to peel, about 1 cup). Mince 3 garlic cloves.
Prepare the following, piling each on the side of the cutting board as you complete it: Finely chop 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, finely chop 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, and pick 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves and finely chop. Chop more fresh herbs for garnish if desired and set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Return to the large bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the pan and melt over medium-high heat. Add 8 ounces pork sausage (remove casings first if needed) and cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon into small pieces, until browned and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the onion.
Crumble 4 ounces cornbread into very small pieces about the size of breadcrumbs (about 1 1/2 cups) into the bowl. Add the herbs on the cutting board and toss with a spatula to combine. If you are not planning to roast the turkey roulade immediately after stuffing, let the stuffing cool to room temperature before using.
Place 1 whole boneless, skin-on turkey breast skin-side down on a large cutting board with a longer side closer to you. Cover the turkey with 2 slightly overlapping sheets of plastic wrap. Use the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a small frying pan to pound the meat until it is an even 1/2-inch thickness. Season the meat on both sides with the remaining 2 teaspoons kosher salt.
Position the turkey so it is skin-side down again with a longer side closer to you. Transfer the filling onto the turkey and spread into an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Roll the turkey from the bottom up tightly into a log and arrange seam-side down, tucking the ends in. Tie with kitchen twine once down the length of the roast and then around the width at 2-inch intervals.
Pour 1 cup chicken broth into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the roulade seam-side down in the center the dish. Pat the skin dry with paper towels, then rub 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil over the top of the roulade, focusing on the exposed areas of meat not covered by skin. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Roast until the skin is golden-brown and the internal temperature registers at least 160°F, 70 to 80 minutes.
Transfer to a clean cutting board and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Use the broth and pan juices to prepare gravy or discard. Cut off and remove the kitchen twine, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Garnish with the reserved chopped fresh herbs.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The roulade can be completely assembled and refrigerated, uncovered, up to 24 hours in advance. Keep the roast uncovered to dry out the skin so that it browns and crisps in the oven.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.