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When it comes to Thanksgiving, I’ve traditionally been in the “stay with what I know” crowd, recreating those staple dishes we’ve always had as a family. Sometimes that’s great, but at other times it can be nice to switch things up.
Now, before you pummel me with pan juices, put those basters down! I’m not going to compel you to change your menu, but sometimes a gentle refresh is needed or you may need more turkey than one roasted bird will offer. This turkey roulade may be just the answer this Thanksgiving!
What is a roulade?
The word “roulade” can refer to either a sweet dish or a meat dish. This recipe refers to the latter. A simple filling full of flavor is sautéed and then added on top of a flattened turkey breast. The breast is then rolled up and tied together with string to keep the shape while baking. Once baked and sliced, each piece proudly displays a ribbon of the filling mixed with the meat. Together, it becomes the perfect marriage of juicy turkey breast and well-seasoned filling.
A roulade is easier than it looks! But there are a few tips that will help to keep things flowing smoothly on Thanksgiving day:
- Cook the filling a day before and have it in the refrigerator all ready to go.
- Butterfly and press the turkey breast the day before.
- Assemble up to four hours before roasting and store in the refrigerator.
- Have the strings pre-cut to make the rolling go smoothly.
- Ensure that no turkey skin is rolled into the roulade. Any skin that is roasted in the interior of the roulade will be soggy and will not be crisp like the outer skin.
Why make a roulade instead of just roasting a turkey breast?
It’s all about the filling! It adds so much flavor to the meat itself so including it makes the entire turkey that much better. Instead of a traditional filling made from bread, this kale stuffing is full of fresh, bright flavor. And the bacon adds a subtle smoky flavor. The bacon grease from cooking the bacon is used to sauté the onion, garlic, and herbs. The kale is cooked down to become softened. Parmesan cheese adds a well-rounded depth of flavor to finish the filling.
Once it’s rolled into the breast and roasted, the result is a filling that complements the meat as opposed to overpowering it.
This has become the first meat to disappear from my family’s Thanksgiving table. And if you don’t want to make a whole bird, this will be a great alternative. We’ll just leave the traditionalists to their own meals!
Other Thanksgiving dishes you may like
- Twice baked sweet potatoes would be such a great addition to the flavor profile of this turkey roulade!
- My mom’s butterhorns recipe can’t be beat!
- If you’re ready for dessert, then you need my pecan pie recipe!
More Thanksgiving recipes
Leftover Turkey Soup
Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Crust
Pecan, Apple & Sweet Potato Salad
Cowboy Butter Turkey
Watch how to make this turkey roulade
Turkey Roulade with Bacon and Kale Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 5-lb boneless turkey breast (or two 2 ½ lb breasts)
- 5 strips thick-cut bacon
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6 leaves fresh sage finely chopped
- 5 oz lacinato kale roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 oz Parmesan cheese grated
For the basting butter
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 leaves fresh sage
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté until the bacon is brown and crisp on both sides, 6-8 minutes. Remove the bacon and set aside.5 strips thick-cut bacon
- With the bacon grease in the skillet, add the onion, salt, and black pepper. Sauté until the onion is softened, 5 minutes.1 cup chopped onion, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Add garlic, thyme, and sage and sauté for one minute.2 cloves garlic, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 6 leaves fresh sage
- Add the kale and continue to sauté until the kale is beginning to wilt and soften, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.5 oz lacinato kale
- Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, add the lemon juice and cheese. Stir to incorporate.2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 4 oz Parmesan cheese
- Open the deboned turkey breast with the skin side facing down. With a sharp knife, butterfly the breast like an open book. If using two smaller breasts, butterfly each breast and set beside each other to make one large breast.1 5-lb boneless turkey breast (or two 2 ½ lb breasts)
- Salt and pepper the turkey and place the prepared stuffing mixture over the meat. Starting with the short end to ensure a nice roll, roll up the breast. Make sure no turkey skin is rolled inside the roulade and cut off any excess skin. Use six 10-inch pieces of bakers twine to tightly secure the roulade. Place in a roasting pan.
- Roast the roulade in the preheated oven. Brush with the following herbed melted butter every 20 minutes. Roast until the skin is dark brown and the meat registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer in the middle of the roulade, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- In a small saucepan, melt the 4 tablespoons butter with the 2 sprigs of thyme and 3 sage leaves. Allow to steep for 10 minutes.4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 leaves fresh sage
- Remove from the oven and tent with foil. Let the turkey rest 20 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute.
Thanks so much for sharing your home, recipes and gardening. I have gotten and tried some of your recipes this year and just to let you know that I will be adding them to my holiday favorites. For instance your moms butterhorns are simply delicious, I will definitely be making them again. Your pecan tassies are another. So thank you and by the way, I am so envious of your new kitchen it is beautiful. I have always wanted to live on a farm, it is my dream. Maybe the good Lord will grant that for me someday.
Love every video you post!
This looks amazing! I am inspired to think ‘out of the box’ for my Thanksgiving meal!
I am making this right now for my Christmas dinner. I discovered that there is no instruction in the recipe to add the bacon to the roulade mixture. I went to video to see how he filleted the turkey breast and saw in the video where the bacon was chopped and added after removing the kale mixture to cool. PLEASE update your recipe! Also, I couldn’t find any single turkey breasts at the grocery stores around Thanksgiving (so I could get 2 frozen for my Christmas meal). I ended up having to by the Butterball frozen turkey breast (it says 2 on the package). What a mistake, as it really is just one full breast and a lump of turkey breast meat. I made do and it’s in the oven! The flavor of the roulade is fantastic! I will definitely make this again when I can get the right turkey breasts.
I was delightfully surprised how flavorful and delicious this roulade turkey was. I will be adding it as a staple to my holiday menu.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.