A turkey roulade is a butterflied turkey breast filled with a flavorful filling and rolled up beautifully before roasting. The result is a show stopping swirl of deliciousness that both looks quite elegant and tastes delicious. The perfect main dish for any holiday dinner party.
Let’s get started…
Begin by gathering 4 strips of thick cut bacon, 1 medium yellow onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 2 cups of kale, 1/4 cup of chicken stock, 1/2 cup of parmesan, 1 cup of breadcrumbs and some salt and black pepper for your filling.
You will also need a 3 pound boneless turkey breast, 4 tablespoons of melted butter and some kitchen twine.
Begin by cooking the filling. This filling can be made ahead and assembled the day of or the entire roulade can be assembled ahead and chilled over night. This is such a great option when it comes to reducing your work load on the big day.
Start by cooking 4 strips of bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until they are golden brown and crisp. Transfer the crisp bacon onto a plate and set aside for now leaving the skillet and the bacon grease left behind over medium heat.
Add a diced yellow onion into the skillet and cook the onion in the bacon grease until it becomes soft and translucent. Add 3 minced cloves of garlic and cook, stirring consistently, for about a minute before adding a quarter cup of chicken or turkey stock into the skillet.
Add 2 cups of chopped kale or about 5 large leaves with the stems removed. Cook until the kale has wilted and the stock has evaporated from the skillet.
Transfer the mixture into a large bowl along with 1/2 cup of finely shredded parmesan and 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Mix to combine and allow the filling mixture to cool while you prepare the turkey breast.
When it comes to preparing the boneless turkey breast, try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Every time I unwrap a boneless turkey breast, it comes out in a different shape, so although our goal is to butterfly and pound thin, sometimes you’ll need to get a little creative.
When you first unwrap the turkey, try to set in on your cutting board in a position that spreads the bulk as evenly as possible. Butterfly the turkey by cutting about 90% of the way through the middle and opening it up as a butterfly would open it wings. Use a meat tenderizer to pound the butterflied turkey breast into even thickness.
If the turkey is oddly shaped, you can trim a pointy end off and transfer it into a place that needs filling. I hope this makes sense! The goal is to have a rectangular shape before we add the filling, so do what you have to do to work that out. Sometimes a turkey breast is evenly shaped and super easy to butterfly, but sometimes it isn’t. Both will work though!
Now that the filling is cooked and the turkey is butterflied, it is time to assemble the roulade.
Be sure to have some kitchen twine, sharp scissors and a deep baking dish nearby, so you are ready for each assembly step.
Spread the filling evenly throughout. Keep an eye on which end of your turkey breast is in the best condition and we will begin rolling at the opposite end. Finishing the roll with the best end of the turkey will help to keep the roulade securely sealed. If you needed to trim and adjust some portions of the turkey, this area should be towards the inside of the roll.
Roll the turkey tightly as you would a cinnamon roll beginning on the short end.
Lay 4 or 5 strands of kitchen twine over your deep baking dish as in the photo above and transfer the turkey roulade seam side down over the strands of twine.
Firmly secure the kitchen twine spaced evenly throughout the roulade and trim away the excess string. Generously season the roll with salt and black pepper and transfer uncovered into a 375 degree oven.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and grab a pastry brush to basting the roulade as it bakes.
Bake the roulade at 375 degrees for 60-75 minutes. Every 20 minutes or so, carefully brush the top of the roulade with melted butter.
This turkey roulade is done baking when the top is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
Allow your turkey roulade to rest for 10 minutes before transferring it onto a cutting board and cutting it into thick slices.
Now comes the fun part…
The turkey is flavorful with a golden, slightly crisp skin on the outside and juicy, tender meat on the inside, but the filling is the real star of the show. The breadcrumbs have softened into a beautiful stuffing like texture and the flavors are everything they should be.
The kale bring its earthy freshness, the parmesan and bacon are salty and the garlic and onions are transformed into tender, slightly sweet perfection. You are going to love this filling.
If you want a little gravy to serve with your turkey roulade, check out my simple pan gravy which requires no drippings and can be made while the roulade is cooling.
I recommend paring your turkey roulade with some mashed potatoes or my creamy whipped cauliflower.
If you are searching for a delicious way to enjoy turkey this holiday season or any time of year then I would highly recommend you trying this turkey roulade with bacon, kale and parmesan. It is beautiful, delicious and can be made ahead for a low stress dinner.
Turkey Roulade with Bacon, Kale & Parmesan
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless turkey breast
- 4 strips of thick cut bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 2 cups of kale, stems removed, chopped
- 1/4 cup of chicken stock
- 1/2 cup of parmesan, finely shredded
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs
- salt and black pepper
- 4 tablespoons of butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
- Place a large skillet over medium heat
- Cook 4 strips of bacon until crisp and then transfer the bacon onto a plate and set aside for now
- Add a diced medium yellow onion into the skillet and cook until tender
- Add minced 3 cloves of garlic and cook for 60 seconds
- Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and the chopped kale and cook until the kale has softened and transfer into a large bowl
- Crumble the crisp bacon and add it into the bowl along with 1/2 cup of finely shredded parmesan and 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Mix until combined and set aside
- Butterfly the turkey breast and pound equally thin
- Spread the filling over the turkey
- Wrap the turkey as you would a cinnamon roll and use 4 strands of kitchen twine to secure the roll
- Place the roll in a deep baking dish and roast for 60-75 minutes brushing the roll with melted butter every 20 minutes or so
- The roll is done when it is deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees
- Allow the roulade to rest for 10 minutes before slicing
