Cornbread-and-Apple-Stuffed Turkey Roulade
The savory and flavorful notes of this Turkey Roulade with Cornbread and Apple Stuffing will wow your guests this Thanksgiving!
The savory and flavorful notes of this Turkey Roulade with Cornbread and Apple Stuffing will wow your guests this Thanksgiving!
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage chopped
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 (4 pound) boneless turkey breast with skin, brined overnight in brine recipe of your choice
- 3 cups cornbread crumbled into rough chunks
- 1 large granny smith apple diced
- 1 cup vegetable broth divided
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup candied pecans
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary just pulled apart
- Carbohydrate 48.8020396878983 g
- Cholesterol 55.0528906266351 mg
- Fat 16.4958120324826 g
- Fiber 3.7064844569603 g
- Protein 7.04163078133 g
- Saturated Fat 3.87148431300447 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (177g)
- Sodium 829.329500004478 mg
- Sugar 45.095555230938 g
- Trans Fat 1.17897000007084 g
- Calories 368 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 350(F) degrees.
- Toast the chunks of cornbread on a baking sheet stirring occasionally until they are crisp and just started to brown (25-30 minutes). Let cool.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add apples, garlic, sage and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add candied pecans and transfer to a large bowl.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the toasted cornbread to the apple mixture and toss to mix. Drizzle cider (or juice) and the remaining 1/2 cup broth over the mixture and toss until evenly moistened.
- Take the turkey breast out of brining solution and rinse with cool water. Pat dry thoroughly so you're sure to get that nice crispy skin.
- Butterfly the turkey breast by cutting right down the length of the turkey, cutting the breast nearly in half, but not all the way, stopping just short of the outside edge. It should lay flat like an open book.
- Lay the turkey breast on a large piece of plastic wrap, cover with another piece and using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound the breast in the thicker parts so that you have equal thickness.
- Season the pounded turkey breast with salt and pepper.
- Spread the stuffing evenly across the turkey breast out to about 1 inch from the ends. Roll up very tightly, some stuffing will fall out or not fit, you can save that later and bake it separately. Wrap the breast securely using butcher's twine.
- Melt the butter and olive oil in a saucepan; pour part of it into the roasting pan and place the turkey breast on top, skin side up, moving it around a bit to coat the breast. Pour the rest of the olive oil and butter over the top of the turkey breast and rub it in to ensure even coating. Season with salt and pepper.
- Lay the sprigs of rosemary on top of the roulade.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours or when meat thermometer reads 165 when stuck in the thickest part of the breast, basting every half hour or so.
- Let turkey rest for ten minutes before slicing and serving.
How do you prevent lean turkey breast from drying out during a ninety-minute roast while ensuring the interior stuffing reaches a safe temperature without burning the skin? The secret lies in thermal mass and fat distribution, where butter and olive oil smeared directly onto the exterior skin create a barrier that slows moisture evaporation while conducting oven heat uniformly across the cylinder. Butter contains about 15 to 20 percent water which steams away early, but its milk solids brown nicely at 350 degrees Fahrenheit to crisp the skin, whereas olive oil remains liquid at higher heat to keep the fat blend workable during the initial stages of roasting. Pounding the butterflied meat to a uniform thickness eliminates hot spots that typically cause overcooked edges before the center finishes cooking.
Preparing this roulade ahead of time requires understanding how the components behave under refrigeration or freezing temperatures before cooking. Assembled unbaked rolls can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, though the salt in the brined meat will slowly draw out moisture through osmosis, firming the protein fibers into a denser texture. If freezing for longer storage, omit the fresh apples because their high water content turns mushy upon thawing due to ice crystal damage rupturing the cell walls. Instead, freeze the rolled and tied turkey raw without the fruit, then thaw it completely in the refrigerator over forty-eight hours before applying the fat and herbs for the oven.
Leftover cooked slices demand careful reheating to avoid toughening the delicate white meat further. Gentle thermal transfer is necessary, so placing slices in a baking dish with a splash of chicken or vegetable broth, covering the vessel tightly with aluminum foil, and warming it in a 300-degree oven for twenty minutes prevents the protein matrix from squeezing out its remaining moisture. Microwaving cooked poultry applies uneven electromagnetic energy that excites water molecules too rapidly, resulting in rubbery edges and a dry, stringy interior crumb.
Pairing this protein-heavy centerpiece with roasted root vegetables or a sharp green salad provides a necessary acid balance to cut through the rich butter and sweet cornbread components. Acidity in vinaigrettes activates salivary glands, contrasting the dense starches of the stuffing and the savory savory notes of sage and thyme.
