Cranberry & Herb Stuffed Turkey Roulade

 

Ingredients:

For the turkey:

1 (approx. 5 to 6 pound) boneless, skin-on turkey breast, not pre-brined or injected with a salt solution

1 Stonewall Kitchen Turkey Brine & Rub Kit

Cold water, for use with the brine kit

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons Smoky Peppercorn & Herb Rub, from the kit
Onions, carrots, lemons for aromatics when roasting, optional

Fresh flat leaf parsley, destemmed and roughly chopped, for garnish, optional

For the cranberry stuffing:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion (about 1 cup), finely diced

2 to 3 celery ribs (about 1 cup), finely diced

2 ½ cups low sodium turkey or chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 box Stonewall Kitchen Traditional Stuffing Mix

1/3 cup Stonewall Kitchen Traditional Cranberry Spread, plus more for serving

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 

Preparation Instructions:

1.         Prepare half of the Stonewall Kitchen Turkey Brine, per package instructions – the remaining brine blend can be saved to use for another time. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled to 40°F or below. Place the turkey breast in the included brining bag, set inside a large bowl or GreenPan Reserve Stainless Steel Roasting Pan to catch any leaks, and add enough prepared brine to fully submerge the turkey, adding more cold water as needed. Seal and refrigerate for 30 minutes per pound. Keep the turkey at 40°F or below throughout brining.

 

2.         Near the end of brining, prepare the filling. In a large GreenPan sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until tender and softened. If needed, slightly reduce the heat to avoid any browning of the vegetables. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

 

3.         Add the broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Remove the frypan from the heat and stir in the Stonewall Kitchen Traditional Stuffing Mix. Let stand for 10 minutes, then stir again. The bread should be evenly moistened and hold together when gently pressed, without any liquid pooling in the pan. If needed, add more broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. Set aside half of the stuffing in the refrigerator for reheating and serving as a side later. Mix the Stonewall Kitchen Traditional Cranberry Spread into the remaining warm half of the stuffing mix, taste and adjust as desired with salt and pepper. Spread the stuffing and cranberry mix on a plate and let cool while preparing the turkey.

 

4.         Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels, brushing away any loose whole spices. Discard the used brine and bag. Do not rinse the turkey.

 

5.         Place the turkey skin side down on a clean cutting board, covered with plastic wrap if desired. Butterfly the thickest sections of the breast by cutting horizontally through the meat without cutting all the way through, then open them out to form one large piece. Cover the top with plastic wrap as well and gently pound the thicker areas until the meat is about 1/2 inch thick and as even as possible, keeping the skin intact. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. (Your butcher can also butterfly the breast for you, as well as deboning it, before you bring it home.)

 

6.         Spread the stuffing and cranberry mixture over the turkey in an even layer no more than 1/2 inch thick, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Starting from one of the longer sides, roll the turkey snugly around the stuffing, keeping the skin on the outside. Tie with kitchen twine at 1- to 1 1/2-inch intervals, then pat the skin dry again. Use only as much stuffing as fits comfortably without forcing it out of the ends.

 

7.         Place the roulade seam side down on a rack in a GreenPan Reserve Stainless Steal Roasting Pan. Brush the skin with the olive oil and evenly sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons Smoky Peppercorn & Herb Rub. If desired, add halved lemons, as well as large pieces of peeled carrots and onions to the bottom of the roasting pan.

 

8.         Roast for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, checking the temperature after 1 hour and 15 minutes, until both the thickest part of the turkey and the center of the stuffing reach 165°F. Check in several places with an instant read thermometer. If the skin is browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil. Add a splash of broth to the pan as needed to keep the drippings from scorching. The diameter of the roulade will significantly affect the cooking time, so use temperature rather than the clock to determine doneness.

 

9.         Transfer the roulade to a clean cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes, loosely tented with foil. If desired, skim excess fat from the pan juices and stir in a splash of hot broth to loosen them. Taste before adding any seasoning, as the brine and rub already contain salt.

 

10.       Remove the twine and cut the turkey into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange on a platter, spoon over a little of the pan juices, and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve warm with additional Stonewall Kitchen Traditional Cranberry Spread and reheated reserved stuffing on the side.

 

Tips:

Check the turkey label before brining! Look for a breast that has not been injected, enhanced, self-basted, or kosher salted. Those products are already seasoned and can become too salty with an additional brine.

A little restraint makes rolling easier! Keep the filling layer thin and even rather than trying to squeeze in every last spoonful. Also, the reserved stuffing can be baked alongside the turkey if desired! Simply place in small, buttered baking dish, covered, at 375°F until the center reaches 165°F. Uncover for the last few minutes if you’d like a crisp top.

The filling needs a temperature check, too. Insert the thermometer from the end of the roulade to reach the center of the stuffing, then check the turkey separately in a few of the thickest areas. Both should reach 165°F before the roulade comes out of the oven.

For a head start, prepare and chill the brine the day before. Keep the turkey refrigerated while brining, and fill and roll it just before roasting rather than storing the assembled raw roulade overnight.