| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 3 hr 15 min |
| Prep: | 30 min |
| Inactive: | 15 min |
| Cook: | 2 hr 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 7 servings |
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup large-diced dried figs, stems removed
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup Calvados or brandy
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups diced onions (2 onions)
- 1 cup (1/2-inch-diced) celery (3 stalks)
- 3/4 pound pork sausage, casings removed (sweet and hot mixed)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- 3 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 extra-large egg, beaten
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 whole (2 halves) turkey breast, boned and butterflied (5 pounds)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Place the dried figs and cranberries in a small saucepan and pour in the Calvados and 1/2 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, crumbling it into small bits with a fork, and saute, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until cooked and browned. Add the figs and cranberries with the liquid, the chopped rosemary, and pine nuts, and cook for 2 more minutes. Scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
- Place the stuffing mix in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture, chicken stock, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir well. (The stuffing may be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight.)
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan.
- Lay the butterflied turkey breast skin side down on a cutting board. Sprinkle the meat with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Spread the stuffing in a 1/2-inch-thick layer over the meat, leaving a half-inch border on all sides. Don’t mound the stuffing or the turkey will be difficult to roll. (Place the leftover stuffing in a buttered gratin dish and bake for the last 45 minutes of roasting alongside the turkey.) Starting at 1 end, roll the turkey like a jelly roll and tuck in any stuffing that tries to escape on the sides. Tie the roast firmly with kitchen twine every 2 inches to make a compact cylinder.
- Place the stuffed turkey breast seam side down on the rack on the sheet pan. Brush with the melted butter, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and roast for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until an instant-read thermometer registers 150 degrees F in the center. (I test in a few places.) Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Carve 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve warm with the extra stuffing.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 7 servings |
| Calories | 1000 |
| Total Fat | 49 g |
| Saturated Fat | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 51 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 25 g |
| Protein | 78 g |
| Cholesterol | 286 mg |
| Sodium | 1348 mg |
Reviews
I’ve made this every Thanksgiving for the past 10 years. I modified it using hot breakfast sausage and it gets done on the smoker. As my kid says it’s the ultimate fully assembled dad food meal. And there are never any leftovers. I’m still trying to figure out the 30 minute prep time though LOL.
Does anyone know if this could be made ahead and roasted the day of serving?
I love this recipe so much! The stuffing is so good I prepare it whether I do the turkey roulade or not. Thanks Ina for the most delicious Thanksgiving stuffing ever!
This is the only way turkey is meant to be eaten! As it is, in our household we only like the breast meat and this stuffing is absolutely delicious!! Thank you Ina
I hate baking turkeys, yet this turned out fabulously. I will never bake a whole turkey again. Only turkey breasts.
Setting the oven temperature at 325’F and checking the internal temperature to be 150’F (leave-in thermometer) is critical. Also, this STUFFING! It is STUFF of the DREAMS!
Changes I made:
– I got bone-in turkey breast, which I think you’re supposed to bake about 20 mins per pound. I rubbed a simple herb butter (salt, pepper, italian seasoning, room temp butter) under the skin.
– I didn’t have dried figs on hand so I used dried medjool dates instead.
Everyone loved it! A total winner!
The turkey came out perfect. I will do this again next year.
The recipe just doesn’t address the issue of flabby turkey skin and subcutaneous fat rendering. Does this come from too low a temp for too short a time?
FANTASTIC! Best turkey I have ever made. DIdn’t use figs, I used a chopped apple. It was marvelous!
The best turkey ever!!! We made this for Christmas dinner and everyone loved it. I made a big bowl of homemade cranberry sauce to top the slices and served with mashed potatoes and our traditional holiday carrot/rutabaga side dish. We pounded the turkey to ensure it would be tender and make rolling it easier and it worked well. This is a keeper! Wish I found this recipe years ago…
Did she pound this Turkey breast to flatten it out? I had the toughest time rolling it. Stuffing is awesome. Not sure it’s worth the trouble of rolling a breast.