Wrapping the turkey breast with the skin and slow roasting ensures a perfectly cooked, moist turkey roulade. Just as promised last week, I’m back with a fantastic Thanksgiving turkey recipe for you guys! Last week, I shared this step by step tutorial on how to prep turkey breasts to make a great Thanksgiving turkey roulade (turkey roll) that will be a great alternative for a traditional turkey for Thanksgiving this year. Today, I’m going to show you one way to cook this scrumptious turkey roulade (turkey roll) to perfection! This Sage and Rosemary Slow Roasted Turkey Roulade (Turkey Roll) is incredibly juicy, succulent with caramelized skin on the outside, and is the perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece when you’d rather not worry about carving up a whole bird, and dealing with all the leftovers. Sage, rosemary, garlic and spices are ground together to form a deeply fragrant, flavorful spice paste which is then spread on the butterflied turkey breast. The turkey breasts are then rolled tightly into a roulade and wrapped with the turkey skin and slow roasted until perfectly cooked and juicy. I’m drooling just typing this.
Why you’ll love this recipe
This turkey roulade does require some extra prep, but the results are absolutely worth it! The roulade shape ensures that the turkey breast cooks more evenly, because the thickness of the roast is more even throughout, unlike a boneless turkey breast that is thick on one end, and smaller on the other. The herb paste that is spread on the turkey breast before rolling it up infuses the meat with a lot of flavor as it cooks. The fat in this paste also helps to keep the turkey breast moist from the inside. From the outside, the turkey roll is wrapped with the skin. This skin also helps to keep the turkey breast moist. Otherwise, the water will evaporate more readily from the turkey breast meat. Because of the even shape of the turkey roulade, slicing the turkey breast is so easy too! Each person gets equal pieces of turkey breast, so no fighting over the bird! It’s a much easier (but fancier and just as impressive) alternative to cooking an entire bird. A great way to cook turkey for smaller gatherings or if you want extra meat, but don’t need to cook a large turkey.
Ingredients to make this turkey breast roll
For the turkey roll
Whole turkey breast – This is two turkey breast pieces that are still connected with the bone and the skin on. You can also ask your butcher to make a boneless turkey breast (with a whole turkey breast) roulade (deboned turkey roll) for you as well. Sage Rosemary Garlic Brown sugar (you can also use honey or white sugar) Black pepper (adjust this to your spice level tolerance) Salt Vegetable oil to make the spice paste
You will also need a sharp paring knife that can help with removing the bone from the turkey breast with more precision.
For the gravy
Chicken stock, preferably unsalted Flour and butter to make the roux to thicken the gravy Salt and pepper for seasoning
What type of turkey breast to buy for this recipe
For this turkey roll recipe, I use a double turkey breast. However, you can also make a roulade with a single turkey breast. Turkey roulades made with a single turkey breast will of course be smaller. If you can purchase a boneless turkey breast, with both turkey breasts still attached to each other, then you can use this instead. This will make the prep work much easier for you. The next easiest option is to ask your butcher to prepare a boneless turkey breast (boned and rolled turkey breast) with a whole breast. The easiest option however is to buy a pre-prepared turkey breast roll, like the butterball boneless turkey breast. However, you will not be able to spread the herb mix in the middle of the roll with this option as it has already been rolled up and tied. You can spread the herb paste on the outside instead.
How to cook the turkey roll in the oven
How to prep, roll, and tie the turkey roulade
I won’t be going into detail on HOW to prepare the turkey roulade in this post, because I shared a comprehensive, STEP BY STEP tutorial on how to make a turkey roll, where I talked about prepping the turkey roulade with a full turkey breast cut. I prefer to tie up the turkey roll with kitchen twine, and leave it in the fridge overnight.
Making the spice paste
To make the spice paste, you can use a mortar and pestle, or a spice grinder. Mortar and pestle would be the best option, because it releases more of the fragrant oils in the herbs in my experience. But I do tend to use the spice grinder most of the time. Faster and more convenient. After the spice mix has been applied on the turkey breast, it’s rolled up, then wrapped with the skin, and tied with cotton twine (kitchen string). I recommend using cotton twine, because it’ll hold the shape of the turkey roulade better while being roasted.
How to prep the rolled turkey breast for slow roasting in the oven
Remove the turkey roulade from the fridge, then remove the plastic wrap, and pat dry the surface of the roulade using paper towels. Then place the turkey roulade on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Brush the top and the sides of the turkey roulade with unflavored oil. Make sure there’s a little oil on the bottom as well. Sprinkle salt all over the turkey before you start the cooking process.
Best temperature to roast the turkey roll
This rolled turkey breast is baked at two temperatures. First, it’s baked at a very high 450 F temperature. This is just to caramelize the skin that is wrapped around the roulade roast. Then the oven is reduced to 275 F, so that the rest of the turkey cooks at a low temperature for a longer time. This low and slow method of cooking will prevent the roulade from losing too much moisture and prevent it from drying out too much. Since the inside of this roulade has an incredibly flavorful herb paste, this flavor is infused throughout, and keeps the roulade moist from within too.
Rolled turkey cooking time
It will be 20 – 30 minutes per pound, depending on the thickness and size of the turkey breast. But since the starting point of this turkey roulade is at 450 F, the baking time will be slightly less. The baking time for this roulade will greatly vary depending on how thick the turkey roulade is. Sage, rosemary, garlic and spices are ground together to form a deeply fragrant, flavorful spice paste which is then spread on the butterflied turkey breast. The turkey breasts are then tolled tightly into a roulade and wrapped with the turkey skin and slow roasted until perfectly cooked and juicy. I’m drooling just typing this.
Internal temperature at which the turkey roll is cooked
Checking the internal temperature of the turkey roulade is the best method to make sure the turkey roast is cooked to perfection. Turkey breast should be cooked to about an internal temperature of 165F. This recipe is cooked to about 162 F, so that the turkey can continue to cook with residual heat and reach 165 F. The longer the turkey cooks, and the higher the internal temperature, the drier the meat of the turkey roast will be.
Turkey gravy
I also like to make a turkey gravy with the pan drippings from the roast as well. I usually get about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of pan drippings from this roast. This is then mixed with turkey broth (or chicken broth), and whisked in with a roux to make an incredibly flavorful turkey gravy that goes so well with the roulade!
Pro tips for a juicy, succulent turkey roll
Here are the most important tips to follow for a juicy turkey roulade.
Make sure to evenly spread the herb paste throughout the meat before rolling it up. Having a fat in the spread will ensure a moist, tender turkey breast. Roll up the meat and keep it tightly wrapped so that it will form an even, cylindrical shape. An even roast will bake more evenly. Wrap the turkey roll with the turkey skin. This layer of fat will prevent excess moisture from evaporating, AND the fat in the skin will help to keep the meat moist. If you do not have skin, you can also use bacon instead! Go low and slow for the roasting temperature. Since I start at a high temperature to caramelize the skin first, I reduce the oven to 275 F to bake it the rest of the way. You can also bake it at 300 F or 325 F for the roast to cook faster if you prefer. I always prefer to use a meat thermometer to get the most accurate results. Checking the internal temperature of the turkey breast with a meat thermometer is really the best and most foolproof way of achieving a moist, succulent, perfectly cooked slow roasted turkey roulade. And it’s easy too. You set the temperature to 162°F on the thermometer, and let the oven do the rest of the work. Then finally, the roasted turkey roulade is quickly broiled (or pan fried) to get that delicious caramelization on the skin. The usual bake time is about 20 – 30 minutes per 1 lb, BUT the bake time is shorter here. After about 45 minutes of total cooking time, check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Then check the internal temperature as needed until you reach about 162 – 165 F. The goal is for the turkey breast roast to not exceed 165 F (for the juiciest results). Let the oven roasted turkey roulade rest (while covered in aluminum foil), before cutting into it.
There are 2 main reasons why this turkey breast roll is super juicy and succulent inside. These two techniques together will make this recipe for slow roasted turkey roulade foolproof, and give you a perfectly cooked oven roasted turkey roulade to feature at your Thanksgiving dinner this year.
Flavor variations
Sage is easily my favorite herb to use with turkey and chicken. It perfectly complements poultry dishes like this one, and even pork for that matter. But the combination of sage and rosemary, really makes this oven roasted turkey roulade stand out. I’m a big fan of porchetta and decided to adapt those flavors for this slow roasted Thanksgiving turkey roll. And what I love about this simple slow roasted turkey roulade is that you can easily incorporate different flavor profiles into this dish. I’ve also made this with a lemon, herb and garlic blend, as well as a chili and honey spice mix as well. It’s versatile, and the results are amazing every time! Other flavor variations include this cajun spice mix and a more unique flavor combo of green curry that I used for this green curry roast chicken.
How to serve this turkey roll
Other turkey mains
If you like slow roasted turkey, then this turkey breast roll is perfect. Or for an even simpler turkey breast recipe, you can try my oven roasted turkey breast. If you have a sous vide, then you can make the juiciest turkey roast (because you cook it at a lower temperature for longer in a sous vide), by following this sous vide turkey roll recipe here. Prefer slow cooking turkey breast instead? Then try my perfect slow cooker turkey breast.
Sides
Here are some delicious traditional Thanksgiving side dishes and other sides to serve with this roasted turkey breast.
Desserts
If you’re serving this for Thanksgiving, then here are some amazing seasonal dessert recipes to pair this roast with.
Storage instructions
Leftover turkey can be stored in airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 – 5 days. Like with other foods, it’s important to note if there are any changes to the meat – such as smell, color, taste, or texture. If this is noticeable at any point, discard the leftovers. Avoid leaving the meat outside to reach room temperature and then storing it in the fridge multiple times. Such temperature fluctuations can also make the meat go bad quicker. To make the turkey leftovers last longer, you can slice the turkey roulade into pieces and then freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. And to make it easier to take only what you need each time, place wax paper or parchment paper in between the turkey slices. This way you do not have thaw and re-freeze all your leftovers at once. After the spice mix has been applied on the turkey breast, it’s rolled up, then wrapped with the skin, and tied with cotton twine. I recommend using cotton twine, because it’ll hold the shape of the turkey roulade better while being roasted.
What to do with leftover turkey breast roll
There are so many options for turkey roulade leftovers. Here are some of my favorites.
Thanksgiving leftover strata Leftover turkey sandwich Turkey croque monsieur Creamy turkey shepherd’s pot pie Turkey filo rolls Thanksgiving leftover savory bread pudding
Frequently asked questions
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