How to Cook a Turkey Roll

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 6, 2019 Tested

Turkey rolls combine the holiday favorites of turkey and stuffing into one convenient roll, wrapped in a crispy bacon shell. To make a turkey roll, all you need to do is flatten the turkey meat, roll it with stuffing and bacon, and bake it in the oven! Whether you're making it for a special holiday or a regular dinner, preparing a turkey roll is easy and fun for chefs of all skill levels.

Ingredients

1 whole turkey breast or 2 boneless turkey breasts
10-12 slices of bacon
1 6 fluid ounces (180 mL) package of stuffing, prepared according to directions
Salt and pepper to taste

Makes 6-8 servings

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Slicing and Stuffing the Turkey

1
Cut the turkey meat away from the bone if it's not boneless. Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut as much of the breast meat away from the bone as possible. Try to keep the meat in one long piece, rather than cutting it into smaller pieces.^{[1]
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- You can save the bones from the breast to make a gravy or soup later.
2
Slice boneless turkey breasts horizontally to make 2 long pieces. On the thicker side of the breast, cut the meat in a horizontal line until you're about 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from the other side of the meat. Leave the two halves connected to form one long pieces of meat.^{[2]
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- Be careful not to cut the breast in half. If you do, it may be more difficult to get your roll to stay together.
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3
Place the turkey on a cutting board and cover the meat with plastic wrap. Situate your turkey breast so that it is laying flat on the cutting board. Then, tear a piece of plastic wrap large enough to cover the meat, and put it over the top of the meat.^{[3]
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- This will protect the meat and keep it from breaking apart when you're flattening it.
4
Use a mallet to flatten the turkey to 1 in (2.5 cm) thick. Pound the turkey breast flat with a mallet, focusing on thicker areas. When the meat is flat, it should be and even thickness.^{[4]
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- You can make the meat as thin as ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm), but flattening it any more than that can cause the turkey to tear when you roll it.
- If you don't have a mallet, you can use a rolling pin to press and flatten the meat.
5
Lay bacon strips vertically on a piece of wax paper with the turkey on top. Line up 10-12 strips of bacon so that they are in an “up and down” position. Organize them so they overlap slightly on each side, and lay the flattened turkey breast on top of the bacon.^{[5]
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- If your turkey breast is much longer than the bacon, add additional strips to either end until the row of bacon is as long as the turkey.
6
Spoon the stuffing horizontally across the center of the turkey in a log shape. Layer the package of prepared stuffing on top of the turkey in a line across the length of the breast. Use your hands or a spoon to form it into a log shape, with about 2 inches (5.1 cm) of uncovered turkey above and below the stuffing.^{[6]
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- You can use any kind of stuffing that you prefer. If you're using a homemade stuffing mix, only prepare about 2 cups (470 mL) of the stuffing to prevent the roll from becoming too thick.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creating the Roll

1
Roll the turkey up and around the stuffing. Using your hands, lift the bottom part of the turkey that isn't covered by stuffing, and fold it across the top of the stuffing log. Then, lift and fold the top half of the turkey across the stuffing to create the beginning of the roll.^{[7]
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- If you left enough free turkey above and below the stuffing log, these pieces should overlap and stay folded.
2
Fold the bacon strips across the turkey roll. Working from left to right, fold the bottom and top parts of the bacon around the turkey breast. The ends of the bacon should overlap on the top of the turkey roll, wrapping the meat completely.^{[8]
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- For extra support, you can position a piece of bacon horizontally on either side of the turkey log before you begin to wrap the log.
3
Season the roll with salt and pepper. Put a pinch of salt and pepper along the seam of the bacon to season the underside of the turkey roll. This is the portion of the log that will be facing down as the roll bakes.^{[9]
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- You can add other spices as desired to get a different taste, like sage or rosemary for a more festive turkey roll.
4
Tie the roll closed with baker's twine. Slide a piece of baker's twine under the roll and position it under the center of the roll, tying it to hold the roll in place. Then, tie a piece around either end of the roll, and one around the roll horizontally.^{[10]
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- This will help to keep the roll intact while it bakes and expands in the oven.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Roasting the Roll

1
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Using the panel on the stove, turn the oven on and set the temperature. Wait until the oven has warmed to the desired temperature to put the roll into the oven. Most ovens will make a noise, like a “beep” or a bell sound, to indicate that they've reached the desired internal temperature.^{[11]
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- If your oven doesn't make noise when it is heated, be sure to check the panel of the oven before you put your roll in to bake.
2
Set the turkey roll on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Position a steady wire rack on top of a baking sheet, and place the roll onto the rack. Make sure the seam of the roll is facing down on the rack.^{[12]
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- If the seam is facing up, the turkey can expand and the stuffing can spill out as it's cooking.
- The baking sheet will catch any drippings from the turkey roll, and the rack will allow the turkey to cook evenly along the bottom of the roll.
3
Bake the roll for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Check on the roll after the time has elapsed, and insert an instant thermometer into the center of the roll. The internal temperature should be at least 155 °F (68 °C).^{[13]
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- If the roll hasn't reached the correct temperature, let it bake for 5-10 additional minutes and check the temperature again.
4
Remove the roll from the oven and let it rest for 10-20 minutes. Carefully pull the baking sheet and rack with the roll out of the oven, and let it sit to cool. You can cover the roll with aluminum foil to prevent the bacon from becoming too cool, but it should maintain an even temperature.^{[14]
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- The roll will be very hot when it comes out of the oven, so don't attempt to eat it right away!
5
Cut the baker's twine and slice the roll to serve it. When you're ready to serve the roll, cut and remove the baker's twine, and use a sharp knife to cut the roll into thick slices. Carefully transfer the slices to a place to avoid spilling the stuffing from inside of the roll.^{[15]
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- You can serve the turkey roll with homemade turkey gravy or a festive cranberry sauce.
- If you have leftover turkey roll, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.