A Manageable Turducken

Turducken — the Frankenstein of poultry-themed dishes.  Traditionally made with a whole de-boned turkey, a whole de-boned chicken, and a whole de-boned duck, each nestled inside the other, it’s sort of like edible Russian nesting dolls.

Most recipes call for baking the monstrosity, some for deep-frying. But either way you do it, it’s a lot of work, and a lot of meat to buy/consume!

I’ve always been curious about the dish, but balked at such a huge undertaking. When I saw that you could make a much more modest version in the form of a roulade, I knew I had to try it.

The term roulade comes from the French word rouler, meaning “to roll.” So essentially a roulade is a dish of rolled meat or pastry such as a savory beef roulade, or a sweet cappuccino roulade

For the turducken roulade, you take the breasts of each one of these birds — turkey, chicken, duck — and nest them inside one another.

To make it tastier and fancier we’re going to make a mushroom stuffing for the interior of the roulade. And, in order to add some visual appeal with color, we’ll add a couple of layers of spinach between the meats.

A turducken roulade.

Turducken Roulade

This is the manageable form of turducken.
4.13 from 8 votes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Course Main Course, Thanksgiving
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 231 kcal

Equipment

  • oven
  • stove top
  • shallow oven-proof pan or rimmed baking sheet
  • butcher's twine

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 turkey breast
  • 1 chicken breast
  • 1 duck breast
  • 1 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
  • 8 oz. spinach leaves

Mushroom stuffing

  • 8 oz. crimini mushrooms minced
  • 1 large shallot minced
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 4 oz. cream cheese

Instructions
 

  • Drizzle grapeseed oil in a pan over medium heat.
  • Add the shallots and briefly sauté, then add butter.
  • Continue to sauté the shallots until they are softened and fragrant.
  • Transfer the mushrooms to the pan and sauté until they cook down and release most of their moisture.
  • Once the moisture evaporates, season with salt and black pepper, then add the thyme.
  • Stir in the cream cheese, remove the mushroom stuffing from the heat, and spread on a sheet pan so it cools more quickly.
  • Transfer the chicken breast to a clean work surface (I like to use parchment paper) and butterfly the breast using a sharp knife.
  • Open the two flaps so the breast lies flat, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, and flatten to an even thickness with a meat mallet. Repeat this with the turkey and duck breasts, then generously season each poultry breast with salt and black pepper.
  • Lay the turkey breast flat on a large sheet of plastic wrap. To make rolling easier, shape it as close to a rectangle as possible. This helpful tip applies to all roulades.
  • Cover with fresh spinach leaves, then place the flattened chicken breast on top.
  • Cover the chicken breast with another layer of spinach.
  • Place the duck breast over the spinach layer—season with more salt and black pepper if desired.
  • Spoon some of the mushroom stuffing on top of the layered poultry. You will not need all of it.
  • Using the plastic wrap to assist you, roll the turducken.
  • Drape reserved turkey breast skin over the turducken roulade and tuck any excess underneath.
  • Slide the butcher’s twine underneath the turducken and tie (or truss) along the length so it holds its shape during roasting.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Meanwhile, brush the bottom of a roasting pan with butter, add the turducken roulade, then brush the roulade with butter. If using a probe thermometer to monitor internal temperature and ensure the turducken is cooked correctly, insert the probe into the thickest part and set it to 165°F.
  • Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Occasionally, baste with the drippings.
  • Transfer the roulade to a cutting board to rest for 15 minutes.
  • As the roulade rests, make a pan gravy using the drippings. To start, heat the drippings over medium heat.
  • Add a few tablespoons of flour and whisk the flour into the fat to make a roux. A silicone-coated whisk will not damage the pan’s finish.
  • Whisk as you slowly incorporate turkey stock and break up any lumps.
  • Bring the gravy to a boil and cook until thickened.
  • Season the gravy to taste with salt and black pepper.
  • Remove the butcher’s twine, slice the turducken roulade, and serve with gravy. Consider enhancing the presentation with fresh sage leaves (or similar) if serving for Thanksgiving or another fall/winter holiday.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 35gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 678mgPotassium: 745mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2909IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 3mg
Keyword chicken, duck, roulade, Thanksgiving, turducken, turkey
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

2 thoughts on “A Manageable Turducken”

  1. Christine Watanabe

    I was wondering the same thing! Watching the video is great, but when preparing the recipe, I can’t keep scrolling back to hear what the next step is.

  2. 5 stars
    I’ve already made this once and it was fantastic. So good, in fact, that I’m going to make it again this year for Christmas. I usually roast a beef tenderloin but thought that I’d try something different this year. Thanks for the incredible recipe.

4.13 from 8 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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