Advertisement

Try this easy roast turkey breast, then check out our roast turkey, easy turkey crown, turkey gravy and more Christmas turkey recipes.

Making a bacon lattice is the kind of kitchen prep that looks a lot harder than it is. It’s worth taking a little time to put it together as it envelopes the stuffed turkey breast, keeping the meat moist and giving the joint a professional-looking finish.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 onions, 2 chopped, 2 sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • 300g herby sausages, skinned
  • 100g soft breadcrumbs
  • chopped to make 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley
  • chopped to make 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 egg
  • approximately 2-2.5kg boned turkey breast joint, (see notes below)
  • 24 slices unsmoked streaky bacon
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 300ml white wine
  • 2 tbsp redcurrent jelly

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped onions, garlic and fennel seeds, and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft. Cool and tip into a bowl. Add the sausage, breadcrumbs, parsley, rosemary, lemon zest and egg. Season really well and mix.

  • STEP 2

    Put the turkey breast skin-side down on a board. Pull the small false fillet to the side, then cut incisions lengthways into the thickest part of the breast at regular intervals to help the breast open up. Spread the stuffing all over the meat then put the false fillet back over the stuffing.

  • STEP 3

    Lay each slice of bacon on a chopping board and, using the back of a knife, scrape along the bacon to stretch it out and make it thinner. Weave the stretched bacon together to make a lattice by laying half the strips horizontally, then folding every other one back and laying a strip of bacon down vertically. Fold forward the strips bent back then fold back the alternate rashers, laying down another strip vertically. Repeat with the remaining rashers. Lift the turkey breast onto the bacon lattice, skin-side down, and fold it around, bringing the turkey back into a breast shape. Slip kitchen string under the turkey at the middle and tie to secure. Tie the rest of the turkey up at intervals along the length to make a neat shape. Weigh the whole joint then calculate the cooking time based on 20 minutes per 500g.

  • STEP 4

    Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the sliced onions in a large roasting tin and sit the turkey, lattice-side up, on top of them.

  • STEP 5

    Cook for the calculated time, covering with foil if the bacon is getting a little dark. Brush with the maple syrup 30 minutes before the time is up. Remove from the tin and rest under loosely covered foil while you make the gravy.

  • STEP 6

    Pour off most of the fat from the roasting tin into a heatproof bowl, then scrape all of the leftover juices and bits from the tin into a pan. Add the stock and wine, and bring to a simmer. Boil until reduced by 2/3, then stir in the redcurrant jelly until melted. Strain into a jug.

Butchers and online stockists will have turkey breast joints for sale around Christmas time (one large single boned breast). They are much quicker to cook than a whole turkey and make a neat joint that carves easily – no need to wrestle a 5kg bird into the oven!

Advertisement

Comments, questions and tips

Rate this recipe

What is your star rating out of 5?

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Overall rating

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.2 ratings
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement