Turducken

In this turducken recipe, prep time is cut down to 30 minutes, and bake time reduced to 90 minutes. Rather than debone an entire bird, chef Cassy Vires simply layered the breasts of the turkey and duck and introduced the chicken in the form of a store bought chicken-apple sausage, which is quick, flavorful and simple. And in true form, she wrapped the whole thing in bacon. The end product is tender, juicy and a crowd-pleaser.

 Jennifer Silverberg

TURDUCKEN

Turducken is all about the meat, so choosing high-quality meats is very important. Use a nice applewood smoked bacon, all-natural chicken sausage and fresh turkey breasts for the best results.

Serves | 6 to 8 |

  • 6 cups water
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 1 boneless, skinless turkey breast
  • 2 boneless, skinless duck breasts
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • 2 Tbsp c hopped fresh thyme
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 chicken-apple sausages
  • 12 slices hardwood smoked bacon
  • butcher's twine
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • cranberry relish, as garnish

| Preparation | Bring water and salt to a boil in a large pot, then remove from heat. Once cool, submerge turkey breast in brine for at least 1 hour, up to 12 hours. Remove turkey and pat dry.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place turkey breast on a large cutting board and cover with a large piece of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, gently pound the turkey to an even ¼-inch thickness. Do the same with the duck breasts.

Season the turkey and duck breasts with fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Lay the turkey breast flat then top with the duck breast. Place the two sausages the length of the breasts. Bring the sides of the breasts up around the sausage and press together to hold, creating a roulade. Set aside.

Layer the bacon, slightly overlapping, on the cutting board. Place the roulade on top of the bacon, seam side up. Bring the bacon up around the roulade, overlapping the ends. Truss with butcher's twine to secure.

Place the olive oil in a large, nonstick pan over high heat. Once hot, add roulade and turn on all sides to sear bacon. Place roulade on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 90 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 170°F is reached. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with cranberry relish.