Holiday Roast Turkey Cordon Bleu

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A melty ham and cheese filling with savory pesto, tangy mustard, and sweet cranberries adds interest and taste to this holiday roast turkey Cordon Bleu. It's moist, tender, and so flavorful that no gravy is needed, but it you're a gravy fan, by all means, use the pan drippings to make one.

By
John Mitzewich
Chef John
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques.
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Published on December 21, 2021
1
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Additional Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
8 servings
Jump to Nutrition Facts

Like many of my fellow countrymen, I grew up eating roast turkey on Thanksgiving, which is why I've always been a bit confused by Christmas turkey recipes. I love turkey, especially with all the fixings, but do we want that same feast again, just a month later? Well, apparently lots of people do, or they'll have something besides turkey on Thanksgiving, and wait until Christmas to roast one.

By the way, after a few minutes of research on the subject, I learned that turkey on Christmas is an old British tradition that predates our Thanksgiving menus; so technically, a Christmas turkey is more historically correct. But whether you're doing your first turkey of the year on Christmas or you're enjoying a repeat performance, I wanted to post a recipe that would work for both scenarios.

This roast turkey "Cordon Bleu" is one of those recipes that looks and sounds kind of fancy but is actually very simple and straightforward to make. Beyond the visual appeal, this technique produces something much more flavorful than even the most perfectly roasted bird, which for me is the main selling point. Plus, you get to tweak the filling ingredients any way you want. So, whether this is your first or second turkey of the season, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

  • 1 (4 pound) boneless, skin-on turkey breast

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • 2 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce

  • ¼ cup dried cranberries, or to taste

  • 4 ounces ham, thinly sliced

  • 5 thin slices provolone cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with vegetable oil.

  2. Place turkey breast, skin-side down, on a work surface. Open it up and trim off any connective tissue. Cut at an angle along the natural seam of the turkey and butterfly it open so it's all about the same thickness; don't cut all the way through.

  3. Season turkey breast with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne. Spread Dijon over the surface and then spread pesto over that. Scatter dried cranberries over top, then layer with ham and provolone cheese.

  4. Roll turkey breast from one side to the other to enclose the filling, and flip so the skin is facing up. Tie around the center with a kitchen string to secure. Repeat ties at 1-inch intervals along the length of the roast all the way to each end. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Season the top and sides with remaining salt and pepper.

  5. Roast in the center of the preheated oven until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F (65 degrees C), 1 ½ to 2 hours.

  6. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Cut off strings and slice.

    roast turkey cordon bleu in a white rectangular baking dish
    Holiday Roast Turkey Cordon Bleu. Chef John

Chef's Notes:

You can refrigerate the roast after trussing it if you're not making it right away.

Any caramelized cheese that drips out of the roast can be enjoyed on a piece of bread, and pan drippings can be made into a gravy.

This technique will work beautifully no matter what you put inside.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

400 Calories
14g Fat
5g Carbs
60g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 400
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 176mg 59%
Sodium 996mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Protein 60g 121%
Potassium 701mg 15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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