Wild Turkey Roulade with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon & Craisins Recipe  

Wild turkey meat has been known for being tough, not easy to cook, dry, and, oftentimes, gamey. However, wild turkeys are lean and not filled with added fat, butter, antibiotics, or added flavors, so consider them good for you!

Prepping a wild turkey for a meal starts in the field. Turkeys are much easier than deer to get butchered quickly; that is the key to all wild game, efficiency of field dressing and butchering. Keep the turkey breasts clean, feather-free when cutting down to the breast bones, and check for shot—no one wants broken teeth for dinner! Get the turkey breasts sealed up and in a cooler, fridge, or freezer quickly. Efficiency is the key to the lack of that gamey taste in all wild game! Preserve what you hunt to create a beautiful conclusion to your harvest at the dinner table.  

When thinking of creating an entree for a wild turkey breast, I was inspired to create a wild turkey roulade using bacon, craisins, Brussels sprouts, and cream cheese. If you can think of a better combination, I will wait for any other suggestions.  

• One turkey breast 
• 2.5 cups of sliced and roasted Brussels sprouts (I use a bit of olive oil tossed in before roasting) 
• 1.5 cups of craisins 
• 2 cups of cooked, chopped bacon 
• Cream cheese (fully loaded, not fat-free!) 
• Butcher string 
• Salt and pepper 

Clean the turkey breast and use a meat mallet or a rolling pin to thin the breast for rolling up.

Once the sliced and roasted Brussels sprouts are ready, add them to the pan with the chopped bacon and craisins. Add a tiny bit of water and cover to steam the craisins until soft. Take off the heat. 

Take your cream cheese and spread a thick layer on top of the flattened turkey breast, and then cover with the mixture of Brussels sprouts, bacon, and craisins. Leave a little in the pan as a garnish when plating. Pat the cream cheese and then start rolling up from the wide side of the turkey breast toward the point. Tie three butcher strings around the roll to keep it together. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. 

For cooking, this is the part you can choose according to your preference. I either grill on a Traeger at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until it reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. I also bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until it reaches the same internal temperature. If you grill, make sure to use the smoke option in the beginning, you will thank me later!!! Let this rest for about 5 minutes and then slice for the table.  

I serve this with farrow and the extra leftover mixture.  

Enjoy!