Porchetta-Style Roast Turkey Breast

Ingredients

• •1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• •½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• •1 tablespoon kosher salt
• •2 tablespoons olive oil
• •2 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped
• •4 cloves garlic cloves
• •3 leaves sage leaves
• •½ cup parsley leaves
• •¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh chives
• •1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• •2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• •1 whole whole skin-on, bone-in turkey breast, bones removed
• •12 slices bacon
• •1 piece spice mill or mortar and pestle

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Grind fennel seeds and red pepper flakes in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle until very fine. Toss spice mixture and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

   5 min

2. 2.

   Heat oil in a small skillet over medium. Cook pancetta, stirring often, until brown and crisp, 5-8 minutes. Let cool. Transfer pancetta and fat in skillet to a food processor, add garlic, and process to a smooth paste. Add sage, parsley, chives, rosemary, and lemon zest and process until smooth; set paste aside.

   15 min

3. 3.

   Pat turkey breast dry and place skin side down on a large rimmed baking sheet so thickest part of breast is closest to you. Run your fingers underneath fillets lengthwise to detach. Using a thin, sharp blade, position knife about 3" from neck end and cut downward at a 45ºF angle into the thickest part of the breast (do not cut all the way through; you're butterflying only the top portion). Open top flap you've just created like a book. Fold fillets in half and place in the top and bottom gaps between the breasts so tapered ends are facing in. The idea is to create a layer of meat of uniform thickness across the entire breast.

   15 min

4. 4.

   Sprinkle reserved spice mixture all over turkey flesh; rub into crevices. Rub paste all over flesh of turkey to coat evenly, working into crevices. Roll up turkey breast left to right like a jelly roll to form a log; position seam side down and tuck skin under at each end. Starting at center, tie with kitchen twine at even intervals (apply some pressure with string so turkey holds a nice round shape, but don't tie too tightly or it will bulge when cooked).

   15 min

5. 5.

   Let rolled turkey sit 2 hours to bring to room temperature.

   120 min

6. 6.

   Preheat oven to 325ºF. Roast turkey on baking sheet until skin is golden and starting to crisp, 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove strings with kitchen shears. Drape with bacon slices, overlapping; tuck ends underneath turkey to secure. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140ºF, 30-40 minutes.

   85 min

7. 7.

   Increase oven temperature to 400ºF and cook until bacon is browned and crisp and thermometer registers 150ºF, 5-10 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and let rest at least 40 minutes before slicing. Serve with pan juices.

   50 min

8. 8.

   Turkey breast can be rolled 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered on a rimmed baking sheet.