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Roast Turkey with Bacon Braid & Warm Homemade Cranberry Sauce


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Ingredients

For the roast turkey

2 half breasts of Quebec turkey, skinless

30 ml (2 tablespoons) brown sugar

7.5 ml (½ tablespoon) paprika

2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) ground cumin

2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) chili powder

Pepper to taste

1 apple, sliced

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

10 slices bacon (preferably butcher-cut)

 

For the warm homemade cranberry sauce

1 227-g (1 1/2 cup) bag Fresh Organic Cranberries

55 g (1/4 cup) to 75 g (1/3 cup) sugar crystals (raw, maple, organic, demerara, coconut, white, brown sugar, etc.)

 

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 1 hour and 15 minutes Portions 10 servings

Thanksgiving weekend provides a great excuse for cooking up a real feast starring top-notch local ingredients. And it’s great timing, since Thanksgiving is also when our fresh organic cranberries, direct from the bog to your plate, are available in splendid abundance.

This recipe combines the traditional and the contemporary, with roast turkey sporting an elegant bacon “braid” and a delicious warm homemade cranberry sauce.

Ingredients

For the roast turkey

2 half breasts of Quebec turkey, skinless

30 ml (2 tablespoons) brown sugar

7.5 ml (½ tablespoon) paprika

2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) ground cumin

2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) chili powder

Pepper to taste

1 apple, sliced

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

10 slices bacon (preferably butcher-cut)

 

For the warm homemade cranberry sauce

1 227-g (1 1/2 cup) bag Fresh Organic Cranberries

55 g (1/4 cup) to 75 g (1/3 cup) sugar crystals (raw, maple, organic, demerara, coconut, white, brown sugar, etc.)

 

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Steps

  1. For the roast turkey
    Preheat oven to 160 °C (325 °F). Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.

  2. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, paprika, cumin, chili powder and pepper. Set aside.

  3. Place one half turkey breast on cutting board, outer side down, where the skin was originally. Scatter apple and garlic slices in the middle of the turkey breast and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) blended spices.

  4. Place other half turkey breast on top and rub with blended spices. Keep 2 tablespoons (30 ml) for the next step.

  5. Place bacon slices on top of turkey breasts to form a braid, passing under the meat on either side. Tie with string, cutting off excess string. Sprinkle with remaining blended spices.

  6. Place roast on baking sheet. Cook for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turkey will be ready when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part shows 70 °C (160 °F). Tent loosely with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

  7. For the warm homemade cranberry sauce
    Place cranberries in large glass microwaveable bowl that holds at least 1 L (2 cups). Add sugar. Cover container with a splash guard top.

  8. Cook on high for 4 minutes or until cranberries start getting soft and mixture starts to bubble. (If you prefer a chunkier cranberry sauce, stop cooking at this stage.)

  9. Remove splash guard top. Crush cranberries roughly with a fork.

  10. Keep cooking for 2 or 3 minutes to taste, checking for consistency every 30 seconds.

  11. Sauce is ready when cranberries have popped and mixture has thickened nicely.

Recommendations

Besides looking so elegant, the bacon braid prevents the meat from drying out in the oven. 

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