Why Turkey Ballotine is the Perfect Alternative to Roast Turkey This Christmas
If you love turkey but want to try something a little different this Christmas, turkey ballotine is a fantastic choice. Unlike the traditional roast, a ballotine is elegant, versatile, and packed with flavour. It combines tender turkey with rich, festive fillings, offering the perfect centerpiece for a celebratory meal.
At Exeter Golf and Country Club, Head Chef Adam Austin Little has shared his festive turkey ballotine recipe, which takes Christmas dining to the next level.
Adam Austin Little’s – Best Christmas Turkey Ballotine Recipe
Ingredients:
6oz turkey breast
200g caul fat
1kg turkey leg meat
100g cranberries
Panko breadcrumbs
2 shallots, diced
2 cloves garlic
200g sausage meat
80g dried apricots, blitzed
80g chestnuts, chopped
Sprig of thyme, chopped
1 onion, diced
1 egg
50g breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
Method:
For the stuffing:
Sweat the onion with thyme and garlic, then leave to cool.
Mix the sausage meat with apricots, breadcrumbs, and chestnuts.
Combine with the cooled onion mixture, add the egg, and season.
Combine & cook the turkey breast:
Bat out the turkey breast, place the stuffing along the centre, and roll.
Layout the caul fat and wrap the turkey breast.
Pan-fry until golden brown, cook to 75°C, then rest and slice.
Prepare the turkey leg bon bons
Slow cook the turkey leg for 4–5 hours.
Sweat the shallots, cool, and mix with cranberries and turkey leg meat. Roll and leave to set overnight.
Breadcrumb the turkey leg roll and fry until golden.
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Why Choose Turkey Ballotine?
The stuffing combines sausage, apricots, chestnuts, and cranberries for a festive punch – rolled, golden, and perfectly sliced, it’s a showstopper for your Christmas table.
Turkey ballotine is a delicious upgrade from traditional sliced roast turkey, offering a perfect combination of flavour, texture, and presentation. Unlike plain turkey breast, which can sometimes be dry or bland, a ballotine is stuffed with a rich mixture of sausage, cranberries, chestnuts, and apricots, ensuring every slice is packed with festive taste. Wrapped in caul fat and carefully rolled, it stays juicy and tender, while also looking elegant on the plate—making it a real showstopper for Christmas. Cooking a ballotine is also more forgiving than roasting a whole turkey, as the breast and leg meat can be cooked separately to perfection, and portion sizes are easier to manage. With its customizable stuffing, consistent results, and impressive presentation, turkey ballotine transforms a classic festive staple into a sophisticated and flavourful centerpiece.
This Christmas, swap the traditional roast for Adam Austin Little’s turkey ballotine – it’s festive, flavourful, and guaranteed to impress your guests.
