Gail Simmons' pastrami-style roast turkey is sized for a smaller holiday table
Gail Simmons' pastrami-style roast turkey is a compact alternative to cooking a whole bird: a 2- to 2 1/2-pound skin-on boneless turkey breast is butterflied, coated with a pepper-heavy spice mixture, rolled and roasted. Food & Wine published the recipe page on November 4, but it explicitly says the recipe is reprinted with permission from Simmons' 2017 cookbook Bringing It Home; this is a renewed publication of an older recipe, not a newly created 2026 dish.
The yield is 4 to 6 servings. Food & Wine lists 25 minutes of active time and 1 hour 15 minutes total. For the rub, use 1 large garlic clove, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder. The recipe also calls for 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 bay leaves, canola oil for brushing and kosher salt. The ingredient list does not give a single salt quantity; the directions specify 1 teaspoon for the garlic paste and 3/4 teaspoon to season the rolled breast.
Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle and lightly oil a small roasting pan or medium oven-safe skillet. Chop the garlic with 1 teaspoon salt into a paste, then mix in the sugar, pepper, coriander, paprika and mustard. Melt the butter with the bay leaves in a small saucepan. With the butterflied turkey skin-side up, loosen the skin without detaching it and spread about one-quarter of the rub underneath. Turn the breast meat-side up, spread about half the remaining rub over the meat, roll it into a cylinder with the skin outside and tie with kitchen twine every 2 inches. Coat the exterior with the remaining rub, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and set seam-side down in the pan.
Spoon about half the bay-leaf butter over the roast, put it in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 400°F. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, basting with the remaining butter halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the centre. Rest loosely covered with foil for 10 minutes before removing the twine and slicing. The source specifies a small roasting pan or medium oven-safe skillet, a small saucepan, chef's knife, cutting board, twine and an instant-read thermometer.
For make-ahead cooking, the recipe says to roast the turkey up to three days ahead, cool it and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Slice it cold for sandwiches, or reheat it covered with a splash of broth. The Food & Wine page does not supply a separate prep-time estimate or nutrition figures, so none are added here.