This Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe is perfect for those small holiday menus. If you’re hosting a small Christmas or Thanksgiving Dinner, this butter and herb turkey breast will be perfect!
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Cooking Turkey Breast
Cooking a turkey breast is great for those smaller holiday gatherings. I have a feeling a lot of us will be spending the holidays with our immediate families this year. No need to skip the feasts entirely, just scale them down.
I personally have been cooking just the turkey breast for years because that is my preferred part of the turkey and my holiday feasts are always on the small side.
Do You Cook Turkey Breast Covered Or Uncovered
If you want that deep browned top (which most do) Start uncovered then just tent with foil once the turkey reaches your desired color. I usually cover it around the last 30 minutes or so.
Ingredients Needed For Buttery Herb Turkey Breast(screenshot for grocery list)
Place turkey into greased roasting dish. Carefully pull up the skin from the breast and rub half the butter mixture under the skin. Smear the remaining butter on top of skin. Surround with lemon wedges and fresh herbs.
Roast turkey breast for approximately 2-3 hours or until internal temp reaches 165ºF in the thickest part of the breast. Baste with juices 1-2 times while roasting. Tent with foil once turkey reaches the desired brown color.
This Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe is perfect for those small holiday menus. If you’re hosting a small Christmas or Thanksgiving Dinner, this butter and herb turkey breast will be perfect!
Place turkey into greased roasting dish. Carefully pull up the skin from the breast and rub half the butter mixture under the skin. Smear the remaining butter on top of skin. Surround with lemon wedges and fresh herbs.
Roast turkey breast for approximately 2-3 hours or until internal temp reaches 165ºF in the thickest part of the breast. Baste with juices 1-2 times while roasting. Tent with foil once turkey reaches the desired brown color.
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Comments
Cherylsays
I made this yesterday putting as much of the butter mixture under the skin and cooking in an oven bag. My 8.5 lb turkey breast took 2 hours to cook. It was moist and delicious. Today, after picking the carcass, I cooked the carcass in water with salt, pepper, and some garlic powder (because I had no vegetables). After 3 hours I strained the broth, found I had 1-3/4 cups, and it was delicious. Thanks so much for the recipe. PS: When straining the drippings after cooking the breast, I was surprised that there was not much fat considering that 1/2 cup of butter was used on the bird. Was it absorbed by the meat?
To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.
To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.
Water on the surface of the meat will slow down the cook, and cause uneven browning. The heat of the oven or smoker must first work to evaporate the surface moisture before the cooking really begins. So, prep your turkey skin by either drying or, better yet, dry brining your turkey skin before cooking.
Cooking a turkey upside down allows the juices to trickle down during the roasting process for extra moist and juicy breast meat. Plus, since the dark meat is closer to the heat source, it cooks faster than it does with the traditional method. It's a win-win!
2- to 2½-pound bone-in turkey breast half: Roast at 325°F for 60 to 70 minutes. 2½- to 3-pound boneless turkey breast: Roast at 325°F for 40 to 60 minutes. 4- to 6-pound whole turkey breast: Roast at 325°F for 1½ to 2¼ hours. 6- to 8-pound whole turkey breast: Roast at 325°F for 2¼ to 3¼ hours.
Place roast, skin side up, on a flat roasting rack in 2-inch deep roasting pan. Do not add water to pan. Roast uncovered according to Cooking Schedule or until meat thermometer in center of breast roast reaches 170° F and in center of turkey roast reaches 175° F.
The benefits of roasting a turkey breast-side down are twofold: The dark meat cooks faster when it's closer to the heat source, and the juices trickle down for extra-moist breast meat. Talk about a turn for the better! This works on all types of birds—organic, conventional, heirloom, you name it.
If the turkey breast won't stay upright in the roasting pan, take two or three feet of aluminum foil, wad it up and partially stuff into the turkey's chest cavity to create a “stand” to keep the breast steady.
In general, you'll want to cook a bone-in turkey breast for about 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees F (177 degrees C), or until it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
You can then wet or dry brine your thawed or fresh turkey breast. Dry brining will deliver the tastiest turkey, while wet brining will give you moist grilled meat. While your turkey brines, you can make a turkey mop sauce and store it in the fridge until you are ready to make your grilled bone-in turkey breast.
If that temperature seems low, read our post about poultry temperatures! If you wait to pull the turkey at 165°F (74°C), the breasts will be overcooked and dry.
The best way to ensure you wind up with a perfectly roasted turkey—juicy and flavorful no matter what part you dig into—is to both cover it and not cover it with foil.
Your turkey will cook more evenly and faster if you start it out at room temperature so remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. If you plan to stuff your turkey, wait until you're ready to put it in the oven before putting the stuffing in the turkey.
Plan on between 2 and 2 ½ hours total for a 14- to 16-pound bird. Start at a high temperature (450°F for 45 minutes), then reduce to 325 degrees F. Let the turkey rest (30 minutes). Cover the turkey with aluminum foil to help it retain heat.
If your turkey is not close to room temperature when it goes in the oven, it will take longer to cook. If it is at room temp, it may take less time to cook. So, check the temperature of your bird earlier than the full cooking time.
Place your turkey on a wire rack and then place the rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom of the roasting pan. This will prevent the drippings from burning on the bottom of the pan. If using a flat rack (use a V-rack if you have one), you will notice the turkey will tilt to one side or the other.
Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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