Best Brined Roasted Turkey Breast Recipes

DRY-BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH SLOW-ROASTED LEGS

Steps:

• Dry-brine the turkey: Combine the salt, 2 teaspoons pepper and the chopped thyme and rosemary in a small bowl. Cut off the turkey legs (thighs and drumsticks together). Put the turkey breast and legs on a rimmed baking sheet. Season the turkey breast inside and out and the legs all over with the salt mixture. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 halved garlic head, the halved lemon, 4 thyme sprigs and 2 rosemary sprigs. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Position one oven rack in the bottom position and one right above it; preheat to 350˚. Combine the remaining halved garlic head, 4 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary, the sliced lemon, bay leaves and shallot in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. Place the turkey legs skin-side up in the baking dish and cover with foil.
• Roast the turkey legs on the bottom oven rack until just tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 2 hours. Uncover the legs and continue to roast until the skin is golden and the legs are completely tender, 1 to 1 1/2 more hours.
• Meanwhile, for the turkey breast: Set a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the turkey breast breast-side up on the rack; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Once the turkey legs have been roasting for about 30 minutes, place the roasting pan with the breast on the rack above the legs; roast until the skin is deep golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching the bone registers 160˚, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Let the breast rest 30 minutes before carving. (If the turkey breast is done before the legs, move the legs to the higher rack to help them brown. If the legs are done before the breast is done resting, set aside and tent with foil to keep warm.)
• Serve the turkey legs and breast with the roasted garlic, lemon and shallot.

ROASTED, BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH MAPLE-WORCESTERSHIRE GRAVY AND FRUIT AND NUT RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Open a jumbo plastic food storage bag in the sink and add the water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, shallots, seasonings and garlic and swish around to combine. Add the turkey breast and seal the bag. Put it into the refrigerator and let it brine for 24 hours in advance of your cooking day.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pat the turkey breast dry, season with salt and pepper and put it in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baste, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Remove the turkey breast from the oven to a cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve the breast and arrange it on a serving platter. Serve with pan juices.
• Reserve 1 pound of meat for another menu. Cool, wrap and refrigerate the reserved meat.
• Add the butter to a medium sauce pot and melt it over medium to medium-high heat. Add the shallots and thyme and saute for 2 minutes, then add the flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, Worcestershire and maple syrup. Season with black pepper, to taste, and reduce the mixture until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the spaghetti and toast until deeply golden in color. Add rice, carrot, celery, scallions and orange zest, then stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the rice is tender, about 16 to 18 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with fork and add the oranges, grapes, nuts, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Transfer the rice to a serving bowl.

ROASTED, BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH MAPLE-WORCESTERSHIRE GRAVY AND FRUIT AND NUT RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Open a jumbo plastic food storage bag in the sink and add the water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, shallots, seasonings and garlic and swish around to combine. Add the turkey breast and seal the bag. Put it into the refrigerator and let it brine for 24 hours in advance of your cooking day. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the turkey breast dry, season with salt and pepper and put it in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baste, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Remove the turkey breast from the oven to a cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve the breast and arrange it on a serving platter. Serve with pan juices. Reserve 1 pound of meat for another menu. Cool, wrap and refrigerate the reserved meat.
• Add the butter to a medium sauce pot and melt it over medium to medium-high heat. Add the shallots and thyme and saute for 2 minutes, then add the flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, Worcestershire and maple syrup. Season with black pepper, to taste, and reduce the mixture until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the spaghetti and toast until deeply golden in color. Add rice, carrot, celery, scallions and orange zest, then stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the rice is tender, about 16 to 18 minutes. Fluff the rice with fork and add the oranges, grapes, nuts, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Transfer the rice to a serving bowl.

BRINED & ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• The night before you want to roast your turkey, place clean turkey in a large container or pot (I use the inside dish of a Crock Pot). In a large bowl, add salt, sugar, and water (about 1-2 gallons, depending on the size of your turkey breast. You want to cover the turkey with the brine mixture. Stir the salt and sugar in the water until completely dissolved.
• Pour over the turkey and refrigerate for 12-14 hours.
• When you're ready to roast the turkey, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Take out the turkey and drain the brine liquid.
• Cut the apple into quarters and set them aside. Place the apples inside the cavity and sit the turkey upright (breast on top).
• Put turkey in roasting pan, on rack. Coat with olive oil outside the entire turkey. Sprinkle coarse salt, lots of fresh ground pepper, and sage -- everywhere (on top, sides, and in the cavity).
• Bake as directed for your size of turkey (5 pounds = about 1 3/4 hours). Bake uncovered!
• When done, let it rest 10 minutes before carving. Tasty, juicy turkey!! If the turkey isn't a beautiful brown, raise heat to 'broil' and broil for about 10 minutes.