Turkey Breast Recipe

Prepare brine

In a large saucepan, combine 8 cups water, 3 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 3 thyme sprigs and 4 crushed garlic cloves. Bring to a simmer, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in 2 cups ice if needed to cool quickly.

Brine the turkey

Place the 3 lb boneless skin-on turkey breast in a container or resealable bag. Pour cooled brine over the turkey ensuring it is fully submerged. Refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours (minimum 4 hours, maximum 12 hours for this size) to improve moisture and flavor. Remove turkey from brine, discard brine, and pat turkey very dry with paper towels. Let sit uncovered in the refrigerator 30–60 minutes if possible to dry skin for better browning.

Prep oven and herb butter

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves, 2 minced garlic cloves, zest of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Mix until smooth.

Season the turkey

If the breast is tied, leave as is or retie to maintain shape. Gently loosen skin over the breast with your fingers to create a pocket but keep skin attached at edges. Spread about two-thirds of the herb butter evenly under the skin directly on the meat. Rub the remaining butter over the skin, coating evenly. Squeeze the halved lemon over the breast and tuck the halves into the roasting pan beside the aromatics.

Arrange aromatics

Place the quartered onion, carrot chunks and celery in the bottom of a roasting pan or ovenproof skillet. Pour 1 cup chicken or turkey stock into the pan to keep drippings from burning and to add steam. Place the prepared turkey breast skin-side up on top of the aromatics.

Initial roast

Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes to help the skin brown and to kick-start cooking.

Lower temperature and finish roasting

After 15 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Continue roasting until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast (away from bone if bone-in) reaches 160°F (71°C). For a 3 lb boneless skin-on breast this will typically take 35–50 additional minutes (total roast time about 50–70 minutes). Begin checking temperature at 30 minutes after lowering the heat to avoid overcooking.

Rest the turkey

When the internal temperature reaches 160°F, remove the breast from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 15–20 minutes; carryover cooking will raise the internal temperature to about 165°F (74°C) and juices will redistribute.

Finish

Optionally brush the skin with 1 tablespoon melted butter for added gloss and flavor. Transfer the breast to a cutting board and slice against the grain into even portions. Reserve pan drippings for gravy if desired.

After removing the turkey, place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat. If there is a lot of fat, spoon off some, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon flour to make a roux; cook 1–2 minutes until lightly browned. Slowly whisk in the reserved pan juices and any remaining stock (up to 1 cup) until smooth. Simmer 3–5 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, and strain if desired. Serve alongside sliced turkey.