Turkey Breast Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook the turkey so that the breast doesn t dry out? ›

Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry. You'll apply this shield later in the roasting process.

Our recommendation is to plan for one pound of turkey per person, or ½ pound per person for a boneless turkey breast. If you're buying a bone-in turkey breast, figure on 3/4 pound per person.

Cover the turkey to prevent over-browning.

If the skin over the breast meat begins to brown too darkly toward the end of cooking, cover it with aluminum foil to prevent scorching.

The simple secret to a truly juicy roast turkey is to season the turkey with a rub a couple of days before roasting. This is called dry brining and it makes the flesh beautifully moist, and you can even do it while the turkey is still FROZEN!

If you're not cooking for a crowd, make a bone-in turkey breast. A 5- to 7-pound breast feeds about 4.

Here are a few quick numbers to reference: 4 people = 2 pound turkey breast. 8 people = 4 pound turkey breast. 10 people = 5 pound turkey breast.

Properly cooked bone-in and boneless breasts can be juicy and flavorful. However, bone-in turkey breasts have a slight advantage. The bone in the breast insulates the nearby meat during cooking, causing it to heat slower and retain moisture.

and put it into the oven for 2 hours *at 325°*. I started checking on it about an hour and a half but at 2 hours. it came out looking roasted and beautiful. Cut away that netting and discard, and then your turkey is ready to go.

How long to cook Butterball boneless skinless turkey breast? ›

Place breast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with oil to prevent drying. Do not cover. Cook for 4 hours or until meat thermometer reads 165°F (74°C).

Wash your hands, but not the turkey! Many consumers think that washing their turkey will remove bacteria and make it safer. However, it's virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird. Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils.

It doesn't matter if you're roasting, frying, or smoking your turkey, there's no need to give it a rinse unless you've brined it (more on that below). Cooking the turkey kills any bacteria, but washing a turkey before you cook it opens the door to dangerous cross contamination.

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.

Oven-Roasted Turkey

We recommend starting the turkey in a 425 degree oven for 30-45 minutes before tenting the pan with foil and lowering the temperature to 350 degrees until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the bird.

If your turkey is dry, it means that the outer portion has overcooked. The size of the bird is what makes this a challenge. It can be difficult to achieve food safe temperatures at the center of the meat before the exterior dries out.

Turkey is a lean meat, and Healthline reports that turkey has slightly less fat in its dark meat than chicken. Another reason why turkey may be dry is due to its poor breast-to-leg ratio. By the time one gets the leg meat to cook to temperature so it's safe for consumption, the breast meat often has dried out.

The problem: Cooking the turkey whole

Because dark meat has more connective tissues, it takes longer to break down, so if you cook the turkey whole, by time the legs and thighs are done, the breasts are overcooked and dry. The solution: Carve your turkey before you cook it.

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).