Marthas Herbed Turkey Breast Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a shallow roasting pan or baking dish with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil.
• Place bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat; cook until bacon is crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Let bacon cool.
• Finely chop bacon and transfer to a small bowl, along with garlic, sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme, butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a small spoon, mix until a paste is formed.
• Using your fingertips, gently loosen the skin on both sides of the turkey breast so that it is separated from the flesh. Divide herb paste in half and gently spread half of the paste between each half of the breast. Season turkey with remaining teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Brush skin with reserved bacon fat.
• Place turkey in prepared pan and roast, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the breast reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove turkey from oven and let rest 20 minutes before carving. Serve with any pan drippings.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lowest position. Remove packet of giblets and neck from cavity. Discard liver. Rinse remaining giblets and neck; refrigerate until ready to make broth.
• Turn turkey on its back and bend wing tips forward and underneath neck cavity of bird so they stay in place (you may have to break the bones).
• In a small bowl, combine parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic, 4 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using your fingers, carefully loosen skin of breast and around thighs and rub herb mixture under skin of both.
• Season cavity with salt and pepper and loosely fill with lemons and rosemary sprigs. Using cotton kitchen twine, tie legs together so bird retains its shape and moisture during cooking.
• Pour cider in bottom of pan. Set roasting rack on top. Lift turkey onto rack, breast side up; rub with remaining tablespoon oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour. Uncover and continue to roast, basting frequently with pan juices, until an instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 170 degrees, 2 1/2 to 3 hours more. (Temperature will rise about 10 degrees as turkey rests.) Tent with foil if browning too quickly; add water if pan becomes dry. Cover loosely with foil, and let stand 30 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted vegetables.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Loosen skin from turkey with fingers, leaving skin attached along bottom edges.
• In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and seasonings.
• Spread under turkey skin.
• Combine remaining lemon juice and oil; Set aside.
• Place turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
• Bake, uncovered for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until meat thermometer reads 170°F.
• Basting every 15 to 20 minutes with lemon mixture.
• Let stand for 10 minutes.
• Discard skin before carving.

Steps:

• Place turkey, meat-side up, on a rack set inside a roasting pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix together chicken broth, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and cayenne pepper. Fill a turkey injector with chicken broth mixture (you will have to refill injector several times). Inject small amounts of solution at regular intervals all over turkey, taking care to remove injector from turkey before refilling. Refrigerate turkey for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a small bowl, mix together garlic, herbs, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Using your fingertips, gently loosen skin on both sides of turkey breast so that it is separated from the flesh. Divide garlic mixture evenly and spread under skin on each side of breast. Season turkey all over with remaining teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper; brush skin with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil.
• Transfer turkey to oven and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour. Tent turkey with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil and continue to roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 40 minutes more. Remove turkey from oven and let stand 20 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Combine water, 3/4 cup salt, and the sugar in a large stock pt, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add turkery, weighting it with a plate, if necessary, to submerge completely. Cover, and refrigerate for 6 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine. Pat dry with paper towels, then let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Mash garlic and 1/2 tsp salt with the side of a large knife until a paster forms. Transfer to a small bowl and add 4 tablespoons softened butter and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
• Using the handle for a wooden spoon, gently separate turkey skin from breast meat, being careful not to tear skin. Spread herb butter mixture evenly under the skin, then smooth down to remove trapped air. Brush turkey with 1 tablespoons melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Make the veggies: Preheat oven to 425 degree with rack in lowest position. Place all the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
• Arrange veggies in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with a rack. Place turkey breast on rack, skin skide up and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 325 degrees. Continue roasting, rotating sheet halfway through, and basting turkey with with pan juices and tossing veggies occasionally, until breast is golden brown and thickest part of the turkey registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour. Transfer veggies to a platter and turkey to a cutting board, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine butter, orange zest, parsley and sage in a medium bowl. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper.
• Evenly distribute half of butter mixture under skin of turkey breast. Flip turkey breast and rub remaining butter evenly on inside of breast; season with salt and pepper. Starting with one short side, roll turkey breast into a log shape, tucking ends under to ensure even cooking. Using kitchen twine, tie breast at 1-inch intervals. Season generously with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Arrange onion slices in bottom of 12-inch ovenproof sauté pan and scatter carrots around perimeter of pan. Add 1 cup chicken stock to pan and place turkey breast, seam-side down, on top of onions. Transfer saute pan to oven and cook, basting turkey and vegetables every 15 minutes with pan juices, until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees and juices run clear, about 1 hour 30 minutes. After an hour, tent turkey with foil to avoid overbrowning. Transfer turkey breast from pan to cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.
• Meanwhile, remove and discard vegetables from saute pan. Transfer pan juices to a fat separator; discard fat. Place pan over medium-high heat and add orange juice, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Return defatted pan drippings to pan and stir to combine. In small jar with tight-fitting lid, combine remaining 1 1/4 cups chicken stock with flour and shake to combine. Slowly add chicken stock mixture to pan, whisking to incorporate. Continue to cook until thickened, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Slice turkey breast and serve with gravy.

Steps:

• Make the turkey: Combine water, 3/4 cup salt, and the sugar in a large stockpot, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add turkey, weighting it with a plate to submerge if necessary. Cover, and refrigerate for 6 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine. Pat dry with paper towels, then let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Mash garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt with the side of a large knife until a paste forms. Transfer to a small bowl, and add softened butter and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
• Using a chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon, gently separate turkey skin from breast meat, being careful not to tear the skin. Spread herb-butter mixture evenly under skin, then smooth down to remove trapped air. Brush turkey with melted butter, and season with salt and pepper.
• Make the vegetables: Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in lowest position. Place all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
• Arrange vegetables in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with a rack. Place turkey on rack, skin side up, and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Continue roasting, rotating sheet halfway through, and basting turkey with pan juices and tossing vegetables occasionally, until breast is golden brown and the thickest part of the turkey registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour. Transfer vegetables to a platter and turkey to a cutting board, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
• To carve the turkey breast: Slice each side along bone, then cut into slices at least 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a serving platter.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
• In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
• Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey breast from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Cut 3 pieces of kitchen twine and set aside.
• Add the butter, parsley, lemon zest, thyme, onion powder, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to a small bowl. Use a fork or a rubber spatula to incorporate all of the ingredients into the butter. Set aside.
• Pat the turkey breast dry. Using clean hands, starting at one end of the breast, slide your fingers under the skin to create a pocket between the meat and the skin. Use your hands to transfer the butter into the pocket and smooth the butter into an even layer.
• Use the kitchen twine to tie the turkey horizontally in 3 places. This will help the turkey breast cook evenly and remain juicy. Flip the turkey breast so that it is skin-side down. Drizzle it with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Flip the turkey over and repeat the same seasoning process.
• Arrange the onion slices on a small rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1/3 cup water into the baking sheet and place the turkey breast on top of the onions. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1 hour. Remove the turkey from the oven and baste it with the butter and juices from the baking sheet. Continue to roast until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F, another 20 to 25 minutes. Allow the turkey to cool for 15 minutes. (In this time the internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees.)
• Slice the turkey and serve it with the roasted onions.

Steps:

• Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for hours at room temperature.
• Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, four-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
• Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
• After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
• After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees.(stuffing should be between 140 degrees.and 160 degrees. and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan. Add giblet stock to pan. Stir well, and bring back to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Place turkey on roasting rack set in a large roasting pan. Working from both ends of the turkey,slide fingers under skin to separate it from the flesh (being careful not to tear skin). Spread herb rub under skin.
• Loosely fill neck cavity and large cavity with 4 cups stuffing. Using kitchen twine, tie legs together securely. Rub all over with butter, and season generously with salt and pepper. Place neck, giblets, and 3 cups water in bottom of roasting pan.
• Cover turkey loosely with aluminum foil. Roast 1 hour, then baste with pan juices every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted intothickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 125 degrees, 2 to 3 hours total.
• Remove foil; raise oven heat to 400 degrees. Roast, basting every 15 minutes, until thermometer inserted in thigh (avoiding bone) reaches 170 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour more (temperature will rise about10 degrees as turkey rests). If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil; add more water if pan becomes dry.
• Transfer turkey to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.Reserve pan with drippings for White-Wine Gravy. To carve: Remove and slice breasts; remove wings. Pull each leg away from body, cutting through thigh joint;cut through leg joint to separate thigh from drumstick.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a small saucepan, combine the first 8 ingredients; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Place turkey in a shallow roasting pan; drizzle with butter mixture. , Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 165°, 1-1/2 to 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the lowest position. Make herb butter: In a small bowl, mix together 4 tablespoons butter with chopped herbs; season generously with salt and pepper.
• Prepare and stuff the turkey. Loosen skin: Working from the neck end, slide fingers under skin until you reach the end of the breast, being careful not to tear the skin; rub herb butter under the skin. Fill neck cavity: Place turkey breast side down. Fill neck cavity with stuffing; avoid packing. Close up by folding skin over and fastening with skewers or trussing needles. Tuck wings: Turn turkey over; bend wing tips underneath bird so they stay in place (you may have to break the bones). Loosely fill large cavity with stuffing. Tie legs: Using cotton kitchen twine, tie legs together securely (they will overlap) so bird retains its shape and moisture during cooking.
• Cut neck into pieces; mix with carrots, onions, celery, and 2 cups water in a large roasting pan. Set roasting rack over vegetables in pan.
• Lift turkey onto rack; rub with remaining tablespoon butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour, then baste every 30 minutes with pan liquids, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 125 degrees, about 3 hours.
• Remove foil; raise oven heat to 400 degrees. Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until thigh reaches 180 degrees, 45 to 60 minutes more. Tent with foil if bird browns too quickly; add more water if pan becomes dry. Transfer turkey to a serving platter; cover loosely with foil, and let it rest at least 30 minutes before carving.