Olive Oil & Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
This juicy brined turkey breast recipe will be the hit of your Thanksgiving table.
Ingredients
- 4–5 lb boneless turkey breast
- 8–10 cups water
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 small shallot, peeled
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 4 large fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup olive oil
- For garnish: kumquats, a pomegranate, fresh herbs (sage, thyme, parsley)
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Instructions
Wednesday morning
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt. Stir to dissolve. Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the turkey breast in a large bowl. Add 6 cups of water. Pour in the cooled salted water. Add additional water to cover, if necessary. Refrigerate for 10–12 hours (but no more).
Wednesday evening
- Remove the turkey breast from the brine and pat dry. Place on a small sheet pan fitted with a baking rack. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours (or up to 24) to dry out the surface (this will create a nice brown crust).
Thursday
- Heat oven to 425°F. Place the garlic, shallot, parsley, sage, and thyme in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add olive oil and pulse until combined.
- Spoon half of the mixture over the turkey and rub it in with clean hands.
- Place the turkey breast (still on the sheet pan/baking rack) into the oven for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven to 375°F.
- Pour the remaining olive oil mixture over the top and bake for an additional 45–75 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey breast reads 160°F.
- Remove from the oven. The temperature will rise to 165°F as it sits. Let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
A thermometer is key to not overcooking the turkey breast. This leave-in thermometer is well worth the price, in my opinion. I've had it for years.
A baking rack set on top of a sheet pan works best for this recipe. I used a baking rack/pan combo set.
Don't have a food processor? Use a kitchen knife to finely chop the shallots, garlic, and herbs instead. Chop them as small as you can!
Want gravy for your turkey breast? Unfortunately turkey breast is so lean, that it won't create many pan drippings for gravy. I suggest purchasing a high-quality gravy from a specialty grocer or caterer, or making a Make Ahead Turkey Gravy.
Store leftover turkey in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or in the freezer for 1–2 months. Use it for this easy Turkey a La King if you'd like to reinvent your leftovers.
Nutrition
Calories: 467kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 65gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 5356mgPotassium: 753mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 327IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 2mg
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