Description
This Roast Turkey Breast recipe features a succulent bone-in, skin-on turkey breast seasoned with a fragrant herb butter blend and roasted to juicy perfection. Served with rich homemade gravy made from the pan drippings, it's an ideal main course for family dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 6 lb. bone-in skin-on turkey breast, fresh or frozen and fully thawed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh sage or parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 celery ribs, cut into chunks
Gravy
- 1/3 cup purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, preferably homemade, plus more to thin as desired
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and position the oven rack one level below center to ensure even roasting.
- Prepare Turkey Skin: Carefully separate the skin from the turkey breast using a large spoon or wooden spoon handle, leaving the outer edges intact to keep the butter in place.
- Make Herb Butter: In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, fresh thyme, rosemary, sage or parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Stir until well blended.
- Apply Butter Mixture: Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Rub about half of the herb butter underneath the skin over the breast, then spread the remaining butter all over the skin. Season the entire turkey with salt and pepper.
- Prepare Roasting Pan: Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery to a medium roasting pan. Place a roasting rack over the vegetables if available; otherwise, place the turkey directly on the vegetables.
- Roast Turkey: Place the turkey skin side up on the roasting rack. Roast in the preheated oven until the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, approximately 2 to 2 1/4 hours.
- Rest Turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest on a carving board tented with foil for about 10 minutes before carving to retain juices.
- Make Gravy: Discard the vegetables from the roasting pan and pour the drippings into a fat separator or liquid measuring cup. Measure out 1/3 cup of fat drippings and heat in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Finish Gravy: While whisking, slowly pour in the chicken broth along with any remaining turkey drippings. Continue whisking and cooking until the gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste and thin with additional broth as desired.
Notes
- For a 6 lb. turkey breast, plan for 36 to 48 hours of thawing time in the refrigerator; never cook the turkey frozen.
- If the turkey skin starts over-browning near the end of roasting, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil to protect it.
- You can swap fresh sage for parsley depending on availability and preference.
- Using a roasting rack helps elevate the turkey for even cooking and keeps it from sitting in its juices.
- Resting the turkey before carving ensures the meat is juicy and easier to slice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
