Oven Roasted Turkey Breast With Dry Brine

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Oven Roasted Turkey Breast With Dry Brine

Here's how to cook a turkey breast and not mess it up. This easy oven-roasted turkey breast with dry brine recipe delivers juicy, flavorful results every time.

Prep Time18

Cook Time1 45

Resting Time30

Total Time20 15

Course: Main Course

Servings:

Calories: 435kcal

Author: Ali Mairet

Equipment

13 x 18-inch rimmed baking sheet
wire rack
leave-in probe meat thermometer with an alarm
8-inch chef's knife or boning knife

Ingredients

5-8 pound bone-in turkey breast see notes below
1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable, canola, or olive oil

Instructions

Dry Brine The Turkey Breast

Unwrap the turkey breast, pat it dry with paper towels, and place it on a platter or cutting board. If there is a pop-up turkey timer, remove it.
Sprinkle the kosher salt and black pepper evenly over the breast, including the sides.
Line the cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the wire rack with non-stick cooking spray to help with clean up, then set it inside the rimmed baking sheet. Place the turkey breast on the rack with the thickest part pointing up.
Store in the refrigerator for 18-24 hours, uncovered.

Cook The Turkey Breast

Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Pull the turkey breast out of the fridge to the countertop. Brush or rub the cooking oil on the turkey skin. Insert your high-temperature thermometer probe in the thickest part of the breast. The probe tip should not touch the bone. It should be about ½-1 inch from the cavity. Set the high temperature alert to 160℉.
Roast the turkey breast to an internal temperature of 160℉. Rotate the baking sheet 180° after 50-60 minutes. Cook by the internal temperature of the turkey, not by time alone. For planning purposes, it can take about 1-2 hours (roughly 12-15 minutes per pound).
After your thermometer alarms that the breast is at 160℉, verify the thickest part of the other side of the breast to make sure it is also at 160℉. If less, rotate the pan so the lower temperature side is facing the back of the oven. Keep roasting until it gets to temperature.
Remove the turkey from the oven to let rest for 30-60 minutes before carving.

Notes

1. Turkey Tips:

If your turkey breast is frozen, defrost it on a tray in the fridge. Plan 24 hours of defrost time for every 4 pounds.
For a breast that has not been injected with salt, increase the Diamond Crystal kosher salt by 50% or 1 ½ tablespoons.
If the breast is wobbly and unstable on the rack, crumble aluminum foil into two balls and wedge them underneath each side.

2. The 4-Step Turkey Timeline:

30 minutes: Preheat oven
12-15 minutes per pound: Roasting time (use the lower end!)
30-60 minutes: Resting (longer is better-it's still 152°F after an hour)
10 minutes: Carving time

Quick Example: 8-pound turkey breast for 6:00 PM dinner

Total time needed: 3 hours 16 minutes
Start preheating at 2:44 PM

3. Make Ahead And Reheating Instructions

Make Ahead: Make Thanksgiving a lot less stressful by cooking the turkey breast a day ahead. Rest for 30 minutes, carve the breast, and slice it into portions. Let it come down to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before storing.

To Store: It will hold in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in a covered dish or zip lock bag until the big meal. In addition, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator a full day before reheating it.

To Reheat: Arrange the turkey slices in an oven-proof dish covered tightly with foil. Reheat in the oven at 325℉ until warm, or about 20-25 minutes. Also, you can carefully microwave small portions at 50% power on a plate.

Nutrition