How to Roast/cook Turkey Breast Perfectly
published by berbakat on Nov 19, 2010
After 15 minutes turn the heat down to 325 F – 160 C. The turkey breast will take about one ½ hours to cook through. The breast meat will need to be basted regularly. Use the pastry brush, dip it into the remaining melted butter in the bowl and keep `buttering` the white breast meat as it cooks. The more you baste the better.
Roasting a turkey breast is a good way to enjoy the pure white breast meat without having to wonder what you can do with the legs and the wings. The tender succulent white breast meat is easy to carve and it looks good on the plate. Often the darker leg meat is not so popular and inevitably ends up getting wasted.
Wash the turkey breast in cold water and let it dry off before putting it onto the rack in the roasting tin. Season the turkey breast. Melt a little butter in a bowl and brush some of the melted butter over the breast. Take four fresh garlic cloves, some freshly chopped herbs ( of your choice ) and a dash of lemon juice. Peel the cloves of garlic and put them into a bowl. Add the freshly chopped herbs and the dash of lemon juice to the garlic and use your pestle to bind the mixture together. Take the mixture and spread it over the top of the breast meat. Place the turkey breast into the hot oven for 15 minutes.
A turkey breast that weighs around about four pounds should comfortably feed 6 – 8 people. Preheat your oven to 425 F – 220 C. Take a large roasting tray that has a rack that will fit into it.
After 15 minutes turn the heat down to 325 F – 160 C. The turkey breast will take about 1 ½ hours to cook through. The breast meat will need to be basted regularly. Use the pastry brush, dip it into the remaining melted butter in the bowl and keep `buttering` the white breast meat as it cooks. The more you baste the better.
Take the cooked turkey breast off of the rack in the roasting tin and place it onto a plate. Place the plate somewhere warm for a further 15 minutes to allow the meat to rest. Once the turkey breast has rested it will be much easier to carve.
The turkey breast must be thoroughly cooked. Take a meat skewer and slide it into the thickest part of the turkey breast, if the juices run totally clear then your meat is cooked. If you have a meat thermometer then slide it into the meat, if the temperature registers 160 F then your meat is ready.
In the bottom of the roasting tray you will have a mixture of melted butter, garlic and herbs. These make a superb base for your sauce or gravy.
