Brined Turkey Breast
Brining your turkey (or turkey breast) is an easy way to add tons of flavor and moisture to your holiday bird.
SERVINGS 12
Ingredients
- Large brining bag or extra-large freezer bags optional
- 3 quarts water
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 oranges quartered
- 1 lemon quartered
- 3 thyme coarsely chopped
- 2 rosemary coarsely chopped
- 4 lb turkey breast boneless, washed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Line large saucepot (or roasting pan or bowl) with two bags if desired.
- Combine water, honey, and kosher salt in saucepot; mix until salt is dissolved.
- Add orange, lemon, thyme, rosemary, and turkey breast. Seal bags. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
- Remove turkey breast from water; discard brining liquid. Dry turkey breast carefully with paper towels. Set aside.
- Set oven rack to lowest position. Place baking stone on rack if desired. Preheat oven to 500°F. (Allow oven to preheat for at least 45 minutes before adding turkey.)
- Combine oil and garlic in a small bowl; mix well. Set aside.
- Set turkey breast on a rack in large roasting pan. Brush with oil mixture. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
- Place roasting pan (with turkey breast) on baking stone.
- Immediately close oven and reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, or until golden brown and deepest part of breast registers 150°F on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove turkey breast from oven; let rest at least 30 minutes before carving. Remove skin before serving.
Notes
- Kosher salt is used for the brining in this recipe, instead of sea salt (or Himalayan salt), because sea salt is more expensive, and this recipe calls for a large amount of salt.
- Brine can be also flavored with ¼ cup parsley sprigs, or 2 Tbsp. black peppercorns, or 2 bay leaves, or 2 cloves garlic (chopped), or 2 medium celery stalks (chopped), or ½ onion (chopped). Herbs (or 1 sliced lemon) can be placed under the skin when baking.
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or ¼ cup pure maple syrup can be substituted for honey.
- Do not brine turkey longer than 18 hours. It will cause the turkey meat to get mushy.
- If you have a preferred way to bake turkey, or you don’t have a baking stone, you can use your own method.
Nutrition
Serving: 4ozCalories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 33gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 9852mgPotassium: 409mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 72IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg
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