Brined Turkey Breast Food

BRINED ROAST TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Add the water to a large pot and bring it to a boil. For the orange, peel it using a potato peeler or a knife, then cut it in half. Cut the lemon in half and juice it. Add the remaining brine ingredients to the pot (excluding the ice) and bring to a boil to dissolve all the salt and sugar. Add the lemon halves and orange halves after they've been juiced to the brine as well as the orange peel, lemon juice and orange juice, they will provide more flavor. Remove from heat and cool completely. To speed this up add about 4 cups of ice to the brine. I used my instant pot for this but any big pot that will fit the brine and the breast will work.
• Once the brine is cooled, place the turkey breast in the brine making sure it's fully submerged in it. You may have to weigh it down with another pot of water. What I did is wrapped the pot with plastic wrap, then placed a plate over it, and then a pot of water over the plate. This worked for me because the brine and turkey came up to the top of the pot. Another option is to use a brick or rock wrapped in plastic wrap. Store it in the fridge overnight or at least for 12 hours, so make sure you have enough room in your fridge.
• Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees. Remove the turkey breast from the brine solution and pat it dry with paper towels.
• Place the quartered onions and smashed garlic in a large metal roasting pan then place the turkey breast on top of the onions. Season it generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Brush the turkey with melted butter, keep remaining butter for basting later. Add the chicken broth to the pan.
• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place the roasting pan in the oven. Cook covered for 1 1/2 hours, basting with the melted butter (remelt again if necessary) every half hour. After 1 1/2 hours, remove the aluminum foil and roast for another 1 hour or until golden brown. The breast is done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers at 165 degrees F.
• Transfer the turkey breast to a platter or cutting board and let it rest for a full 15 minutes before slicing into it.
• Skim some of the fat from the pan drippings if necessary.
• Place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat. In a little bowl whisk together the cornstarch with the water, then add it to the pan. Whisk everything together. If the gravy is too thin and you prefer a thicker consistency, feel free to add more cornstarch until you reach the desired consistency. Cook for a few minutes, until the gravy thickens a bit. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.
• Strain all the liquid into a bowl, then press all the liquid out of the onion and garlic using a spatula, for additional flavor.

FOOLPROOF TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Remove the legs and wings from the turkey, or have your butcher do it. Reserve for stock.
• Put turkey breast into a large pot or doubled up clean plastic bag. When brine mixture is completely cooled, pour over turkey and place in refrigerator for 12 hours.
• Rinse under clear cool water for 5 minutes, drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
• In a small bowl, combine dried spices and lemon zest. Rub turkey with canola oil, lightly sprinkle rub on turkey, any extra rub can be placeed in cavity. Cover loosely, refrigerate for 4 hours.
• Remove from refrigerator and let rest on counter for 15 minutes
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F while turkey is resting.
• In a large, deep baking pan, fitted with a rack, place turkey breast side down and roast for 35 minutes. Carefully turn turkey over and reduce heat to 375 degrees F. Continue to roast turkey for 1 hour 45 minutes or until temperature at the deepest part of the breast reads 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Make sure to check bird every 15 minutes after first hour has passed.
• Take out of oven, loosely tent with foil, let rest in pan for 10 minutes. Carve and serve immediately.
• In a large stock pot, combine 3 quarts water, 1 cup kosher salt, brown sugar, molasses, sage leaves and peppercorns. Heat until salt dissolves, remove from heat. Add in 3 quarts cool water and 8 cups ice.

BEST BRINED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• In 6-quart container or stockpot, mix water, salt and sugar; stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add turkey. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
• Place onion on center of rack in large shallow roasting pan; top with rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Place turkey, skin side up, over onion and herbs.
• In small bowl, mix butter and wine. Soak 16-inch square of cheesecloth in butter mixture until completely saturated; cover turkey completely with cheesecloth. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Remove cheesecloth. Place onion and herbs in pan with drippings if using drippings to make gravy (or discard). Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of turkey and does not touch bone. Turn turkey skin side down. Roast 30 to 60 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 165°F.

BRINED SLOW-COOKED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, dissolve salt and sugar in 1 gallon cool water. Place turkey, bone side up, in brine and weight it with a plate. Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours. Rinse turkey thoroughly under cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Set up grill for indirect cooking. Place turkey on grill, away from hot coals; cover, keeping vent holes open over meat. Grill until cooked through, or an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of turkey registers 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours (if using a charcoal grill, add a couple handfuls of charcoal every half hour to maintain heat). Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

BRINED GRILLED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine 1 quart water, salt, brown sugar and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Pour into a large bowl. Add remaining 1 quart cold water to cool the brine to room temperature. Add turkey breast; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours, turning occasionally., Prepare grill for indirect medium heat, using a drip pan. Meanwhile, combine basting sauce ingredients. Grill turkey, covered, until a thermometer reads 170°, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours, basting occasionally with sauce. Remove to a cutting board. Cover and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

BRINED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• 1. Combine the brine ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool to room temperature.
• 2. Rinse the turkey breast, discarding excess fat. Place in a deep bowl or pot, breast-side down. Pour the brine over the breast and refrigerate, loosely covered, overnight.
• 3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the turkey from the brine 30 minutes before roasting. Line a shallow roasting pan with long pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• 4. Place turkey in the pan. Brush with 4 tablespoons of melted butter; season with pepper. Gather foil loosely on top and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Open the foil and bake for 2 1/4 hours more, basting every 30 minutes with broth and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, until the turkey is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 165°F and the juices run clear. Transfer the breast to a cutting board; let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Reserve pan juices for gravy .

BRINED HICKORY-SMOKED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients of the brine solution, in a large bowl. Whisk the solution until all of the salt dissolves.
• Place the breast into a 1 to 2-gallon size zip-top bag. Pour the brine solution over the meat. Make sure the meat is submerged completely. If you do not have enough to cover the meat, then make another batch.
• Seal the bag squeezing as much air out of the bag as possible. Place the bag inside a bowl (to ensure no messy leaks inside the refrigerator).
• Refrigerate and brine for 1 hour per pound of meat, but no longer than 24 hours.
• Preheat the grill or smoker for indirect cooking at 250 degrees F. Fill a pan with warm water and place it below where the turkey will sit on the grate above.
• Remove the turkey breast from the brine solution and rinse it under cold water. Pat the skin dry with paper towels.
• Place the turkey breast-side up onto the smoker over the water pan.
• Plan on smoking the turkey breast for about 30 minutes per pound at 250 degrees F.
• Place turkey breasts in the smoker with 1 to 2 hickory chunks on top of the hot coals. Close the lid and smoke the turkey, keeping a close watch on the smoker to ensure it stays as close to 250 degrees F as possible. Resist the temptation to open the lid unless you need to add more charcoal or wood to maintain temperature and smoke.
• Smoke until the turkey breast has an internal temperature of 160 to 165 degrees F, about 2 to 3 hours for a 5-pound turkey breast.
• The carryover heat will finish cooking the meat.
• Remove the turkey breast from the smoker and transfer it to a carving board. Allow the turkey breast to rest tented with foil for at least 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

BRINED, HERB GRILLED TURKEY

Steps:

• To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 3 gallons of cold water in a large clean, heavy-duty, food grade plastic storage bag. Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water. Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels inside and out.
• Place turkey, breast side up, in a large, foil roasting pan with a rack. Rub breast side with orange segments and rub on all sides with the butter, stuffing some underneath the skin.
• Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper.
• Stuff the turkey with the onion, remaining orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage and parsley.
• Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string. Grill the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour.
• Remove from the grill turn, and baste with 1/2 cup stock. Cover with foil and continue grilling with the breast side up until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the largest section of thigh about 3 to 3 1/2 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock.
• Remove from the grill and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.

BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH MAPLE GLAZE

Steps:

• Stir the kosher salt and brown sugar into hot water until dissolved.
• Mix in apple juice and ice.
• Place the turkey breast in a 2 gallon resalable plastic bag; pour the brine over, seal and place in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and roast the turkey breast side up on a rack over a shallow roasting pan.
• After the first hour begin basting the breast with the maple-butter glaze.
• Baste every 15 minutes until the temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees.
• Remove from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

CAJUN-BRINED STUFFED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Whisk salt, sugar, 1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and 1 qt. water in large bowl until blended.
• Remove and discard skin from turkey breast; place turkey in prepared brine. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in medium skillet on medium heat. Add onions; cook 5 to 7 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Spoon into separate large bowl. Add stuffing mix, cranberries, nuts, sage, egg, remaining water and 1 Tbsp. of the remaining Cajun seasoning; mix well.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Remove turkey from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Use sharp knife to make lengthwise cut in bottom of turkey breast, being careful to not cut through to opposite side of breast. Open breast, then place, upside down, on plastic wrap-covered work surface; cover with additional sheet of plastic wrap. Pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Remove and discard top sheet of plastic wrap.
• Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of the remaining Cajun seasoning over turkey; cover with stuffing mixture to within 1/2 inch of edges, spreading to form even layer of stuffing. Starting at one long side, roll up turkey tightly, pulling plastic wrap away from turkey as it is rolled.
• Rub remaining Cajun seasoning onto top and side of turkey roll; top with bacon, placing in single layer over roll-up. Use butchers twine to tie roll-up closed, placing knots about 2 inches apart. Place, seam side down, on rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until turkey is done (165°F). Remove turkey from oven; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 15 min. before cutting into 10 slices to serve.

BRINED AND ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the turkey breast in a large cooking bag; place the bag with the turkey in a large roasting pan or another large container (just in case the bag leaks).
• Add all brine ingredients to the bag, close the bag and then twist until the brine is covering the turkey. Use a twist-tie to secure the bag. Alternately, use a large, nonreactive covered container. Just make sure the turkey is completely covered with the brine (it is okay to increase the amount of brine for a container). Place the turkey breast in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it thoroughly with cold water; pat the breast dry with paper towels.
• Place the turkey breast on a rack, breast side up, in a large roasting pan. Discard the brine.
• Rub the turkey with vegetable oil, butter, or extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Fill the cavity of the turkey breast with chunks of onion, fruit, and/or fresh herbs, if desired.
• Place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, not touching bone.
• Roast for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 F and continue roasting until the turkey breast registers at least 165 F, about 2 to 3 hours.