Butter And Wine Basted Turkey Breast Food

BUTTER-BASTED TURKEY AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Stuff the turkey: Place the turkey on a flat surface, season with salt and pepper on the inside and out and stuff the cavity with stuffing if using. Tie the legs closed with a strong piece of kitchen twine or string by wrapping them around and around the drumsticks and pulling them closed like you're tying a shoe.
• Prepare the turkey: Soak 1 large double-layered piece of cheesecloth in the butter. Brush any remaining butter on top of the bird and cover the breast meat with the cheesecloth to keep it moist for the first part of cooking, tucking it into the natural crevices of the bird to keep it in place. Arrange the garlic, carrots and onions in the bottom of a roasting pan and arrange the turkey on the roasting pan right above them. Place the pan in the center of the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
• Lower the oven to 350 degrees F and count about 12 minutes per pound of the turkey weight.
• After about 2 hours, take the turkey out, gently remove the cheesecloth from the top of the breasts, baste the turkey with any pan juices, rotate the pan halfway and return to the oven. Place the turkey neck and the chicken stock in a medium pot and simmer gently on the stove as the turkey finishes cooking. Reduce the stock by about half.
• How do you know when the turkey is done? The temperature of the thigh meat (where the meat is thickest and takes the longest time to cook) should register 160 to 165 degrees F when tested with a thermometer. The thigh juices should also be clear, not pink. When done, remove the bird from the oven, transfer to a flat surface and allow it to rest, breast side down, for 30 minutes. Why rest the turkey breast side down after cooking it breast side up? So the juices flow back through the meat as it sits.
• Make the gravy: Place the roasting pan over the burners of the stove, whisk in the sherry and mustard to the pan and warm it over low heat. Scrape the bottom to get the drippings and tasty bits off the bottom of the pan as the sherry reduces almost completely. Strain the neck out from the stock and add the stock to the roasting pan. Simmer over medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce further until the mixture starts to thicken. Puree half of the gravy (with the cooked vegetables) in a blender until smooth, and then stir back into the gravy. The vegetables are a natural thickener that is healthier and lighter than the classic cornstarch or flour! Stir in the vinegar. Taste for seasoning. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

BUTTER-ROASTED TURKEY BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Gently loosen skin from turkey breasts and rub butter under skin and all over outside of breasts; season with salt and pepper.
• Scatter thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and garlic over a large rimmed baking sheet and arrange turkey breasts, skin side up, on top. Roast turkey breasts, turning halfway through, until skin is crisp and golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breasts registers 160°F (for optimal moistness, you will want to cook the white meat of the turkey breasts to a lower internal temperature than you would if cooking a whole bird), 45-55 minutes.
• Transfer turkey breasts to a platter and let rest 10 minutes before carving.
• Serve turkey breasts with pan drippings alongside.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY 101

Steps:

• Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, 4-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
• Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
• After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
• After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees (stuffing should be between 140 degrees and 160 degrees) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan. Add giblet stock to pan. Stir well, and bring back to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

OVEN-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix 1/4 cup butter, garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic and herb seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Place turkey breast with skin side up into a roasting pan. Loosen skin with your fingers; brush half the butter mixture over the turkey breast and underneath the skin. Reserve remaining butter mixture. Tent turkey breast loosely with aluminum foil.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour; baste turkey breast with remaining butter mixture. Return to oven and roast until the juices run clear and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, not touching bone, reads 165 degrees F (65 degrees C), about 30 more minutes. Let turkey breast rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
• While turkey is resting, transfer pan drippings to a skillet. Skim off excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in skillet. Place skillet over low heat; cook and stir shallot in turkey grease until opaque, about 5 minutes. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet with shallot and whisk in white wine, scraping any browned bits of food from skillet. Whisk in chicken stock and flour until smooth. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened. For a creamier, lighter gravy, whisk in half-and-half.

BUTTER AND WINE BASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325º.
• Place turkey, skin side up, in a shallow roasting pan and insert ovenproof thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey making sure it does not touch the bone.
• Roast 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• While turkey is roasting, mix butter, wine, thyme, salt, paprika, and garlic. After turkey has roasted 1 hour, brush with half of the butter mixture. Roast for 30 more minutes and then brush with remaining butter mixture. Roast for 1 hour longer or until thermometer reads 170º and turkey is no longer pink when you cut into center.
• When turkey is done, place on platter and cover with foil to keep warm Let rest about 15 so that juices can redistribute.
• To make gravy: While turkey is resting, pour pan drippings into measuring cup and skim fat from drippings. Add enough water to drippings to measure 2 cups. Heat drippings to boiling in 1 quart saucepan. Mix cornstarch and cold water; stir into drippings. Boil and stir 1 minute.
• Serve gravy with turkey.

WHITE WINE BASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Serves 12 to 14 If your roasting pan only fits sideways in the oven, turn the pan every hour so the turkey cooks and browns evenly.
• For step-by-step photos, see our Roast Turkey and Gravy feature.
• Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels.
• Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Place rack on lowest level in oven.
• Heat oven to 450°.
• Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl.
• Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, four-layer square.
• Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan.
• Remove pop up time if there is one, use regular meat thermometer in thick part of leg.
• Fold wing tips under turkey.
• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey.
• (Stuff loosely if you choose, I do not stuff) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later).
• Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks.
• Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
• Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp.
• Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area.
• Place turkey, legs first, in oven.
• Cook for 30 minutes.
• Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°, and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes, you will need to reheat the butter-wine mixture occasionally as the butter will harden.
• Watch pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
• After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth.
• Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven.
• Baste turkey with pan juices.
• If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine.
• The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully.
• Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
• After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.
• Do not poke into a bone.
• The temperature should reach 180° (stuffing should be between 140° and 160°) and the turkey should be golden brown.
• The breast does not need to be checked for temperature.
• If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the gravy.
• Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup.
• Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off.
• Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat.
• Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan.
• Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan.
• Add giblet stock to pan.
• Stir well, and bring back to a boil.
• Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more.
• You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy.
• Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

HERB ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey breast from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Cut 3 pieces of kitchen twine and set aside.
• Add the butter, parsley, lemon zest, thyme, onion powder, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to a small bowl. Use a fork or a rubber spatula to incorporate all of the ingredients into the butter. Set aside.
• Pat the turkey breast dry. Using clean hands, starting at one end of the breast, slide your fingers under the skin to create a pocket between the meat and the skin. Use your hands to transfer the butter into the pocket and smooth the butter into an even layer.
• Use the kitchen twine to tie the turkey horizontally in 3 places. This will help the turkey breast cook evenly and remain juicy. Flip the turkey breast so that it is skin-side down. Drizzle it with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Flip the turkey over and repeat the same seasoning process.
• Arrange the onion slices on a small rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1/3 cup water into the baking sheet and place the turkey breast on top of the onions. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1 hour. Remove the turkey from the oven and baste it with the butter and juices from the baking sheet. Continue to roast until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F, another 20 to 25 minutes. Allow the turkey to cool for 15 minutes. (In this time the internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees.)
• Slice the turkey and serve it with the roasted onions.

PORT-BASTED ROAST TURKEY WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Pat turkey dry. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub turkey breast with 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold 2-foot-square piece of cheesecloth in half twice, forming 12-inch square. Dip cloth into water; squeeze out excess moisture. Drape cloth over turkey breast, tucking cloth under at sides. Roast 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 1 1/2 cups broth, Port and 4 tablespoons butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until butter melts. Baste turkey with 3/4 cup Port mixture. Roast turkey 1 hour 10 minutes, basting twice with remaining Port mixture.
• Add water, onion, carrot and apple to roasting pan; stir to coat vegetables with pan juices. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast 20 minutes. Remove cheesecloth. Roast turkey until skin browns and meat thermometer inserted into innermost part of thigh registers 180°F, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 50 minutes. Transfer turkey to platter; tent with foil.
• Place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Bring pan juices and vegetables to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add Gravy Base and boil uncovered 5 minutes. Scrape mixture into strainer set over large measuring cup, pressing on solids with back of spoon. Spoon fat off top of pan juices. Add enough additional broth to cup to measure 3 cups liquid if necessary, or transfer pan juices to saucepan and boil until reduced to 3 cups if necessary. Bring pan juices to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Mix 3 tablespoons butter and flour in small bowl to form paste. Add paste to pan juices; bring to boil, whisking constantly. Boil until sauce thickens, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve turkey, passing gravy separately.