Cloaked Turkey Breast Food

ROAST TURKEY BREAST WITH GLAZED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk 1 tablespoon olive oil, the honey and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl. Put the potatoes, parsnips, fennel slices, onion, dried apricots and rosemary sprigs in a roasting pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, drizzle with the honey mixture and toss. Roast until the vegetables soften, about 30 minutes, stirring once.
• Meanwhile, mix the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest and chopped rosemary in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture under and over the turkey skin. Season with salt and pepper and bring the meat to room temperature.
• Place the turkey on top of the vegetables in the pan; roast until the skin browns and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees F, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. (Cover with foil if the skin is getting too dark.) Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 20 minutes.
• Toss the roasted vegetables with the lemon juice and fennel fronds. Slice the turkey and serve with the vegetables.

HERB-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
• In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.
• Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the 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.

SLOW-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• Adjust your oven rack to the lowest position. Preheat oven to 250°F.
• Rinse and dry the turkey breast. Even when I purchase a brined turkey breast, I still like to lightly salt the turkey breast under the skin. You, of course, do not have to. If the turkey breast that you purchase has NOT been brined or koshered, liberally salt the breast under the skin.
• Heat a large pot over medium-high heat with the oil. When hot, add the turkey, breast-side down. Add the onion around the edges of the bird. Add the garlic on top of the onions. Cook several minutes or until the skin has browned. Flip the bird over so that the breast is facing upward. Stir the onions and garlic. Cook a couple minutes longer. If you have a probe thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the breast - making sure the probe is not sticking up in the air in a way that would impede your covering the turkey breast with a lid. Cover the pot with aluminum foil and top with a tight-fitting lid. Crimp the foil around the seam of the pot to ensure steam does not escape. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160F - roughly 2 1/2 hours.
• When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and flip the bird over so that the breast is submerged in the accumulated juices. Cover and let rest 15 minutes. During this time, the internal temperature will increase to at least 170°F.
• Remove the turkey from the pot and place it on a large platter. Keep it tented so it stays warm. Strain the liquid and solids from the pot into a large bowl. Use the back of a ladle to make sure you smash the onion/garlic to extract all of the juices. Discard the vegetable solids. Skim some or most of the fat that settles on top of the broth and discard any unwanted fat. Measure how much turkey broth you have. If you do not have at least 4 cups, add some chicken stock to come up to a total of 4 cups of liquid. If you like particularly thin gravy, you can add an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cups of turkey/chicken broth. If you like thicker gravy, reduce the liquid by 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
• To make the gravy, heat a saucepan over medium heat with three tablespoons of butter. After the butter has melted, add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook the butter/flour mixture for about 5 minutes or until it is brown in color. Add the turkey broth and whisk to make sure there are no lumps. Bring to a boil then simmer about 5 minutes. Too thin? Simmer another few minutes or until the gravy is your desired thickness. Too thick? Add more turkey broth, chicken broth, or even water. When the gravy is your desired level of thickness, taste it and add some salt and pepper, if needed. You'll probably need at least some salt.
• Serve the turkey breast and gravy with some mashed potatoes.

BREADED TURKEY BREASTS

Steps:

• In shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Pour milk into another shallow bowl. Dip turkey in milk, then in crumb mixture.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook turkey for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, and juices run clear.

OVEN-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fit a small roasting pan with a V-shaped rack. Drizzle oil over turkey breast, and season with salt and pepper. Center turkey breast on rack. Transfer to oven, and roast until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the breast, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

ROASTED TURKEY BREAST WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Loosen the skin from the meat of the turkey breast.
• Place the turkey breast into a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven with a lid and pour chicken stock over the meat. Mix melted butter with chicken bouillon granules, sage, savory, rosemary, and thyme in a bowl. Lift the loosened skin and pour slightly more than half the butter-herb mixture under the skin. Pour remaining herb mixture over the skin. Cover the pot.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 3 hours; flip turkey breast over and roast 1 more hour; flip again 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 180 degrees F (80 degrees C), 1 additional hour (5 hours in all). Baste turkey with pan drippings and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

MOIST AND TENDER TURKEY (OR TURKEY BREAST)

Steps:

• Place turkey or turkey breast in a roasting pan.
• (I use a disposable roasting pan) Combine melted butter and chicken broth.
• Pour over turkey.
• Rub mayonnaise all over turkey's exterior.
• Salt and pepper lightly if desired.
• Roast at 300°-325°F until internal temperature reaches 170°F on an instant read thermometer. (I raise the temperature to 350° for the last approximate 30-45 minutes to crisp skin).
• (I roast my 18-20 lbs. fresh turkey at 250°F in a convection oven. It takes about 4 hours to reach the correct temperature.).
• Remove from oven and let sit for about 30 minutes before slicing.
• Note: because the butter and broth are for making gravy, if you need to make a lot of gravy, double the amount of both.
• To make gravy: pour pan drippings into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add 1 Tbls. cornstarch per cup of broth/drippings to 1/4 cup cold water. (You'll usually need 2-3 Tbls) Mix well to dissolve. Stir cornstarch mixture into broth and stir until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. If too thin, dissolve more cornstarch in water and add until desired thickness. If too thick, add water or more broth to thin.

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.

DELI-STYLE ROAST TURKEY FOR SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (230 degrees C).
• Pat turkey breast with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid and place into a baking dish just big enough to fit it. Use the tip of a sharp small knife to poke the skin of the turkey breast all over. Drizzle over olive oil and use tongs to rub; flip turkey breast over a few times, or until all surfaces are coated with the oil. You can also use a brush. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
• While turkey rests, mix salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and paprika together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
• Use tongs to grab the turkey breast with one hand while using your other hand to sprinkle the spice rub evenly over the entire surface, including the sides. Finish with the skin side facing up.
• Add about 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the baking dish.
• Place prepared turkey breast into the center of the oven. Immediately lower the heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Roast until a probe thermometer stuck into center of the thickest part of the breast reads 150 degrees F (65 degrees C), about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Let cool before wrapping. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, about 8 hours, or overnight. Once meat is cold, slice thinly and serve.

SALT-AND-PEPPER ROAST TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Keep the butter nearby. Place about 1/4 cup kosher salt in a small bowl and keep nearby as well, along with a black-pepper grinder. Transfer the turkey breast to a large sheet pan and thoroughly dry all over with a paper towel; get it as bone-dry as you can.
• Using your hands, very liberally rub the butter all over the turkey breast. (If the butter is difficult to spread, soften it further in the microwave in 10-second intervals.) Make sure to slather the butter on the underside and bones in addition to the entire surface of the skin. Wipe your hands with a towel.
• Generously season the turkey all over with salt, especially inside the cavity. You don't have to be precise here, but do go heavy on the salt - the turkey can take it. (In general, you should account for about 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon Morton coarse kosher salt per pound.) Next, generously grind black pepper all over the turkey; again, no need to measure this. Let the turkey breast sit so the seasoning can penetrate the meat and allow the bird to come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the turkey breast in the oven, then with the oven door still open, carefully pour 1 cup water into the sheet pan with the turkey. Close the oven door and roast until the turkey's internal temperature reaches 150 degrees, 13 to 15 minutes per pound. (To read the temperature, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of one of the breasts, making sure to avoid the bone, which will give you an inaccurate reading.) Very carefully rotate the pan halfway through roasting and add another cup of water if the pan looks dry. When done roasting (1 1/2 to 2 hours), the skin should be golden brown and crispy.
• Let the turkey breast rest in its pan, uncovered, until cool enough to handle, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Transfer to a cutting board. Cut along one side of the breastbone with a sharp knife, then the other, cutting each breast off the bone, and keeping the skin intact. Thickly slice each breast crosswise and serve on a large platter scattered with the lemon quarters. Taste the pan juices and, if they're a little salty, stir in a little hot water. If they need more seasoning, stir in salt and pepper. Spoon the pan juices over and around the sliced turkey.

UNCLE BILL'S BAKED TURKEY BREAST AND THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Prepare a large enough roasting pan with a metal rack to accomodate both turkey portions in a single layer.
• Place the turkey on the rack.
• Pour olive oil over the turkey portions to coat.
• Sprinkle with granulated garlic powder, black pepper, seasoning salt and dried dill weed.
• Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan.
• Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil.
• Place roasting pan on middle rack and bake in preheated 425 F oven for 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven heat to 350 F and continue to bake for another 45 minutes.
• At this point, check for doneness by cutting into the breast and thighs to make sure that there is no pink showing and the juices flow clear. You may also insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the breast or thigh and it should read between 175 F - 180°F Do not overcook.
• You may have to remove the turkey breast before the thighs as the thighs take a bit longer to cook.
• When turkey is done, remove from oven, tent and let sit for about 15 minutes before carving.
• You may also wish to use only turkey breast.
• As an added option, you may wish to place some medium size, whole, peeled onions on the rack to bake.
• These are always good served with butter along with the turkey.

CLOAKED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Combine mushrooms, salt, pepper, ricotta, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, and rosemary; set aside.
• Separate dough into 8 rectangles.
• Firmly press perforations to seal.
• Place 1 turkey slice in center of each rectangle.
• Spread 1/3 cup ricotta filling over turkey.
• Pull four corners of dough to center of ricotta mixture.
• Twist firmly.
• Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly brown.
• In a small skillet, combine dried onion flakes, rosemary, wine, and most of whipping cream, reserving 2 tablespoons Heat on high, stirring constantly, until liquid boils.
• Combine reserved whipping cream and flour.
• Add to sauce in skillet.
• Whisk until smooth.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve sauce over turkey pastries.
• Sprinkle with almonds.