Best 7 Moist And Tender Turkey Or Turkey Breast Recipes

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**Moist and Tender Turkey or Turkey Breast: A Culinary Journey to Thanksgiving Delights**

As the crisp autumn air fills the streets and the leaves paint the world in vibrant hues, it's time to embark on a culinary adventure that captures the essence of Thanksgiving: the moist and tender turkey or turkey breast. This article presents a collection of carefully curated recipes that will guide you in creating a centerpiece dish that is not only delectable but also embodies the spirit of the season. From the classic roasted turkey with its golden-brown skin and succulent meat to the flavorful turkey breast infused with herbs and spices, each recipe offers a unique taste experience. Whether you prefer a traditional approach or a modern twist, these recipes will inspire you to create a memorable Thanksgiving feast that will leave your guests craving for more. So, gather your loved ones, prepare your taste buds, and let's embark on a culinary journey that celebrates the bounty of the harvest and the warmth of togetherness.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

ROAST TURKEY BREAST



Roast Turkey Breast image

This recipe for roast turkey breast is the perfect simple roasted turkey for a holiday entree that you can easily prep no matter how much cooking or hosting experience you have! It comes out juicy and buttery with a crispy skin every time.

Provided by Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess

Categories     main dish

Time 3h

Number Of Ingredients 10

Bone-in turkey breast, about 8 pounds
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 large tablespoon minced garlic, about 4 cloves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup good chicken stock
1 large apple
1/2 a lemon
3 to 4 springs fresh thyme
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
Pepper

Steps:

  • Remove the turkey from it's packaging, rinse, pat dry with paper towels, and set in a rimmed baking dish (like a 9x13-inch pan -- you don't need a roasting pan for this).
  • In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, and salt. Mix to combine well.
  • Using your hands, carefully separate the turkey skin from the meat when the breast meat is facing up in the pan. Getting started is a little hard, but just be careful to not rip through the skin. Work around the skin and meat to loosen the skin that is connected to the breast meat.
  • When the skin is separated (but not removed -- it'll still be attached on the edges), use your hands to spread half of the butter mixture and the garlic all over the turkey breast meat, under the skin.
  • Spread the second half of the butter mixture all over the outside of the turkey breast, on top of the skin.
  • Place 1 cup of stock in the bottom of the dish.
  • Quarter the apple and place however much will fit under the breast in the neck cavity. Place pieces that did no fit in the bottom of the dish.
  • Cut the lemon in half, and squeeze half over the turkey breast (using your fingers to strain the seeds). Place the spent lemon half in the bottom of the dish.
  • Strip the leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme and sprinkle over the turkey, and place the remaining sprigs and a "stalk" or two (large sprig pieces) of parsley in the bottom of the dish.
  • Sprinkle the turkey with a bit of ground black pepper.
  • Cover tightly with foil, and bake at 400 degrees F. for 2 hours.
  • Remove the foil, and bake until the turkey is cooked though, about another hour. Save the foil.
  • During the last hour, check every 10 minutes or so (after about 30 minutes) for doneness. If your turkey has a pop thermometer/gauge, I have found them to be pretty accurate. If yours does not, insert an instant read thermometer into the breast until it reads 165 degrees F.
  • When the turkey is done, remove from the oven. Cover with the foil that you saved and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • When the rest time is over, you can serve the turkey or carve it and serve it on a platter with additional apples or herbs for garnish on the edges.

MOIST TURKEY BREAST



Moist Turkey Breast image

My family always requests this turkey at family gatherings. The Italian dressing adds zip and moistness that you don't find in other recipes. If you're wondering how to cook a moist turkey breast, this is the recipe to try. -Cindy Carlson, Ingleside, Texas

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 2h10m

Yield 14 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 bone-in turkey breast (about 7 pounds)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups Italian dressing

Steps:

  • Place turkey breast in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Combine the seasonings; sprinkle over turkey. Pour dressing over the top. , Cover and bake at 325° until a thermometer reads 170°, for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 406 calories, Fat 22g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 122mg cholesterol, Sodium 621mg sodium, Carbohydrate 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 47g protein.

MOIST & TENDER TURKEY BREAST



Moist & Tender Turkey Breast image

This easy turkey recipe is sure to be popular in your home. Everyone will love the taste, and you'll love how quickly it comes together. -Heidi Vawdrey, Riverton, Utah

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 4h10m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 bone-in turkey breast (6 to 7 pounds)
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps:

  • Place turkey breast, rosemary, garlic and water in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Mix brown sugar, pepper and salt; sprinkle over turkey. Cook, covered, on low 4-6 hours or until turkey is tender and a thermometer inserted in turkey reads at least 170°.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 318 calories, Fat 12g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 122mg cholesterol, Sodium 154mg sodium, Carbohydrate 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 47g protein.

OVEN-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST



Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast image

Easy to make, great for dinner, leftovers and sandwiches. Adapted for our 2-person household from larger recipes for larger families with larger appetites.

Provided by takestu2tango

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Turkey     Breasts

Time 1h50m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 13

¼ cup butter, softened
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt-free garlic and herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash®)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (3 pound) turkey breast with skin
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon butter
1 splash dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons half-and-half

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 384.6 calories, Carbohydrate 4.3 g, Cholesterol 191.3 mg, Fat 11.8 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 60.3 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, Sodium 313.8 mg, Sugar 0.3 g

PERFECTLY MOIST AND TENDER TURKEY



Perfectly Moist and Tender Turkey image

You only need three ingredients-plus salt and pepper-to create this perfect roast turkey. The secret is placing the bird over a buttered loaf of ciabatta bread, which helps the meat to cook evenly in the roasting pan.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Turkey Recipes

Yield Makes one 18-pound turkey

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 18-pound fresh turkey, giblets and neck removed, rinsed and patted dry
1 loaf ciabatta bread or rustic Italian loaf, halved and cut open
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Steps:

  • Allow turkey to stand at room temperature for about an hour.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in lower third of oven.
  • Use a serrated knife to cut off top of bread to create a flat surface, if necessary. Cut bread lengthwise, without cutting all the way through. Open bread like a book. Evenly spread butter over cut-side of bread. Place bread, buttered side up, in large, heavy-duty roasting pan.
  • Liberally season turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Truss legs together using kitchen twine, and tuck wing tips under the breast. Place turkey, breast side down, on buttered bread. Place in oven, legs first if possible, and roast for 45 minutes. (If it's not possible to position turkey in oven legs first, rotate roasting pan halfway through cooking time.) Remove turkey from oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees.
  • Using a wooden spoon and side towels, carefully turn turkey so it's breast side up. Place in oven, breast side first if possible, and continue roasting, turning and basting with pan juices every 15 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding bone) reaches 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours more. (If it's not possible to position turkey in oven breast side first, rotate roasting pan halfway through cooking time.) Let turkey rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

MOIST AND TENDER TURKEY (OR TURKEY BREAST)



Moist and Tender Turkey (Or Turkey Breast) image

PLEASE READ this regarding TEMP & TIME! There is no "right" temperature. If you roast it at 250°F it will just take longer to cook than at 325°F. (Just like picking High or Low on a crock-pot) I cannot tell you exactly how long it will take. It depends on what type of oven you have & how warm/cold your turkey is when you put it in the oven. You HAVE to use an instant read thermometer to know when it is cooked. (I roast my 18-20 lbs. fresh turkey at 250°F. It took about 4 hours to reach the correct temperature in my old convection oven. It took 5 hours in my new one.) Because of the mayo, the skin is crisp and flavorful and the meat is tender, moist and delicious. If you don't use the butter & broth, you will not have enough pan drippings to make gravy. I've also added 1/2 cup of beer or wine to the mixture before & it was also spectacular. With slow roasting it, the meat stays so juicy I've actually had it squirt out when I insert the thermometer! I've never had a better turkey.

Provided by Marg CaymanDesigns

Categories     Poultry

Time 2h10m

Yield 1 turkey, 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 (5 -20 lb) fresh or frozen turkey (thawed) or 1 (5 -20 lb) turkey breast (thawed)
1/4 cup butter, melted
12 ounces chicken broth (can use part beer or white wine)
1 -2 tablespoon mayonnaise

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.

VERY MOIST AND FLAVORFUL ROAST TURKEY



Very Moist and Flavorful Roast Turkey image

Does your turkey need a boost of moisture and flavor? Try this! Tweak it to your own liking as much as your imagination wants. Carve the entire turkey and save the bones, joints, tail, wing tips, drippings, and reserved onion, garlic and celery (but NOT the skin) to make turkey soup. Mix the apple pieces into your dressing.

Provided by Andie

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Turkey     Whole Turkey Recipes

Time 4h30m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 8

½ cup cold butter
1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Granny Smith apples - cored, peeled, and cut into 8 wedges each
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
½ whole head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
1 pound celery, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  • Cut butter into 1-tablespoon pieces, quarter the pieces, and refrigerate butter until needed.
  • Use your fingers to loosen the skin over the turkey breast and thighs. Cut a hole in the turkey skin between tail and body (to affix legs); cut a hole on each side of the turkey beneath each wing (to affix wings). Rub the entire skin with vegetable oil.
  • Toss apple and onion wedges, garlic cloves, and celery in a large bowl until combined; sprinkle poultry seasoning over the apple mixture and toss again to coat. Stuff the body and neck cavities with the apple mixture. Insert each wing tip into the hole under the wing to secure wings; insert both legs into hole near tail to secure legs.
  • Place turkey onto a rack and set in a roasting pan. Insert cold butter pieces under the loosened skin, distributing the butter as evenly as possible.
  • Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, not touching bone, reads 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 3 1/2 hours. Check for doneness after 3 hours.
  • Remove roasting pan containing turkey from oven and cover with aluminum foil, lightly pressing the foil directly onto the bird. Let the turkey rest for 40 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 774.2 calories, Carbohydrate 6.1 g, Cholesterol 284.8 mg, Fat 40.3 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 91.3 g, SaturatedFat 14.2 g, Sodium 305.3 mg, Sugar 3.5 g

Tips:

  • Use a whole turkey or turkey breast: This recipe is designed for a whole turkey or turkey breast. If you are using a whole turkey, you will need to truss it before cooking. If you are using a turkey breast, you can simply place it in a roasting pan.
  • Season the turkey generously: The key to a flavorful turkey is to season it generously. Use a combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and any other spices you like. You can also rub the turkey with butter or olive oil to help it brown.
  • Roast the turkey at a high temperature: Roasting the turkey at a high temperature will help it to brown and crisp. Start by roasting the turkey at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to roast the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Let the turkey rest before carving: Once the turkey is cooked, let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the turkey, resulting in a more tender and flavorful bird.

Conclusion:

This recipe for moist and tender turkey or turkey breast is sure to be a hit at your next holiday gathering. With its simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, this recipe is perfect for both experienced and beginner cooks alike. So whether you are cooking a whole turkey or a turkey breast, be sure to give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

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