November 17, 2020
Roast Turkey Breast
Cooking the breast separate from the legs and thighs means that you can optimize cooking for the delicate white meat with tender and juicy results. A dry brine helps to produce crispy skin and a well seasoned bird. This is also ideal for smaller gatherings.
Servings: 8
Calories: 339kcal
Ingredients
- 6 pounds turkey breast 1 whole bone-in skin-on, patted dry (you can use a 4-6 pound turkey breast – with bone in, the 6 pound turkey will yeild about 4 pounds meat)
Gravy Base
- 1 cup onion roughly chopped, 1 small yellow onion
- 1/2 cup carrot peeled and roughly chopped, 1 medium carrot
- 1/2 cup celery roughly chopped, 1 celery rib
- 1 garlic clove peeled and smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups chicken stock
Herb Butter
- 1/2 cup butter softened, or butter flavored coconut oil, semi solid
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika optional, omit for nightshade-free
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary crumbled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley minced
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper fresh ground
Instructions
- Trim the neck of the turkey and reserve for gravy making. Dry brine the turkey by salting the top and bottom of the turkey breast with 1% salt by weight (this works out to about 4.5 grams salt for every pound of turkey). Place salted breast, uncovered in the refrigerator overnight (this allows the skin to dry out, producing more crisp skin).
- Preheat the oven to 275ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Add the gravy base ingredients, spreading them evenly across the pan and set aside.
- Carefully separate the skin from the turkey breast using your hands, making sure not to tear the skin. Combine the herb butter ingredients and stir until smooth. Spread this mixture all over the breast meat under the skin.
- Roast turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a breast piece registers 150°F, 2 to 3 hours total.
- While the turkey roasts, begin the gravy (see related recipe).
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Pour the vegetables and juices from under the bird through a fine mesh strainer and add to the gravy. Reserve the turkey on the same roasting pan and just before serving, heat in a 500ºF oven until golden and the skin is crispy. Slice before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Roast Turkey Breast
Amount per Serving
Calories
339
% Daily Value*
Fat
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Cholesterol
122
mg
41
%
Sodium
819
mg
36
%
Potassium
629
mg
18
%
Carbohydrates
1
g
0
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
1
g
1
%
Protein
49
g
98
%
Vitamin A
909
IU
18
%
Vitamin C
10
mg
12
%
Calcium
52
mg
5
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @PrimalWellnessCoaching or tag #PrimalWellnessCoaching!
Turkey Gravy
Rich and flavorful, this gravy makes an excellent addition to a roast turkey dinner! Best of all, this can be made days ahead.
Servings: 4
Calories: 248kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth divided, plus extra as needed
- 1 turkey neck reserved and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup turkey trimmings reserved from the neck and body cavity, roughly chopped
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 celery rib chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup dry white wine optional
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons gelatin
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- Nutmeg to taste
- 1/4 cup defatted turkey drippings optional
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups broth, neck or wings and trimmings to simmer in a large saucepan over high heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid evaporates and trimmings begin to sizzle, 20 minutes or so. Cook, stirring frequently and watching carefully, until dark layer forms on bottom of the pan, another 3 minutes or so.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add onion, celery, herbs, garlic, pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add in wine, if using, and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits (if not using wine, simple add remaining chicken stock now). Add remaining 2 cups broth boil on high. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the turkey stock through a fine mesh strainer and discard solids. (You should have about 2 cups of stock – this can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.)
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown the butter (cook until it smells nutty and there are light golden solids at the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in strained stock. Sprinkle xanthan gum, gelatin, and nutmeg over the top and whisk in. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add any turkey drippings, if you are using them. Adjust thickness of gravy with more broth or xanthan gum, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
The gravy can be made up ahead of time and stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or frozen for several weeks. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally to reheat.
You can also purchase turkey wings and chop these for use in place of neck and extra trimming from the whole bird, if you want to make this ahead of time.
Nutrition Facts
Turkey Gravy
Amount per Serving
Calories
248
% Daily Value*
Fat
25
g
38
%
Saturated Fat
11
g
69
%
Cholesterol
43
mg
14
%
Sodium
1046
mg
45
%
Potassium
219
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
3
g
1
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
1
g
1
%
Protein
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
350
IU
7
%
Vitamin C
18
mg
22
%
Calcium
21
mg
2
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @PrimalWellnessCoaching or tag #PrimalWellnessCoaching!
