Рецепт Bird is the Word: Citrus and Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Loblaws and Zehrs. All opinions are 100% mine.
Thanksgiving totally snuck up on me this year. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s been so unseasonably warm, maybe it’s the fact that baseball season went into October, or maybe it’s the fact that lately my life has been even more hectic than usual, but I totally forgot the long weekend was on its way until the very last minute.
Usually, we celebrate Thanksgiving pretty much the same way everyone does… we invite over some family or friends, and then serve up a proper Thanksgiving spread featuring a big ol’ turkey that’s slow-roasted on the backyard smoker.
It’s an all-day affair to get everything ready, mostly because I pride myself on the fact that everything on my table is made from scratch, from sides to stuffing to sauce, and yes… even the bread.
This year, though, our crazy work travel schedules and blogging conferences meant that the Mister and I had been apart for two whole weeks by the time Thanksgiving Monday rolled around, so we decided that this year we’d celebrate with a dinner for two.
The fact that we trimmed down the guest list didn’t mean we had to give up on all the good stuff, though! Replacing the usual whole bird with a split bone-in turkey breast means you can still do a proper turkey dinner for two with all the trimmings. You get all the crispy-skinned turkey deliciousness that is essential to the Thanksgiving table, but it’s ready in a fraction of the time and makes just enough to feed a foursome (or a twosome, if you want to have enough left over for turkey sandwiches the next day).
And best of all, this turkey breast comes out juicy and flavourful and tender every single time, thanks to one simple trick.
You see, I’ve tried all sorts of different techniques over the years to get a juicy, flavourful turkey. I’ve butter-basted, slow-roasted, baked the bird breast-side down, baked it breast-side up, and even soaked it in a giant vat of brine for a couple of days.
In the end, though, the one technique that worked best was a simple dry brine – a salt-based rub that first draws the moisture out of the bird, and then slowly soaks back in over a few hours, taking all that delicious flavour with it. It’s basically all of the goodness of a wet brine with none of the mess.
The end result is a gorgeously browned breast with crispy skin and moist white meat. It is beauty. It is perfection. It is an apology for every sawdust-dry bite of turkey breast you’ve had to drench in gravy and choke down over the years.
In keeping with this year’s untraditional theme, I decided to go with a combination of flavours that’s equal parts old school and new school. I kept the traditional blend of sage, thyme and lemon, but partnered them up with a bold, citrusy blend of coriander seed, szechuan peppercorns, and orange zest. It’s bright and flavourful, and most definitely not your mama’s turkey spice, but it’s still subtle enough to let the natural flavour of the turkey shine through.
And while I admit I still have a soft spot for a freshly smoked whole turkey, this was a darn good compromise in my books… not to mention a great new tradition, because this baby roasts up in 2 hours flat, and who doesn’t love the idea of having Thanksgiving dinner anytime they want?
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// Citrus and Herb Roasted Turkey Breast Print Prep time Cook time Total time This simply seasoned turkey breast delivers all the goodness of a traditional roast turkey, but in a fraction of the time. Author: Isabelle Boucher (Crumb) Recipe type: Main Serves: 6 Ingredients 1 bone-in skin-on split turkey breast (~4 lbs) 3 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves 2 tsp roughly chopped fresh sage 1 tsp lemon zest 1 tsp orange zest ½ tsp coriander seed ½ tsp szechuan peppercorns (see Note below) 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened Instructions In the bowl of a small food processor, combine salt, rosemary, thyme, sage, lemon zest, orange zest, coriander and szechuan peppercorns. Pulse until the herbs and spices are coarsely ground. Sprinkle the dry brine all over the turkey breast, then transfer to a large zip-top plastic bag. Place in the refrigerator to brine overnight, or up to 24 hours. An hour before you begin baking the turkey, remove the breast from the bag and place on a small rack set in a small roasting pan or baking dish. Place in the fridge, uncovered, to allow the turkey to dry off. (This will ensure a crispier skin.) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450F. Remove the turkey breast from the fridge and pat dry. Gently rub the top of the breast with butter. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then drop the temperature to 325F and continue roasting for 1 ½ - 2 hours or until the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165F. (If the skin starts to brown too quickly, tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil to slow down the process.) Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Notes Szechuan peppercorns add a subtle citrusy note to the turkey rub. Look for them in gourmet stores or specialty spice shops, or your local Asian market if you have one. If you can’t find them, though, black peppercorns will do just fine. Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 3.5.3208
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