Brined Turkey Breast With Cranberry Jus Recipes

BRINED ROAST TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Add the water to a large pot and bring it to a boil. For the orange, peel it using a potato peeler or a knife, then cut it in half. Cut the lemon in half and juice it. Add the remaining brine ingredients to the pot (excluding the ice) and bring to a boil to dissolve all the salt and sugar. Add the lemon halves and orange halves after they've been juiced to the brine as well as the orange peel, lemon juice and orange juice, they will provide more flavor. Remove from heat and cool completely. To speed this up add about 4 cups of ice to the brine. I used my instant pot for this but any big pot that will fit the brine and the breast will work.
• Once the brine is cooled, place the turkey breast in the brine making sure it's fully submerged in it. You may have to weigh it down with another pot of water. What I did is wrapped the pot with plastic wrap, then placed a plate over it, and then a pot of water over the plate. This worked for me because the brine and turkey came up to the top of the pot. Another option is to use a brick or rock wrapped in plastic wrap. Store it in the fridge overnight or at least for 12 hours, so make sure you have enough room in your fridge.
• Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees. Remove the turkey breast from the brine solution and pat it dry with paper towels.
• Place the quartered onions and smashed garlic in a large metal roasting pan then place the turkey breast on top of the onions. Season it generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Brush the turkey with melted butter, keep remaining butter for basting later. Add the chicken broth to the pan.
• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place the roasting pan in the oven. Cook covered for 1 1/2 hours, basting with the melted butter (remelt again if necessary) every half hour. After 1 1/2 hours, remove the aluminum foil and roast for another 1 hour or until golden brown. The breast is done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers at 165 degrees F.
• Transfer the turkey breast to a platter or cutting board and let it rest for a full 15 minutes before slicing into it.
• Skim some of the fat from the pan drippings if necessary.
• Place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat. In a little bowl whisk together the cornstarch with the water, then add it to the pan. Whisk everything together. If the gravy is too thin and you prefer a thicker consistency, feel free to add more cornstarch until you reach the desired consistency. Cook for a few minutes, until the gravy thickens a bit. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.
• Strain all the liquid into a bowl, then press all the liquid out of the onion and garlic using a spatula, for additional flavor.

BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH CRANBERRY JUS

Steps:

• In a large bowl or pan (at least 8 qt.), combine 4 quarts water, kosher salt, and 3/4 cup sugar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Rinse turkey and trim off back, ribs, wing meat, and excess neck skin if attached. Submerge turkey in brine, cover, and chill, turning turkey occasionally, at least 12 hours or up to 24 (see notes).
• Lift turkey from brine, rinse well, and pat dry; discard brine. Set turkey, skin up, on a rack in a 10- by 15-inch roasting pan. Brush skin with melted butter.
• Bake in a 375° regular or convection oven until a thermometer inserted through thickest part of breast to bone registers 160°, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, put remaining 1/4 cup sugar in an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over high heat; shake pan often until sugar is amber-colored, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3/4 cup broth and the cranberry concentrate; stir over medium-high heat until blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Transfer turkey to a platter or board; let rest in a warm place about 10 minutes. Add remaining 3/4 cup broth to roasting pan and stir to free browned bits. Pour drippings through a fine strainer into cranberry mixture. Add any juices accumulated on platter from turkey. Stir over high heat until boiling. Remove from heat and skim off and discard any fat. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a gravy boat.
• Slice turkey and serve with cranberry pan juices to add to taste.

FRIED TURKEY BREASTS WITH CRANBERRY MAYO

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven, add 1/2 cup salt, brown sugar, water, thyme, sage, bay leaves, peppercorns and lemon peel. Bring to a simmer just to dissolve the sugar and salt. Turn off the heat. Stir in the cold buttermilk and lemon juice. Add the turkey breasts. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before you're ready to cook and allow to come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pour enough neutral oil into a large Dutch oven to fill 1/3 of the way up the sides of the pot. Heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, 1 tablespoon salt and poultry seasoning in a large bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the buttermilk brine a little at a time to make small clumps.
• When the oil is at 350 degrees F, remove the turkey breasts from the brine and dredge well in the flour mixture. Carefully add to the oil. (The oil temperature will drop initially, you want it to settle at about 330 degrees, so adjust the heat accordingly.) Cook, turning occasionally, until the coating is crisp and deeply browned and the internal temperature of the turkey is about 160 degrees F, 15 to 18 minutes depending on the size. (If you have larger size turkey breasts and they are brown before they are cooked through, you can finish for a few minutes in the oven at 350 degrees F .)
• Remove the fried turkey to a cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Let the turkey cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes.
• While still hot, sprinkle with the sumac, flaky salt and lemon zest.
• Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• To serve, slice the turkey into thick slices against the grain. Serve with the cranberry mayo on the side.
• In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, lemon juice and a healthy grinding of black pepper.

CRANBERRY-GLAZED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the cranberry sauce, apple juice concentrate and butter to a boil. Remove from the heat; cool. , Carefully loosen skin of turkey breast. Set aside 1/2 cup sauce for basting and 3/4 cup for serving. Spoon remaining sauce onto the turkey, rubbing mixture under and over the skin., Place turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until a thermometer reads 170°, basting occasionally with reserved sauce. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before carving. Warm reserved 3/4 cup sauce; serve with turkey.

TURKEY WITH CRANBERRY BRINE

Steps:

• 24 hours in advance, wash the turkey and remove the neck and giblets from the cavity and neck; reserve for broth.
• Mix together in a large pot 1 of the onions, 2 stalks celery, 2 carrots, 6 garlic cloves, peppercorns, 3 sprigs each of the rosemary, thyme and sage, 6 sprigs of the parsley, kosher salt and the cranberry juice; heat and stir until the salt dissolves and mixture begins to simmer; remove and let cool to room temperature.
• Place turkey in a very large pot or turkey bucket and pour brine over to submerge, adding cold water if needed; refrigerate 24 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine and rinse well; dry with paper towels. (It will be a lovely shade of pink but don't worry, it roasts a beautiful mahogany color).
• Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper.
• Place 2 stalks chopped celery, 2 chopped carrots, apple, orange, cranberries, and 4 garlic cloves inside cavity.
• Make a nest of 1 med chopped onion, 1 chopped celery stalk, 1 chopped carrot, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 3 sprigs each rosemary, thyme and sage, 6 sprigs parsley and 3 bay leaves in a large roasting pan.
• Place turkey on top of the vegetables and herbs.
• Put butter pats on the turkey or between the skin and breast meat.
• Roast in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 45 minutes.
• While turkey roasts the first 45 minutes, prepare a broth by placing the giblets in 5 cups of water; simmer to create turkey stock adding more water as needed; remove giblets. (You can chop the giblets and remove the meat from the neck and add it to your stuffing or discard it if you don't wish to use it. You can skip the turkey stock step and use canned chicken stock if desired. You will need 5 cups).
• After the first 45 minutes of roast time, pour half of the stock over the turkey; roast another 45 minutes and pour the remaining stock over the turkey.
• Continue to roast your turkey; basting with the juices from the bottom of the pan until the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 165 to 175°F (74 to 80°C).
• Remove from the oven and tent with foil; allow to rest for 10 or 15 minutes before carving.
• Strain and use the liquid in the bottom of your roasting pan to make gravy and to moisten your stuffing if desired.
• Simple gravy:.
• Discard herbs from the bottom of the roasting pan and measure out 1 cup of the vegetables and 3 cups of the juices; puree in a blender. To thicken, add more vegetables, to thin, add more pan juice. Pour through a mesh strainer to make a smooth gravy.

BRINED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• 1. Combine the brine ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool to room temperature.
• 2. Rinse the turkey breast, discarding excess fat. Place in a deep bowl or pot, breast-side down. Pour the brine over the breast and refrigerate, loosely covered, overnight.
• 3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the turkey from the brine 30 minutes before roasting. Line a shallow roasting pan with long pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• 4. Place turkey in the pan. Brush with 4 tablespoons of melted butter; season with pepper. Gather foil loosely on top and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Open the foil and bake for 2 1/4 hours more, basting every 30 minutes with broth and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, until the turkey is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 165°F and the juices run clear. Transfer the breast to a cutting board; let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Reserve pan juices for gravy .

SALTY AND SWEET CRANBERRY CITRUS BRINE

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, mix together the kosher salt, orange juice concentrate, cranberry juice concentrate, water, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon wedges, orange wedges, onion wedges, garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme, and black pepper; stir until the salt and brown sugar have dissolved. To use, place a whole turkey into the brine, cover, and refrigerate 14 to 16 hours before roasting. Discard used brine.