Moist Turkey Breast With White Wine Gravy Recipes

WHITE WINE TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Strain the turkey drippings through a fine mesh sieve into a large saucepan. Set aside 1 cup of the drippings in a bowl. Stir white wine, rosemary, and black pepper into the drippings in the saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes to cook off the alcohol and blend the flavors. Whisk cornstarch into the drippings in the bowl, and whisk the cornstarch mixture into the hot gravy. Allow the gravy to simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in salt to taste; strain out any large pieces of rosemary before serving.

ROAST TURKEY WITH WHITE WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• To brine turkey: Remove neck and giblets from turkey and set aside in the refrigerator for the giblet stock. Drain any liquid from the turkey cavity. Place the turkey on a rack set in a roasting pan. Dry the cavity and skin well with paper towels. Gently loosen skin, running fingers between it and the meat. Mix 1 tablespoon each chopped parsley, rosemary, thyme sage and salt and ground pepper in a small bowl. Rub half the mixture under the skin and the other half on the skin. Refrigerate the turkey, uncovered and breast-side up, for at least 24 hours and for up to 48 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare stock: Place the reserved neck and giblets in a large saucepan, along with 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 garlic cloves and peppercorns. Add water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, uncovered, for 2 hours, skimming fat and foam as needed. Strain through a fine sieve into a measuring cup (discard solids). You should have 2 to 2 1/2 cups stock. Set aside in the refrigerator.
• When ready to roast the turkey, position rack in the lower third of oven; preheat to 475°F. Let the turkey stand at room temperature while the oven heats. Place lemon, the remaining 4 garlic cloves, parsley leaves, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs and sage leaves in the cavity. Fill the rest of the cavity with some of the remaining onions, carrots and celery. Place any remaining vegetables in the roasting pan. Rub oil over the turkey. Pour wine into the pan.
• Place the pan in the oven and reduce the temperature to 350°. Roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh registers 165°F, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Transfer the turkey (still on the rack to keep the skin toward the bottom from getting too soggy) to a cutting board. Let rest for at least 20 minutes.
• While the turkey rests, make gravy: Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables from the pan and discard. Pour the drippings into a fat separator or a large measuring cup. Set the pan over 2 burners on medium heat. If using flour as a thickener, add 2 tablespoons of the separated fat to the pan and sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour; whisk to combine. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup flour. While whisking, slowly add 2 cups stock and 2 cups defatted drippings and bring to a simmer. (You should have about 1/2 cup leftover drippings-reserve to adjust the consistency of the gravy before serving.) Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. If using cornstarch as a thickener, whisk it with 1/3 cup stock in a small bowl. Add the remaining 1 2/3 cups stock and 2 cups defatted drippings to the pan and bring to a simmer. While whisking, slowly add the cornstarch mixture and whisk until thickened.
• Pour the gravy into a serving bowl or gravy boat and stir in finely chopped herbs. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

ROASTED WHOLE TURKEY BREAST WITH WHITE WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 F.
• In a medium sauce pan, add butter, sage, shallot, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Turn heat to medium, then cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and shallots have softened, about 2 minutes. Add white wine, increase temperature to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Rinse turkey breast under cool water then pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey in a roasting pan or in a large skillet. Unfold cheesecloth and wrap evenly around the top and sides of the turkey. Pour about half of the melted butter mixture (~1 cup) on top. Add sliced head of garlic and lemon halves to pan.
• Place turkey in oven, then immediately reduce the temperature to 375 F. Baste the turkey with leftover melted butter every 20 minutes. When you run out of liquid, simply baste the turkey with the jus in the bottom of the pan. Turkey needs 15 minutes to cook per lb. Begin checking a 6 lb turkey close to the 2 hour mark. Turkey is fully cooked when an internal temperature of 165 F is reached.
• Remove turkey from oven and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let rest 15-20 minutes before carving. When ready, transfer turkey to a cutting board to slice.
• Meanwhile, strain gravy at the bottom of the pan and serve as is on the side.

MOIST TURKEY BREAST WITH WHITE WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. slow cooker, combine the wine, apple, fennel, celery, carrot, garlic, mustard and bay leaf. In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, thyme, sage and pepper; rub over turkey. Add turkey to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender., Remove meat to a serving platter and keep warm. Strain drippings into a measuring cup to measure 1 cup. Skim fat. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and cream; stir until smooth. Gradually add drippings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with turkey.

STUFFED BONELESS TURKEY BREAST WITH WHITE WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• Bone the turkey breast: Pull off the skin in one piece, using your fingers to separate the skin from the meat. Turn the breast on one side and use the tip of a sharp knife to carve off the breast in one piece, following the curve of the rib cage. Repeat on the other side. Reserve whole breasts and skin. Alternatively, ask the butcher to do the boning for you.
• Place breastbone and any scraps in a deep pot and cover with cold water. Add about 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a simmer and simmer gently, uncovered, until stock is reduced and flavorful, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Skim occasionally; do not boil. Let stock cool slightly, then strain, discard bones and reserve.
• Assemble and cook the roast: Heat oven to 325 degrees and place rack in lower third of oven. Cut a piece of cheesecloth long enough to leave about 8 inches of overhang at each end of the roasting pan; you will twist and tie these together to secure the roast.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan or microwave. Dip cheesecloth in butter, shake off excess and lay out in roasting pan. Spread out the turkey skin, outer side down, on the cloth.
• Season turkey breasts with salt and pepper and paint with melted butter. Place one breast, cut side up, in the center of the cloth. Spoon 1/3 to 1/2 of the stuffing over the meat in a neat layer. (Set aside remaining stuffing in a casserole to bake separately.)
• Top stuffing with the second breast, cut side down, arranging it so that the thick end of the top breast drapes over the tapered end of the bottom one. (This will give the roast an even shape.)
• Lift one end of the skin up and over the roast. Repeat on the other side, so that the skin completely covers the roast. Repeat with the cheesecloth so the sides of the roast are covered.
• Bring up both ends of the cheesecloth so that they meet on top. Twist tightly and tie them together to secure. Turn roast over so that the ends of the cheesecloth are tucked underneath the roast. Slip a rack under the roast to lift it away from the bottom of the pan. Paint again with melted butter and strew onion and carrot around the roast.
• Bake until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 155 degrees, about 2 hours depending on size. Baste every 20 to 30 minutes, first using melted butter, then the fat that collects in the pan.
• After 1 hour of cooking, cover stuffing in casserole with foil and place in the oven with the turkey. Uncover after 30 minutes and cook until heated through and crusty on top.
• When done, the roast will be compact and burnished brown. Remove to a platter and let rest, uncovered, 20 minutes. Cut the cheesecloth along one edge of the roast, then carefully peel it off. Gently lift roast and pull the cheesecloth away from the underside. Cover lightly with foil and return to turned-off oven to keep warm. Stuffing can also remain, covered, in turned-off oven.
• Make the gravy: Heat 3 cups reserved turkey stock. Pour 1/4 cup of the fat from the roasting pan into a large saucepan. (Reserve roasting pan with vegetables separately.) Heat over low heat until bubbling; add flour and cook, whisking, until lightly browned. Turn off heat, let cool 2 minutes, then gradually whisk in 2 cups hot stock. Pour off and discard any additional fat in roasting pan and place on top of the stove over low heat. Pour in wine, vermouth or more stock and cook, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan, for 5 minutes. Pour contents of roasting pan into the gravy in the saucepan and stir together. Simmer until thickened and heated through. Add remaining stock as needed until gravy has the consistency you like. Taste for seasoning; strain.
• To carve the roast, cut it into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with additional stuffing and hot gravy.

SAVORY TURKEY BREAST WITH HERBS AND WHITE WINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place turkey breast, skin side-up, on a rack in a large, shallow roasting pan. Insert an ovenproof meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, being certain that the tip does not touch the bone.
• Roast, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, mix melted butter, wine, garlic, rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme, olive oil, salt, and paprika together in a bowl. Brush 1/2 of the mixture over the turkey and roast for 30 minutes. Brush remaining butter mixture over turkey, and roast until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove turkey from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, pour pan drippings into a 2-cup liquid measure. Skim fat from the surface, then add enough chicken broth to measure 2 cups liquid. Transfer to a small saucepan.
• Bring broth mixture to a boil. Stir cold water and cornstarch together in a small bowl; pour into the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until gravy thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve gravy with turkey.

OVEN-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Place turkey, skin side up, on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of breast and does not touch bone. Roast uncovered 1 hour.
• Mix butter, wine, thyme, salt, paprika and garlic. Brush turkey with half of the butter mixture. Roast 30 minutes; brush with remaining butter mixture. Roast about 1 hour longer or until thermometer reads 165°F.
• Remove turkey from oven and let stand 15 minutes for easier carving.
• Meanwhile, pour pan drippings into measuring cup; skim fat from drippings. Add enough water to drippings to measure 2 cups. Heat drippings to boiling in 1-quart saucepan. Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water; stir into drippings. Boil and stir 1 minute. Serve with turkey.

WHITE WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• While the turkey rests on the cutting board, make the gravy: Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the pan drippings into a medium bowl, leaving behind any browned bits, or "fond," stuck to the pan. Press down on the solids to get as much liquid as possible into the bowl; discard the solids. Pour the liquid into a measuring cup or a fat separator. After all the fat rises to the top, ladle the fat into a bowl and reserve. You should be left with about 1 cup of jus. Place the roasting pan across two burners over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and 2 tablespoons of the reserved turkey fat; sauté until the shallots are soft, 2 minutes.
• Add the wine and stir, scraping up the fond from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer; continue scraping and simmering until the mixture has reduced to about a cup, 3-5 minutes. Once the wine mixture has reduced to 1 cup, add the reserved jus and enough turkey or chicken stock to bring the total amount of liquid to 4 cups; stir to combine. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl; discard solids. Wipe out any remaining solids in the pan.
• Make a roux: In the roasting pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When melted, sprinkle in the flour and whisk it into the butter until the flour is completely incorporated and no longer raw, 1-2 minutes. When the flour begins to bubble, ladle in a small amount of the jus mixture at a time, around ½ cup per addition, whisking continuously. When the mixture looks like a paste, turn the heat to medium, and continue adding more liquid, a ladle or two at a time, and whisking. Small additions of liquid and continuous whisking are the keys to smooth gravy. Repeat the process until all the liquid has been incorporated and the gravy is thick, smooth, and velvety. (Tip: If gravy has any lumps at the end, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer to remove them.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a gravy boat or bowl and serve immediately.

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.

ROAST TURKEY BREAST AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse turkey breast; pat dry. Rub breast with salt and pepper.
• Strew roasting pan with onions, carrots, and celery; set turkey over vegetables. Roast until breast is cooked through, about 1 1/2 hours; interior temperature should be about 170 degrees.
• Cut breast in half; transfer one half to a cutting board, tent with foil to warm, and set aside. Reserve other half for later use.
• Place roasting pan over two medium-hot burners on range. Sprinkle cooked vegetables and drippings with flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until flour forms a golden-brown film over bottom of roasting pan and vegetables are completely coated with film and turkey drippings, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let pan get too hot, or drippings will burn.
• Pour Madeira slowly into pan, and cook, scraping up film from pan with a wooden spoon until a thin paste forms, about 1 minute. Slowly add stock, stirring, until paste thins to a thick liquid. Continue adding stock, stirring, until gravy is desired consistency. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a splash more Madeira, if desired. Strain gravy, pressing down on solids with a rubber spatula to extract juices and flavor. Discard solids; transfer gravy to the top of a double boiler to keep warm, or let cool and refrigerate.

WHITE WINE BASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Serves 12 to 14 If your roasting pan only fits sideways in the oven, turn the pan every hour so the turkey cooks and browns evenly.
• For step-by-step photos, see our Roast Turkey and Gravy feature.
• Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels.
• Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Place rack on lowest level in oven.
• Heat oven to 450°.
• Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl.
• Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, four-layer square.
• Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan.
• Remove pop up time if there is one, use regular meat thermometer in thick part of leg.
• Fold wing tips under turkey.
• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey.
• (Stuff loosely if you choose, I do not stuff) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later).
• Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks.
• Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
• Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp.
• Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area.
• Place turkey, legs first, in oven.
• Cook for 30 minutes.
• Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°, and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes, you will need to reheat the butter-wine mixture occasionally as the butter will harden.
• Watch pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
• After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth.
• Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven.
• Baste turkey with pan juices.
• If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine.
• The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully.
• Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
• After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.
• Do not poke into a bone.
• The temperature should reach 180° (stuffing should be between 140° and 160°) and the turkey should be golden brown.
• The breast does not need to be checked for temperature.
• If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the gravy.
• Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup.
• Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off.
• Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat.
• Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan.
• Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan.
• Add giblet stock to pan.
• Stir well, and bring back to a boil.
• Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more.
• You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy.
• Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

SIMPLE ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for stock or gravy. Pat turkey and turkey neck dry with paper towel; rub turkey all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of turkey, the pepper and the lemon zest, including the neck. Transfer to a 2-gallon (or larger) resealable plastic bag. Tuck herbs and 6 garlic cloves inside bag. Seal and refrigerate on a small rimmed baking sheet (or wrapped in another bag) for at least 1 day and up to 3 days, turning the bird over every day (or after 12 hours if brining for only 1 day).
• Remove turkey from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, uncovered, back on the baking sheet. Return to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours to dry out the skin (this helps crisp it).
• When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for one hour.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. In the bottom of a large roasting pan, add the cider and enough wine to fill the pan to a 1/4-inch depth. Add half the onions, the remaining 6 garlic cloves and the bay leaves. Stuff the remaining onion quarters and the lemon quarters into the turkey cavity. Brush the turkey skin generously with oil or melted butter.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set inside the roasting pan. Transfer pan to the oven and roast 30 minutes. Cover breast with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reaches a temperature of 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

ROAST TURKEY WITH BLACK-TRUFFLE BUTTER AND WHITE-WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lower third.
• Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Working from large cavity end, gently run your fingers between skin and meat to loosen skin, being careful not to tear skin. Push two thirds of truffle butter (4 ounces) under skin, including thighs and drumsticks, and massage skin from outside to spread butter evenly. Mix 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly in turkey cavities and all over skin. Fold neck skin under body, then tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks together with string.
• Put turkey on rack in roasting pan and pour in 2 cups water. Roast, rotating pan 180 degrees after 1 hour of roasting and adding remaining cup water, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of each thigh (test both; close to but not touching bone) registers 170°F, 1 3/4 to 2 hours total.
• Carefully tilt turkey so juices from inside large cavity run into pan. Transfer turkey to a platter and let stand, uncovered, 30 minutes (temperature of thigh meat will rise to 175 to 180°F). Discard string.
• Strain pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into 2-quart measuring cup and skim off fat (or use a fat separator), reserving fat. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners and cook shallots in 1/4 cup reserved fat over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until mixture is reduced to about 1 cup, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add enough turkey stock to reserved pan juices to bring total to 4 cups, then add to wine mixture and bring to a boil. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-to 3-quarts heavy saucepan, pressing on and then discarding solids, and bring to a boil.
• Mix flour with remaining 2 ounces truffle butter to make a paste, then add to boiling sauce, whisking until thickened. Simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

TURKEY BREAST WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• Place turkey breast in a shallow baking pan; coat the outside of the turkey with cooking spray. Tuck onion and celery underneath in the breast cavity. Combine seasonings; rub over turkey. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until a thermometer reads 185°, basting every 30 minutes. Remove turkey and keep warm. For gravy, combine flour and water in a saucepan until smooth. Add pan drippings and bouillon. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil for 2 minutes. Slice turkey; serve with gravy.

ROAST TURKEY WITH WHITE-WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325° F.
• Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a small skewer. Using small skewers secure wings to body. Transfer turkey to a rack set in a roasting pan and melt butter. Brush inside of turkey with some butter and season with salt and pepper. Put herb sprigs inside body cavity. Brush outside of turkey with remaining butter and season with salt and pepper. Loosely tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Roast turkey in middle of oven 1 hour.
• Add water to pan and roast turkey, basting every 20 minutes, 2 hours more, or until a meat thermometer inserted in fleshy part of a thigh registers 175° F. and juices run clear when thigh is pierced. Transfer turkey to a heated platter and reserve juices in pan. Remove skewers and discard string. Let turkey stand 30 minutes.
• While turkey is standing, make gravy:
• Finely chop onion. Skim fat from reserved pan juices and reserve 1/2 cup fat (for sautéing onions, below, and for stuffing). On top of stove deglaze pan with wine over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits, and boil mixture until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add 4 cups stock and bring to a simmer. Pour wine mixture through a sieve into a saucepan.
• In a large, heavy skillet sauté onion in 1/4 cup reserved fat over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in flour and cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Bring wine mixture to a simmer. Add hot wine mixture to roux in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Whisk in additional stock to thin gravy to desired consistency. Season gravy with salt and pepper and transfer to a heated sauceboat.
• Garnish turkey with herb bouquet and serve with gravy.