White Grape Juice Brined Turkey Breast 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.

HOLIDAY TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Combine vegetable broth, sea salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, rosemary, sage, and thyme in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
• Pour the water, broth mixture, and apple cider vinegar into a 5-gallon bucket; stir until brine is combined. Add the apples, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic to the brine mixture.

APPLE BRINE FOR TURKEY THE NIGHT BEFORE COOKING

Steps:

• Line a cooler with a large food safe bag. Combine the apple juice, water, and salt in the bag; stir until the salt is dissolved; add the garlic.
• To use: Lie your turkey into the brine with the breast-side down; add more water to submerge turkey completely if needed. Pour the ice over the turkey. Seal the bag and close the cooler; allow to sit overnight.

BEST BRINED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• In 6-quart container or stockpot, mix water, salt and sugar; stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add turkey. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
• Place onion on center of rack in large shallow roasting pan; top with rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Place turkey, skin side up, over onion and herbs.
• In small bowl, mix butter and wine. Soak 16-inch square of cheesecloth in butter mixture until completely saturated; cover turkey completely with cheesecloth. Roast 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Remove cheesecloth. Place onion and herbs in pan with drippings if using drippings to make gravy (or discard). Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of turkey and does not touch bone. Turn turkey skin side down. Roast 30 to 60 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 165°F.

BRINED ROAST TURKEY BREAST WITH HERB PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Dissolve the kosher salt and sugar in the water in large, clean bucket or stockpot. Set the turkey breast in the brine, making sure it is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
• Remove the turkey breast from the brine. Pat dry and set aside. Place the butter in a bowl; add the sage and thyme. Season the butter well with pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Twenty minutes before roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place the turkey on a clean work surface. Using a chef's knife, remove the remaining portion of the neck and reserve it for the stock and gravy. Remove the wishbone to make carving easier; set it aside with the neck for the gravy. With your hand, carefully release the skin on both breasts to form two pockets. Rub the seasoned butter under the released skin. If there is any extra butter, massage it on the outside of the skin.
• Put the celery, carrots, and onions in a large roasting pan. Pour 1/2 cup of the chicken stock into the pan bottom to prevent the drippings from burning. Place the prepared turkey, skin side up, on top of the vegetables. Place the pan in the oven with the wide neck end toward the rear of the oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan back to front. Roast for 15 minutes more, until skin turns golden. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to roast, rotating the pan once more about halfway through the cooking, until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees F to 165 degrees F, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the turkey breast to a cutting board, preferably with a moat. Cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil. Pour the remaining 2 cups chicken stock into a saucepan. Add the reserved neck and wishbone and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to simmer.
• Place the roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the flour to the pan drippings and stir until well combined. Strain the warmed stock over the flour-vegetable combination and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to simmer and cook until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Strain the mixture into a saucepan (the saucepan that held the stock is fine to use), pressing on the vegetables to get every drop and all the flavor. Check and make sure the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon; if not, continue simmering the sauce until the correct consistency is achieved. (If it's too thick, add a little water or additional stock.)
• Carve the turkey breast and plate on a warm platter. Add any juices that run into the moat to the gravy. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with the gravy on the side.
• Combine 3 cups cranberries and 3/4 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally,until the berries release their juices, about 8 minutes. Add the juice of 2 oranges (about 1/2 cup), 1/2 cup golden raisins, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 star anise. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Peel 3 firm pears, then core and cut into 1/2-inch dice and add to the chutney with the finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture thickens and the pears are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

WHITE WINE TURKEY BRINE, SIMPLE

Steps:

• Add bay leaves, garlic, onion, salt, sugar and water to a large stock pot.
• Cut lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the rest of the brine ingredients; add the squeezed lemons.
• Bring to a boil and boil 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and cool too room temp; stir in wine.
• Add turkey; brine for 12 to 24 hours.
• Remove the turkey and rinse very well in cold water.
• Butter or oil the skin and roast as usual.

DRY-BRINED ROASTED BROAD BREASTED WHITE TURKEY

Steps:

• Dry-brine the turkey: One day before roasting, rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Mix together 1/2 cup salt and the chopped thyme; season generously with pepper. Rub salt mixture on the following turkey parts in these amounts: cavity (2 tablespoons), legs (2 teaspoons each), wings (1 teaspoon each), breast halves (2 tablespoons each). Gently separate skin from breast. Rub remaining salt mixture under the skin on each side. Transfer to a deep pan, and cover, or to a large plastic bag set on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch juices). Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Drain accumulated juices from cavity, and pat inside of turkey dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack, and place breast-side up. Bring to room temperature, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Pat inside and outside of turkey dry with paper towels.
• Roast the turkey: Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Tuck wings under turkey. Stir chopped sage and thyme into butter, and rub over outside of turkey. Fill cavity with herb sprigs, bay leaves, apple cores, and onion; tie legs together with kitchen twine. Scatter apples and celery around rack. Place neck and giblets in pan. Add water to pan.
• Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Baste with pan juices. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; roast, basting every 30 minutes, for 1 1/2 hours more. Rotate pan, and add more water if pan is dry. Tent turkey with foil, and roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 160 degrees, about 1 hour more. Let turkey stand for 30 minutes before transferring to a platter and carving. Reserve pan with contents if making gravy.

BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH MAPLE GLAZE

Steps:

• Stir the kosher salt and brown sugar into hot water until dissolved.
• Mix in apple juice and ice.
• Place the turkey breast in a 2 gallon resalable plastic bag; pour the brine over, seal and place in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and roast the turkey breast side up on a rack over a shallow roasting pan.
• After the first hour begin basting the breast with the maple-butter glaze.
• Baste every 15 minutes until the temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees.
• Remove from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.