Description
This Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Turkey Breast recipe features a succulent, bone-in turkey breast seasoned with fresh herbs and a garlic butter mixture, slow roasted to perfection. The turkey is infused with flavors under the skin, resulting in tender, juicy meat with a crispy skin, complemented by a rich butter sauce made from the pan juices.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 2.5 – 3 kg / 5-6 lb single turkey breast, skin on, bone in (not brined)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- Small bunch of fresh herbs – 4 rosemary sprigs, 8 sage sprigs, 10 thyme sprigs
- 12 garlic cloves, smashed
Butter Mixture
- 150 g / 5 oz (10 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 tsp table salt or 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Remove fridge chill: Take turkey out of the fridge 45 minutes before cooking (or 30 minutes if very hot) to allow it to come closer to room temperature.
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 200°C / 390°F with the rack in the lower middle position to ensure even cooking.
- Prepare herbs and garlic: Place the smashed garlic cloves and fresh herb bunch in the middle of a baking dish sized to fit the turkey comfortably.
- Make butter mixture: In a bowl, combine softened butter, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, and finely chopped sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley until evenly mixed.
- Loosen skin: Using an upside-down teaspoon, gently loosen the thin layer of skin from the turkey breast without tearing, especially under the surface skin for easier butter application.
- Apply butter under skin: Use approximately two-thirds of the butter mixture to spread evenly under the loosened skin on the top half of the turkey breast using your hands to ensure good coverage.
- Butter underside: Turn the turkey upside down and spread most of the remaining butter under the skin on the underside, reserving about 2 tablespoons for the turkey surface.
- Place turkey in baking dish: Position the turkey on top of the herbs and garlic in the baking dish, skin side up, then smear the reserved butter lightly over the skin to avoid burning herb bits during cooking.
- Season and start roasting: Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the top and sides of the turkey breast, then place in the oven and reduce temperature to 180°C / 350°F.
- Roast and baste: Roast the turkey for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, basting it with pan juices every 30 minutes to keep it moist. Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer aiming for 74°C / 165°F.
- Cover if needed: If the turkey browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil at any point after about 1 hour 15 minutes to prevent burning.
- Rest the turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
- Make butter sauce: Remove herbs and garlic from pan juices, squeezing out their flavor. Pour the pan juices and butter mixture into a jug and serve alongside the turkey. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Use a bone-in single turkey breast for best flavor; a boneless breast between 2–2.5 kg / 4–5 lb can also be used with adjusted cooking times.
- If using brined turkey, reduce salt in the butter to 3/4 tsp to avoid oversalting.
- Always properly thaw frozen turkey in the refrigerator (24 hours per 2–2.5 kg) or use cold water thawing method for faster results.
- Preferably use a baking dish or ovenproof skillet that fits the turkey snugly to avoid heat loss.
- Baste the turkey 8–10 times during roasting by pouring pan juices over the surface for enhanced moisture and flavor.
- Butter sauce can be adjusted for saltiness and lemon flavor by adding melted unsalted butter or lemon juice as needed.
- Slice turkey thinly for serving; 300 g / 10 oz raw turkey per person is sufficient when served with sides.
- Leftover turkey stores well and can be used cold in sandwiches that benefit from the rich butter and pan juices.
- A slow cooker version of this recipe is available for an alternative cooking method.
- For gravy, whisk flour into pan juices, add chicken broth, and simmer; season and adjust color with soy sauce if desired.
- When fresh herbs are unavailable, substitute 1 tsp each of dried sage, rosemary, and thyme for the butter, skipping the herbs in the baking dish.
- Nutrition values are calculated assuming consumption of all pan juices and butter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 200 g cooked turkey
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
