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Best Brined Turkey Breast

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  • Prep 10 min
  • Total 14 hr 40 min
  • Servings 8
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Interested in trying something different for your Thanksgiving turkey? We'll talk you through how to brine a turkey breast so you can set a flavorful, moist and delicious centerpiece on the table! Brined turkey breast needs some extra prep time, but it's so worth it for the juicy results.
Updated Nov 18, 2020
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Ingredients

  • 9 cups water
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 bone-in whole turkey breast (4 to 6 pounds), thawed if frozen
  • 1 onion, cut into eighths
  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine or Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

Steps

  • 1
    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.
  • 2
    Heat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from brine, rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
  • 3
    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.
  • 4
    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.
  • 5
    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.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

  • tip 1
    Brining is the process of immersing a turkey in a saltwater bath overnight, which draws water into the cells of the turkey so it stays juicy when cooked.
  • tip 2
    If you don’t have cheesecloth, you can baste the turkey with the butter and wine mixture after about an hour of baking and every 30 minutes after that until the turkey is done.
  • tip 3
    Keep the turkey day change up coming with our recipe for Smoky Maple-Glazed Turkey Breast.
  • tip 4
    Keep the oven free for your favorite sides with this recipe for Slow-Cooker Herbed Turkey Breast.

Nutrition

360 Calories, 20 g Total Fat, 43 g Protein, 1 g Total Carbohydrate

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
360
Calories from Fat
180
Total Fat
20 g
Saturated Fat
9 g
Cholesterol
140 mg
Sodium
600 mg
Potassium
290 mg
Total Carbohydrate
1 g
Dietary Fiber
0g
Protein
43 g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
8%
8%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
2%
2%
Iron
8%
8%
Exchanges:
6 Lean Meat; 1 Fat;
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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