Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the turkey is traditionally considered the star of the show on most holiday tables.
Are you a white meat person or dark meat person? Admittedly, I’m a dark meat person. But that changed after I got a taste of this Brined Turkey Breast with Olive Oil and Herbs. It was so incredibly juicy. And melt-in-your-mouth tender!
So how did this turkey breast get so tender and juicy? Two reasons:
1. A simple brining process
2. An herb and olive oil mixture that gets rubbed all over before it bakes.
Ingredients
- 4–5 lb boneless turkey breast
- 8–10 cups water
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 small shallot, peeled
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 4 large fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup Hiç Premium Turkish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- For garnish: kumquats, a pomegranate (cut into eighths), fresh herbs (sage, thyme, parsley)
Instructions
Wednesday morning
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Bring 2 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt. Stir to dissolve. Let cool for 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, place the turkey breast in a large bowl. Add 6 cups of water. Pour in the cooled salted water. Add additional water to cover, if necessary. Refrigerate for 10–12 hours (but no more).
Wednesday evening
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Remove the turkey breast from the brine and pat dry. Place on a small sheet pan fitted with a baking rack. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours (or up to 24) to dry out the surface (this will create a nice brown crust).
Thursday
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Heat oven to 425°F. Place the garlic, shallot, parsley, sage, and thyme in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add olive oil and pulse until combined.
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Spoon half of the mixture over the turkey and rub it in with clean hands.
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Place the turkey breast (still on the sheet pan/baking rack) into the oven for 30 minutes.
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Reduce the oven to 375°F.
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Pour the remaining olive oil mixture over the top and bake for an additional 45–75 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey breast reads 160°F.
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Remove from the oven. The temperature will rise to 165°F as it sits. Let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
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