Time: 16 hours 40 minutes
Complexity: easily
Servings: 6 - 8

Preparing a turkey for the holidays doesn't require spending a ton of time on a whole turkey. One breast will serve 6-8 servings, and it takes much less time. Another way to make things easier is to roast the breast ahead of time and freeze it. Follow this step-by-step recipe, and your guests won't even know the turkey is reheated. It will be so juicy and flavorful. Before roasting, the breast is marinated for several hours in a savory brine, which imbues it with wonderful flavor and makes it tender. The secret ingredient in this recipe is herb-infused butter. It adds extra flavor and helps create a particularly crispy skin.

Ingredients:

• 1 turkey breast with bone and skin weighing 3-4 kg.
• 0.5 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
• 3 dried bay leaves
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 110 g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 0.5 cups homemade turkey broth or store-bought low-salt chicken broth
• Special equipment: large saucepan, roasting pan with a grate, meat thermometer

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

turkey, brown sugar, black peppercorns, bay leaf, lemon zest, sage, thyme, ground cayenne pepper, paprika

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Preparation:

Step 1
• In a very large saucepan (large enough to hold the turkey breast), combine 1 quart of water, 3/4 cup of salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaf, and lemon zest and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add 4 quarts of water. Let cool to room temperature.
Step 2
• Add the turkey breast to the pot (place a plate on top to keep it completely submerged, if necessary), cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
Step 3
• Remove the turkey breast from the pan and discard the brine. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
Step 4
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 175°C.
Step 5
• Combine the butter, parsley, sage, thyme, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a food processor. Rub half the butter under the skin and over the entire surface. Roll the remaining butter into a log and freeze.
Step 6
• Place the breast on a rack set in a roasting pan and roast, rotating the roasting pan as needed to ensure even browning, until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F (74°C), 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
Step 7
• Let the turkey breast cool completely. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, label with the date, and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
Step 8
• Two days before serving, place the turkey breast in a baking dish and refrigerate to defrost.
Step 9
• To serve, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the breast from the bone and slice. Place the slices in a large baking dish, pour in the broth, and top the turkey with slices of frozen herb butter. Wrap the dish tightly in foil and roast in the oven until the turkey is heated through and the butter has melted, 40-50 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a platter and baste with any liquid from the baking dish.
  
  Note
  
  You can serve turkey breasts immediately without freezing them. Let the cooked turkey rest for at least 20 minutes, then remove the breasts from the bone and slice. Melt the frozen butter and pour it over the turkey.

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