Description
This Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast recipe features a flavorful brine, a fragrant spice rub, and a tangy cranberry glaze that perfectly complements the moist and tender roasted turkey. Ideal for holiday dinners or special occasions, this dish serves 8 with an easy-to-follow method and a beautiful presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Brine
- 8 cups cold water, divided
- 4 ounces kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp ginger
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup orange juice
- 4 pound boneless turkey breast
Rub
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp thyme
Cranberry Glaze
- 12 oz cranberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 tsp orange zest
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup orange liqueur
Instructions
- Prepare the Brine: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add kosher salt and brown sugar, whisking until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in 4 cups of cold water. Transfer the brine to the refrigerator and chill until it reaches room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
- Brine the Turkey: Remove the turkey breast from packaging and netting. Place it in a large brining bag inside a bowl or roasting pan. Add ginger, peppercorns, bay leaves, and fresh thyme. Pour in white wine and orange juice. Once the brine is cool, pour it over the turkey breast ensuring it's fully submerged. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight or up to 12 hours.
- Prepare the Turkey for Roasting: Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Preheat oven to 375°F. Rub the turkey breast all over with olive oil.
- Apply the Spice Rub: In a small bowl, combine paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, ground cloves, oregano, and thyme. Rub this mixture evenly over the turkey breast. If the breast splits into two pieces, tie them securely with kitchen twine. Place skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.
- Roast the Turkey: Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F. Remove the twine when done.
- Make the Cranberry Glaze: While the turkey roasts, combine cranberries, fresh grated ginger, orange zest, honey, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, orange juice, water, and orange liqueur in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until cranberries burst, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cook an additional 5 minutes.
- Strain the Glaze: Place a large mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour cranberry mixture into strainer and press with a spatula to extract the glaze. Set glaze aside for brushing on turkey. Reserve the strained cranberry solids to serve alongside or spread on the turkey.
- Glaze the Turkey and Rest: After roasting, brush the cranberry glaze generously over the turkey. Let the turkey rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing to retain juices.
Notes
- You can use bone-in turkey breast instead of boneless; increase roasting time by 10-15 minutes for bone-in.
- The recipe works with skinless turkey breast, but do not remove skin after roasting to preserve the spice rub flavor.
- Store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- This recipe serves 8 people assuming ½ pound of turkey per person, based on a 4-pound boneless breast.
- If the turkey comes apart into two pieces after brining, secure with kitchen twine before roasting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
