Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast (2024)

FAQs

Is oven roasted turkey breast ready to eat? ›

Just delicious, wholesome deli meat, roasted to perfection and ready to eat.

For the best roast turkey breast, roast at 325℉. You'll get juicy meat and crispy skin with an incredible flavor. If you need to cook it a little faster, you can raise the temp to 350 degrees and cook for about 15-18 minutes per pound.

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.

Start in a hot heated oven at 450 degrees F, then lower the heat to 350 degrees F just before you put the turkey in the oven. The initial high heat will help brown the skin, then the lower heat will help cook the turkey breast on the inside without drying it out.

As long as you don't eat too much turkey, it is a healthy way to get the protein you need. It's also a good source of beneficial vitamins and minerals like magnesium and niacin. Turkey is also an excellent source of selenium.

Place your turkey on a wire rack and then place the rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom of the roasting pan. This will prevent the drippings from burning on the bottom of the pan. If using a flat rack (use a V-rack if you have one), you will notice the turkey will tilt to one side or the other.

The Right Way to Take the Temperature of Your Turkey

The government recommends cooking turkey breast to 165°F (74°C). I prefer my turkey breast at 150°F (66°F), at which point it is far, far juicier (especially if you dry brine it!).

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Remove thawed roast from the plastic overwrap bag, do not remove the net. In a shallow pan, place the roast in a convection oven preheated to 325 degrees F. Cook the roast for approximately 2.5 hours or 15 minutes per pound.

It doesn't matter if you're roasting, frying, or smoking your turkey, there's no need to give it a rinse unless you've brined it (more on that below). Cooking the turkey kills any bacteria, but washing a turkey before you cook it opens the door to dangerous cross contamination.

Do you cook turkey breast breast side up or down? ›

It's personal preference whether you choose to cook a turkey breast-side up or breast-side down. The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time.

To Cover Or Not To Cover

So, yes, you do want to cover the turkey with foil to give it a chance to roast without getting dry. But then, towards the end of the cook time, remove the foil so the skin—the best part in this writer's opinion—gets a chance to crisp up.

Brine your turkey for the best juicy bird.

In recent years, brining has become more popular and can be done with either a wet or dry brine. A wet brine involves immersing the turkey in a salt-water solution for 12-24 hours. Dry-brining is where salt is rubbed over the turkey skin for 24-48 hours before cooking.

There are four essential steps for a perfectly roasted Thanksgiving turkey: brining, stuffing with aromatics, rubbing with herb compound butter, and roasting to perfection. The herb butter does double duty. Part of it is rubbed under the skin and over the meat of the bird for a major boost in flavor.

Roasting a whole turkey is easier than you think. Just follow these simple instructions for a fresh or thawed turkey: Preheat oven to 325° F. Drain juices and pat dry with clean paper towels. Place turkey breast-side-up on a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2½ inches deep.

Butterball Oven Baked Whole Turkeys are fully cooked and ready to eat. They can be used in recipes calling for cooked turkey without prior heating. The thigh meat may be slightly pinkish in color and some pink juices may appear.

Doyle explains that these natural meats (including chicken and turkey) are still processed, and they're still made with nitrates. “They use natural sources of preservatives,” she says. “Many companies are using celery powder, celery juice or celery salt, which are high in nitrates.

With OVEN READY™ Boneless Turkey Breast, all the hard work is already done! With no thawing required, it's the easiest way we know how to get a flavorful and nutritious meal for your family or gathering. Comes pre-seasoned, salted and includes a gravy packet.

180°F in thigh. 170°F in breast.