Is it better to cook a bone-in turkey breast at 325 or 350 degrees?

Cook a bone-in turkey breast at 350°F. It will typically take 12-15 minutes per pound. So an 8-9 lb bone-in turkey breast will roast for 1 ½ to 2 hours (90 to 120 minutes).

What temperature do I need to cook turkey breast to?

Cook turkey breast, whether it’s bone-in breast or boneless breast, to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

How much bone-in turkey breast per person should I plan for a dinner party?

For bone-in roast turkey breast, estimate 3/4 to 1 pound turkey per person. An 8-lb bone-in turkey breast, for example, makes enough for up to 10 people.

How do you keep a bone-in turkey breast moist while cooking?

The key is to skip the basting step. Instead, spread a compound butter (a mixture of butter and herbs) all over the turkey - both under the skin and on top of it. This method results in turkey that is juicy and tender on the inside with a golden brown crispy skin on the outside.

Should turkey breast be covered or uncovered when roasting?

Start roasting the turkey in a pan with no cover or lid on top of it. Check the turkey after it has been roasting for 65 to 75 minutes. If the skin is becoming too dark at this point, loosely tent a large piece of aluminum foil over the breast. You do not need to cover it tightly or completely; just lightly press the foil over the top to prevent the outer skin from getting too crispy or burnt.

Can I make gravy with a roasted turkey breast?

Yes, you can. Gravy is made from the drippings of a turkey, and you will get plenty of pan drippings in the bottom of the roasting pan that can be used to make a delicious turkey gravy.

Can I roast a frozen turkey breast, and how should I adjust the cooking time?

Yes, you can roast a turkey breast that is still frozen. Remove it from the outer wrapper and roast the whole turkey breast in a 350 degree oven until it registered 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast. It will take about 50% more time versus cooking a thawed breast. For example, a thawed 8-lb bone-in turkey breast cooks in 90 to 120 minutes, but a frozen bone-in breast will need 135 to 180 minutes to cook.

Can I roast a turkey breast the day before and reheat it?

Yes, you can cook turkey breast the day before and then serve it chilled or at room temperature. Or, if preferred, you can reheat slices in a shallow pan on the stovetop with some olive oil or broth to help keep it moist. However, the best presentation and flavor will come from serving a turkey breast right after it has been roasted. One of the benefits of cooking a turkey breast, instead of a whole Thanksgiving turkey, is that it’s done in 2 to 2 ½ hours total.

How to Perfectly Cook Bone-In Roasted Turkey Breast

Servings: 8-10 1x

Ingredients

1 (8-9 lb.) bone-in Honeysuckle White or Shady Brook Farms turkey breast*
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened**
2 garlic cloves, finely minced (1 ½ teaspoons)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon (5-6 leaves) finely minced fresh sage leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
¾ teaspoon fine salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the lower ⅓ of the oven and remove any upper rack.
Using paper towels, pat the turkey breast (inside and out) until it is as dry as possible; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, and pepper. Mash and stir together to form a compound butter.
Using clean hands, carefully lift and gently pull up on the skin on top of the breast to make space between the skin and breast meat. Insert your fingers under the skin while carefully moving your hand over the meat (and under the skin) to loosen all of the skin without tearing it. Leave the skin attached along the breast bone.
Still using your hands, rub half of the butter mixture onto the breast meat beneath the skin.
Then, spread the remainder of the butter mixture over the outside of the skin all over the turkey.
Place the turkey breast side up in a metal roasting pan.
Place the roasting pan in the oven and, if you have one, insert an oven-safe wireless temperature probe into the thickest part of the breast. It’s OK if you don’t have one – you can use any reliable digital meat thermometer to test the breast meat temperature after 90 minutes.
Cook the turkey breast until it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast, which will take 1½ to 2 hours (90 to 120 minutes). Do not baste during cooking time.***
Check on the turkey at about 65 to 75 minutes. If the skin is becoming too dark at this point, loosely tent a large piece of aluminum foil over the breast. You do not need to cover it tightly or completely; just lightly press the foil over the top to prevent further browning. Continue to cook until the breast reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Store turkey leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

*You can find bone-in turkey breasts at Walmart and many other retailers. In the Northeast United States, look for Shady Brook Farms. In the Southern and Midwestern United States, look for Honeysuckle White. Store locators are linked here: Shady Brook Farms and Honeysuckle White.

**Set the butter at room temperature to soften at least a few hours or overnight. It should be the consistency of frosting.

***There’s no need to baste this turkey because the compound butter, which gets rubbed under and over the skin, creates perfectly moist turkey meat. Sometimes basting can actually make the skin more rubbery, so just skip that step and enjoy turkey that is nicely browned and golden on the outside and juicy-tender on the inside.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 4 ounces turkey breast meat
Calories: 204
Fat: 8 g
(Sat Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 240 mg
Carbohydrate: 0 g
(Fiber: 0 g
Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 33 g
Cholesterol: 94 mg

Dietary

Egg-Free Gluten-free Grain-Free Nut-free

Recipe By: Jessie Shafer