Turkey is not my favorite food. I actually never choose it and if Thanksgiving is mine to cook, then turkey is not on the menu. But my daughter likes it - or at least the idea of the tradition of Thanksgiving turkey. So every year I cook a turkey breast. My daughter loves it. AND cooking the breast is a great choice because it can’t dry out as easily. So all of the draw backs of turkey are mitigated when cooking is confined to the best part of the bird. It’s also great because a turkey breast cooks loads faster than a whole bird so you can easily cook it on a weeknight.

Rosemary Roasted Turkey Breast 

with cranberry couscous

Serves 4

½ cup Butter, room temperature

2 tbs fresh rosemary leaves

4 lb bone in Turkey breast

2 tbs Dijon mustard

1 sliced onion

2 tbs olive oil

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups couscous

1 cup dried cranberries

4 sprigs fresh thyme

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbs champagne vinegar

salt & pepper

STEP 1 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Soften butter and combine with rosemary, salt, pepper, and Dijon.  

STEP 2

Rub butter mixture over the turkey breast.

STEP 3

Sear turkey in a pan, butter side down, until the skin is brown and crispy.  Pop turkey into the oven and bake until thermometer reads 160 degrees.  Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

STEP 4

In a stock pan, brown onions in 2 tbs olive oil until soft.  

STEP 5

Add 2 cups chicken stock to the onions and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat

STEP 6

Stir couscous, cranberries and thyme into the couscous. Cover and let rest five minutes.

STEP 7

When couscous has absorbed all of the liquid, fluff with a fork, toss with olive oil and vinegar.  Serve with sliced turkey.

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Not everyone has or wants to have a giant crowd at Thanksgiving. Or if you’re going to someone else’s house and you won’t have left overs then a turkey breast is the perfect solution. You can buy a breast at any grocery store. If your grocer doesn’t have just a turkey breast, you can ask the butcher at the counter to take the breast off for you. And it either can come with or without the bone.

It’s actually an easy way to create ‘thanksgiving’ any time of the year. With roasted vegetables on the side, it becomes a full meal that’s actually incredibly simple to prepare.

CITRUS TURKEY BREAST

serves 4

4 lb bone in turkey breast

1 grapefruit, sliced

1 orange, sliced

2 lemons, sliced

½ cup white wine

¼ cup fresh thyme, chopped

¼ cup fresh rosemary, chopped

1 clove garlic

1/3 cup olive oil, divided

1 lb small potatoes, chopped

6 carrots, sliced

1 onion, sliced

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450 degees. Chop together rosemary, thyme, and garlic mix with olive oil and rub on the turkey breast.  

STEP 2

Heat a large pot and place turkey breast, herbed side down, and cook until brown.  (5 mins)

STEP 3

Flip turkey over so the browned side is facing up.  Pour white wine in the bottom of the pan.  Arrange citrus around the turkey. Cover with a lid and pop into the oven.

STEP 4

Toss potatoes and carrots with ¼ cup olive oil.  Spread in one layer on a baking sheet and pop in the oven next to the turkey.  

STEP 5

Cook turkey 25 minutes until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees and potatoes are brown and crispy. Slice turkey and serve with potatoes and carrots. 

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Ironically, cooking a giant turkey is a lot easier than cooking almost anything else.  But the fear of a Clark Griswold style experience is real.  All too real.  The trick is to do the math right on figuring out how long to cook it {here it is (pounds x 15) / 60 } and then keeping it basted.  Which does mean you have to be in the kitchen while it's cooking - figure baste it once every 45 minutes - or every time you refill your cocktail.  Which ever comes first.  

Cheers!

This is the perfect alternative to a huge turkey if you only have a few people to serve.  Or, if you aren't hosting Thanksgiving and won't end up with leftovers, this is a great way to end up with a little turkey the next day.

Copper Mixing Bowl

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 Lodge Cast Iron Skillet 

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Meat Thermometer