Butter Roasted Whole Turkey Breast with Homemade Gravy
This Butter Roasted Whole Turkey Breast takes only a fraction of the time in the oven and yields a delicious and incredibly moist turkey with the easiest turkey gravy ever! In this recipe, a whole, bone-in turkey breast is rubbed with butter, seasoned and stuffed with garlic and herbs and roasted on a bed of vegetables. The herbs and garlic will flavor the turkey while the veggies work their magic with the drippings.
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE TURKEY:
- 1 whole turkey breast 4 to 6 pounds, skin-on and bone-in (thawed if frozen) see notes
- 2 small bunches sage
- 4 to 6 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- kitchens string
- 2 heads garlic
- 2 large carrots chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 4 short stalks celery chopped into 2-inch pieces (2 if long stalks)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE GRAVY
- 1/4 cup fat from pan drippings
- 4 to 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- pan juices without the fat
- turkey stock to equal 4 cups
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt more or less to taste
Instructions
- Set your turkey out on the counter 1 to 1½ hours prior.
- Tie the sage, thyme and rosemary with kitchen string and cut the garlic in half horizontally.
- Move your oven rack to the lowest position and preheat your oven to 325℉ (or 160℃).
- Roughly chop the carrots, celery and onion and place into the pan in an even layer. Set off to the side
- Use your fingers to separate the skin from the flesh of your turkey. Using softened butter, massage it under and over the skin of the turkey, as well as the cavity.
- Generously season the outside and inside of the cavity with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the turkey onto the vegetables and place the garlic halves and herb bundle inside the turkey cavity.
- Roast for 1 hour. Remove and baste top and inside cavity with the pan drippings before returning back to the oven for another 30 minutes. Do this 2 more times or until the turkey reaches 170° when a thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Total roasting time should be around 2 to 2-1/2 hour depending on the sized of your whole turkey breast.
- Carefully transfer the turkey breast to a carving board and cover with foil.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables and discard. They have done their job.
- Place the pan drippings into a fat separator. Pour the juices out and into a measuring cup (leaving the fat in the separator). Adding enough turkey broth or stock to the juices to make 4 cups
- Pour 1/4 of the fat (discarding the remaining) back into the roasting pan and heat on high.
- Whisk in enough flour to make a smooth paste and until a rich brown color (time will depend)*.
- Continue whisking while pouring in the 4 cups of turkey broth/pan juices. Season with salt to taste.
- Slice the turkey and serve with the gravy.
Notes
TO THAW: Place the frozen turkey (still wrapped) in a pan and place it into your fridge for 3 full days to thaw. The morning of roasting, pull it out of the fridge 1 hour to 1-1/2 hours beforehand and set it on the counter to take the chill off. If theres still a few ice crystals, that's normal.
Also, keep in mind, the time will vary depending on size of turkey.
FOR THE GRAVY: due to lighting issues, I had to rush the gravy (story of my life) so the color isn't as deep as I would like it be - still delicious though! For a darker gravy, know that the longer you cook the roux (butter/flour mixture) the deeper the caramel color. Continue whisking while pouring in the broth/juices.
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 230mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 4519IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg