Brown Sugar and Herb Dry-Brined Turkey Breast
Serves 6
15 mins prep
75 mins cook
1380 mins Marinating Time
1470 mins total
Baking a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast with my brown sugar and fresh herb rub guarantees juicy meat and beautifully golden skin. It’s the recipe I turn to when a whole bird feels like too much for a smaller gathering. Best of all, it couldn’t be easier! Plus, you can season it ahead of time and let it rest in the fridge for up to two days before roasting in the oven.
Dry Brine Rub
Baked Turkey
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Mix the dry brine rub:
In a medium bowl, stir together ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup kosher salt, ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1½ teaspoons garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper. You can mix this ahead and store in a covered jar at room temperature.
Season the turkey
Put 1 whole turkey breast in a large rectangular baking dish. Pat it dry with paper towels. Remove and discard the pop-up timer, if it has one. Sprinkle the rub evenly over the skin, on all sides (you don't need to go under the skin). If the breast has the part of the backbone attached, you can leave it on if you like. I remove it and bake separately so the breast can sit flat in the pan.
Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12-24 hours. Flip the breast over halfway through.
Bake the turkey
Take the turkey breast out the refrigerator about an hour before baking, and remove the plastic wrap. Discard the liquid collected in the pan.
Arrange an oven rack to the bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F (or 375F convection). Line an 8 x 12-inch roasting pan with a piece of foil or parchment paper.
Drizzle some olive oil over the skin. Put the turkey breast skin side down in the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake 30 minutes. Carefully flip the breast over (trying not to tear the skin). Lower the oven temperature to 375F (350 convection) and continue roasting an additional 45 minutes.
Test for doneness: Take the turkey breast out of the oven and Insert an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast — if the temperature registers between 155-160 degrees, it's done. Remove it to a cutting board or shallow tray and lightly tent with foil. Rest for 20 minutes (carry over cooking will increase by about 10 degrees as it rests). Otherwise, continue baking in 10 minute intervals until it reaches proper temperature.
Remove the foil or parchment from the pan. Add ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth or water and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to the pan, using a spatula to scrape up the browned bits on the pan. Remove each breast from the bone, slicing along the ribs. Carve against the grain into slices. Serve warm with some of the pan juices spooned over.
