For me the center piece of the Thanksgiving dinner is definitely the turkey. Because I am not usually cooking for a huge family I generally find it easier to just get a turkey breast rather than a whole turkey. Turkey breasts can come quite large with the one that I got this time weighing in at 6 pounds without any bones so you can easily feed a small family with just one. Although I sometimes miss not having the whole carcass to use to make turkey stock I definitely enjoy using the leftovers that I do get to make turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce.
Since I knew that I would be going a bit overboard with one of the side dishes this year, I decided to keep things simple and I went with a herb roasted turkey breast with some sage, rosemary and thyme. When you are roasting a turkey you simply cannot let those pan drippings go to waste as they make for a really tasty gravy! Just like Thanksgiving would not be the same without turkey, the turkey would not be the same without some cranberry sauce and this year I went with a gingered cranberry sauce. For the carb side, I went with some creamy blue cheese mashed potatoes topped with caramelized onions and mushrooms and for the green side, I went with some brussels sprouts with bacon and lemon. This years turkey dinner was a huge success!
Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
(makes 4+ servings)Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons sage (chopped)
2 teaspoons rosemary (chopped)
2 teaspoons thyme (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
1 (6 pound) turkey breast (skin on, rinsed and patted dry)
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 onion (cut into thick wedges)
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons sage (chopped)
2 teaspoons rosemary (chopped)
2 teaspoons thyme (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
1 (6 pound) turkey breast (skin on, rinsed and patted dry)
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 onion (cut into thick wedges)
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Mix the oil, sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. Gently lift the skin up by running your fingers under it, without removing it, and and rub the mixture under the skin.
3. Place the carrots, celery and onions in the bottom of a roasting pan.
4. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables in the pan.
5. Roast in a 325F oven until the middle of the turkey gets to 160F, about 2-3 hours.
6. Place the turkey breast on a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let it rest for 10+ minutes.
7. Mix the flour, chicken stock, salt, pepper and the turkey drippings in a sauce pan and simmer until it thickens.
1. Mix the oil, sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. Gently lift the skin up by running your fingers under it, without removing it, and and rub the mixture under the skin.
3. Place the carrots, celery and onions in the bottom of a roasting pan.
4. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables in the pan.
5. Roast in a 325F oven until the middle of the turkey gets to 160F, about 2-3 hours.
6. Place the turkey breast on a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let it rest for 10+ minutes.
7. Mix the flour, chicken stock, salt, pepper and the turkey drippings in a sauce pan and simmer until it thickens.
Similar Recipes:
Parmesan and Sage Roasted Turkey Breast
Maple and Chipotle Roasted Turkey Breast
The Perfect Roast Beef
Use leftovers in:
Roast Turkey Sandwich with Cranberry Sauce
Grilled Turkey and Brie Sandwich with Cranberry Chutney
Roast Turkey Cuban Sandwich
