Roast Turkey Breast with Herb Butter
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Some years the whole turkey simply will not fit the oven. A bone-in breast, salted ahead and buttered under the skin, feeds six to eight and slides right in.
The short version
Salt a 6- to 7-pound bone-in turkey breast and refrigerate it uncovered for 1 to 2 days. Push garlic-herb butter under the skin, roast at 425°F for 30 minutes, then at 325°F until the thickest part reads 155°F to 160°F, about 1½ to 2¼ hours in all, and rest it 20 minutes. Pull it on time; the thermometer is the whole recipe.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
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Dry-brine it a day or two ahead. Salt on the meat for 24 to 48 hours seasons it all the way through and helps it hold its juice, and the open air of the fridge dries the skin so it browns instead of steaming. A little baking powder in the salt makes the skin crisper still.
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Put the butter under the skin. Butter on top of the skin mostly runs into the pan. Under the skin, the garlic, herbs and lemon zest melt straight into the meat, and the skin stays dry enough to crisp.
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Pull it at 155°F to 160°F and rest it. White meat turns dry fast once it goes past 165°F. Taking it out a few degrees early lets the rest carry it up to 165°F while the juices settle, so the slices stay moist.
What you need
the usual suspects
- Bone-in turkey breast1
- Unsalted butter4 tablespoons
- Garlic2 cloves
- Fresh sage1 tablespoon
- Fresh thyme leaves2 teaspoons
- Finely grated lemon zest1 teaspoon
- Yellow onion1 large
Dry brine
Herb butter and roasting
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Salt it, 1 to 2 days ahead
Pat the breast dry. Stir the salt, baking powder and pepper together and sprinkle it all over the skin and the underside, a little heavier on the thickest part. Set it skin side up on a rack over a rimmed sheet pan and refrigerate it uncovered for 24 to 48 hours. When it's ready, the salt has vanished and the skin looks dry and taut.
Don't rinse it off. The salt has already moved into the meat.
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Make the herb butter
An hour before roasting, take the breast out of the fridge. Mash the soft butter with the garlic, sage, thyme and lemon zest in a small bowl until evenly mixed. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 425°F.
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Butter under the skin
Starting at the wide end, slide your fingers between the skin and the meat to loosen it over both breast halves, without tearing it free at the edges. Push about three-quarters of the butter under the skin and press on the outside to spread it into an even layer. Rub the rest over the top of the skin.
If the skin tears, pull it back over the hole. It will still brown fine.
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Set it up in the pan
Lay the onion rounds in the middle of a roasting pan, a 12-inch ovenproof skillet or a rimmed sheet pan, and set the breast on them, skin side up. Pour the water into the pan. The onions lift the breast so hot air reaches the bottom, and the water keeps the first drippings from burning.
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Roast hot for 30 minutes
Roast at 425°F for 30 minutes, until the skin is starting to turn golden and the pan is sizzling.
About 30 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Turn it down and roast to temperature
Lower the oven to 325°F and keep roasting, without basting. Start checking at 1¼ hours from when it went in. Push a thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, close to but not touching the bone. Take it out when it reads 155°F to 160°F, usually 1½ to 2¼ hours in all. If the skin is dark before the meat is there, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top. If the pan goes dry, add a splash more water.
Check in two spots on each side. Breasts cook unevenly, and the thickest part is the one that counts.
About 45 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Rest 20 minutes
Move the breast to a cutting board and let it rest, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes. It will climb to 165°F as it sits. Tip the pan juices and onions into a measuring cup or straight into your gravy.
Wrapping it in foil traps steam and softens the skin you worked for. Leave it open.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Carve
Run a sharp knife down one side of the breastbone, then follow the curve of the ribs with short strokes, pulling the meat away as you go, until the whole half lifts off. Repeat on the other side. Lay each half skin side up and slice it crosswise, against the grain, about ½ inch thick, holding the skin in place with your other hand.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Size and timing. A 4- to 5-pound breast is usually done in about 1¼ hours; a 7- to 8-pound one can take 2½. Start checking early and go by the thermometer.
- A frozen breast needs about 2 days in the fridge to thaw. If the label says kosher, "enhanced" or "contains a solution", it's already salted; skip the salt in the dry brine and just refrigerate it uncovered overnight.
- Short on time? Salt it the morning of and leave it uncovered in the fridge for at least 6 hours. Less than that, salt it right before it goes into the oven.
- For gravy, our turkey gravy (recipe) is made ahead from wings and stock, so it doesn't depend on drippings; stir in what this pan gives you at the end.
- Storage. Sliced and refrigerated in a covered container, 3 to 4 days. Frozen with a spoonful of stock or gravy, up to 3 months. Reheat covered with a splash of stock at 325°F until just warm.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
How long does it take to cook a 6- to 7-pound turkey breast?
About 1½ to 2¼ hours with 30 minutes at 425°F and the rest at 325°F. Breasts vary a lot in shape, so start checking the temperature at 1¼ hours.
What temperature should a turkey breast be cooked to?
165°F is the safe target. Take it out of the oven at 155°F to 160°F in the thickest part; it rises to 165°F during the 20- to 30-minute rest and stays juicier than one pulled at 165°F.
Can I use a boneless turkey breast?
Yes, but it cooks faster and has less skin to crisp. Tie it into an even log, use the same salt and butter, and start checking the temperature after 45 minutes.
Do I have to brine a turkey breast?
No, but the dry brine is the difference between seasoned meat and seasoned skin. If you skip it, salt the breast generously right before roasting.
Why is my turkey breast dry?
It went past 165°F in the oven. Pull it at 155°F to 160°F, rest it before slicing, and slice against the grain. A dry brine gives you a little margin, but not much.
Can I roast it ahead?
Roast it up to 2 days ahead, chill it whole, then slice it cold, which is neater. Lay the slices in a baking dish with a splash of stock, cover with foil and warm at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
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Published October 26, 2026.