Description
This Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast recipe features a tender, flavorful boneless turkey breast brined overnight and roasted to perfection, then topped with a sweet and tangy homemade cranberry glaze. Ideal for holiday dinners or special family meals, the dish balances savory spices with a vibrant fruity glaze for an unforgettable main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Brine
- 8 cups cold water, divided
- 4 ounces kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 pound boneless turkey breast
- 2 tbsp ginger
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup orange juice
Rub
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp thyme
Cranberry Glaze
- 12 oz cranberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 tsp orange zest
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup orange liqueur
Instructions
- Prepare the brine: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan on the stove. Add kosher salt and brown sugar, whisking until fully dissolved. Add the remaining 4 cups of cold water to the pot and refrigerate until cooled to room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
- Brine the turkey: Remove turkey breast from packaging and place into a brining bag inside a large bowl or roasting pan. Add ginger, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, white wine, and orange juice to the bag. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey ensuring it is fully submerged. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight or up to 12 hours.
- Prepare the turkey for roasting: Remove turkey breast from brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry thoroughly. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rub the turkey all over with olive oil. Combine all rub spices in a bowl and apply evenly all over the turkey. If the breast separates into pieces, tie together with kitchen twine. Place skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.
- Roast the turkey: Roast the turkey breast in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F. Remove and discard any kitchen twine used.
- Prepare the cranberry glaze: While roasting, combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until cranberries burst, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer, pressing solids to extract glaze. Reserve strained cranberries separately for serving.
- Glaze and rest the turkey: Brush the cranberry glaze over the hot roasted turkey breast using a pastry brush. Let the turkey rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- You can use a bone-in turkey breast instead of boneless; increase roasting time by 10-15 minutes as bone-in takes longer to cook.
- If preferred, remove the skin before cooking but not after roasting to preserve flavor from the spice rub.
- Store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- This recipe serves 8 with ½ pound turkey per person based on a 4-pound boneless breast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
