Garlic Herb Roast Turkey Breast

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the lower-middle position.
   375°F
2. Pat the turkey breast very dry with paper towels.
3. Mash the butter, garlic, sage, thyme and lemon zest together in a small bowl.
4. Gently loosen the skin over the meat with your fingers and spread about half the herb butter underneath it.
5. Rub the rest of the butter over the skin and

   season (how to season to taste)

   Season to taste Add salt (and pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go, until the food tastes fully of itself. 1. Season meat and vegetables before cooking, holding the salt high so it falls evenly.2. Taste the dish near the end with a clean spoon.3. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, stir and taste again.4. If it tastes heavy or dull, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar brightens it.5. Stop when another pinch wouldn't make it better. Done when: The flavors are clear and bright, not flat and not salty. Safety: Don't taste dishes that hold raw meat, poultry or eggs; season them by the recipe's amounts and adjust after cooking.How to season to taste: mistakes to avoid

   all over with the salt and pepper.
6. Scatter the onion rounds in a roasting pan, set the turkey on top skin side up and pour the broth into the pan.
7. Roast (how to roast)

   Roast Cook food uncovered in a hot oven so the outside browns while the inside cooks through. 1. Heat the oven fully before the food goes in, usually 400 to 450°F for vegetables.2. Toss vegetables with oil and salt; dry and season meat.3. Spread everything out on a sheet pan or in a roasting pan with room around each piece.4. Roast, turning vegetables once halfway, until browned at the edges.5. For meat, check the center with a thermometer. Done when: Vegetables are browned at the edges and tender in the middle; meat reaches its safe temperature. Safety: Use dry oven mitts (wet ones pass heat straight through) and tilt hot pans away from you to avoid the fat and steam.How to roast meat and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   until the skin is golden and the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F (74°C) without touching bone. Start checking at 75 minutes.
   165°F⏱ Roast: 1 hr 40 min
8. If the skin gets dark before the meat is done, lay a loose sheet of foil over the top.
9. Move the turkey to a cutting board and

   rest (how to rest)

   Rest Leave cooked meat, baked goods or dough alone for a while before you cut, slice or shape it. 1. Move meat to a board or plate as soon as it is done (a few degrees shy of target for big roasts; it keeps rising).2. Tent it loosely with foil if the kitchen is cool.3. Rest steaks and chops 5 minutes, roasts 15 to 20, a turkey 30.4. For dough, cover it so it doesn't dry out while it relaxes. Done when: Meat juices stay in when you slice; dough rolls out without springing back. Safety: Rest at room temperature for under an hour, then refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.How to rest meat and dough: mistakes to avoid

   it before slicing.
   ⏱ Rest: 20 min
10. Slice (how to slice)

    Slice Cut food into flat pieces of the same thickness. 1. Give round food a flat side to sit on.2. Hold it with your fingertips curled under.3. Cut with long strokes, pushing the knife forward and down rather than straight down.4. Move your guiding hand back the same distance each time so every slice matches. Done when: The slices are even. For meat, slicing across the grain (across the lines of muscle) gives the tenderest bite. Safety: Keep the fingertips of your guiding hand curled under, knuckles toward the blade, and set the board on a damp towel so it can't slide. Slice hot roasts on a board with a groove for the juices.How to slice evenly: mistakes to avoid

    the meat off the bone in one piece, then cut it crosswise into slices. Spoon the pan juices over the top.

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

• A frozen turkey breast needs 2 to 3 days to thaw in the fridge.
• Thin the pan juices with a little more broth and simmer them for a quick, light gravy.
• Use a separate cutting board for raw poultry, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 4 days. Freeze sliced turkey with a splash of broth up to 3 months.

Cook once, eat twice: Double it (16 servings instead of 8), eat half and freeze the other half. It keeps 3 months frozen, by the storage note above. Print a freezer label · More freezer meals

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.