Once you master how to cook a turkey breast, you'll always be less than 30 minutes of prep time away from a showstopping, juicy, family-sized entrée. So whether your cooking time for a turkey breast is fast, whipped up in a pressure cooker or your Instant Pot, or a set-and-forget slow cooker method, or you preheat your oven to follow our instructions for how to bake a small turkey breast, it doesn't take long to get this smartly-sized protein ready to roast. Show
With enough servings for a family, plus a round of leftovers (most of our turkey breast recipes serve 8 to 12), cooking turkey breast is a smart choice for Sunday dinners or an intimate Thanksgiving menu. How to Cook a Turkey Breast 3 WaysAndy LyonsHere's our complete guide to the three best options for cooking a turkey breast, including in the oven, in a slow cooker, and in a pressure cooker, such as an Instant Pot. How to Roast a Turkey Breast in the OvenStep 1: Prep Preheat your oven to 325°F. Remove the turkey breast from its packaging and pat dry. Place the meat on a flat, lightly greased roasting rack-lined pan. For the best appearance and flavor, brush lightly with vegetable oil, cooking oil, or melted butter. Step 2: Season Season as desired (we love the rub on this Barbecue Spice-Rubbed Turkey Breast), then loosely cover turkey with foil. Step 3: Cook Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the breast where it's not touching a bone. Roast until juices run clear and a meat thermometer ($23 Williams Sonoma) reads 165°F. Curious about cooking time for turkey breast in the oven? Timing varies based on the size and shape of each turkey breast. As a general rule when buying turkey, plan on 1 pound per person of bone-in or ½ pound to ¾ pound per person of boneless. If you like leftovers, opt for 1½ pounds per person. As you plan ahead for cooking time per pound, use this turkey breast roasting time chart as a rough guide for roasting:
Remove from the oven and allow the turkey breast to rest for 15 minutes. Carve and serve alongside your favorite side dish recipes. How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey BreastFor a slow cooker turkey breast recipe like our Mediterranean cuisine-inspired Greek Breast of Turkey, you can follow a similar game plan as explained above. The major differences:
How to Make Pressure Cooker Turkey BreastHungry, like, 30 minutes ago? Hit fast-forward with a pressure cooker turkey breast. Including prep, cook, and pressure release time, it takes just a smidge over one hour to cook 4 pounds of turkey breast. That's it! For recipes like our classic Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast, a similar method for how to cook a turkey breast holds true. Just make these minor adjustments:
How to Buy, Store, and Thaw Turkey BreastFood safety is of utmost importance as you prepare to dive into any of these methods for cooking turkey breast. Keep raw turkey in its original package in the refrigerator, and plan to cook it within two days of purchase. For more extended storage, freeze turkey up to 2 months. Before freezing, wrap turkey in foil for the freshest result. When ready to proceed, follow these tips to thaw your turkey safely. Follow any of these three methods for how to cook turkey breast, and you'll be all set to serve a juicy, tender entrée for dinner any night of the year. What temperature should a turkey breast be cooked to?The government recommends cooking turkey breast to 165°F (74°C). I prefer my turkey breast at 150°F (66°F), at which point it is far, far juicier (especially if you dry brine it!).
Is turkey done at 165 or 180?Insert it close to, but not touching, the thigh bone. If it reads 180 degrees F in the thigh and 170 degrees F in the breast, it's done and ready to serve. (If it's stuffed, check the center of the stuffing to make sure it's 165 degrees F as well.) Need help using your meat thermometer?
Is turkey breast OK at 160?According to the Department of Agriculture, a turkey must reach 165 degrees F to be safe, but you can take it out of the oven as low as 160 degrees F because the temperature will rise at it rests.
Do you cook a boneless turkey breast at 325 or 350?5) Cooking turkey breast in a 350° oven.
The best oven temperature to cook a turkey breast is 350°. But 325° can work, but it will take a bit longer, the skin will not be as crisp and potentially dry a little more. 375° is too high, and you will cook the skin very rapidly.
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