Sage-Rubbed Turkey Breast

This turkey breast recipe is one my mom and I made all the way back at New Year's!  We used a similar technique to the one I often use with roast chicken - sage-laced butter is rubbed underneath the skin to infuse flavor throughout the meat, keep the turkey moist, and create a crispy skin.  Roasting a turkey breast rather than a whole turkey is a perfect option if you're serving a small group or if you want to serve multiple proteins (in our case we served the turkey alongside red wine roast beef).  Plus, since you don't have to worry about cooking the dark meat all the way through, you can avoid over-cooking the breast and pull it out when it's perfectly done. 

Sage-Rubbed Turkey Breast

One half turkey breast, about 2 to 3 pounds
4 T unsalted butter, soft
1 tsp dried sage
Several grinds sea salt (I used a flavored salt grinder from Trader Joe's with bay leaf, lemon, and thyme, but a regular one will work also)
A few grinds black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the meat of the turkey breast.
3. Mash together the butter, sage, salt, and pepper until well combined.  Rub all over the turkey breast, using most of the butter under the skin.  If needed, secure the edge of the skin to the meat with a toothpick so it is covering as much of the meat as possible.
4. Place on a rack in a roasting pan.  Roast for about 30 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Remove from oven, cover with foil, and let rest for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

Here's our New Year's Day feast: My uncle's whole wheat bread with blueberry-Meyer lemon marmalade; baked potatoes with sour cream and parsley; spinach-walnut salad; red wine roast beef; and sage-rubbed turkey breast with whole cranberry sauce.