Boneless turkey breast is a delicious alternative to chicken and is an excellent solution when you don't have time to cook the whole turkey. The breasts have a weight between one and five kilos, so they are able to feed several people. The easiest way to cook it is in the oven or in a slow cooker. The white and tender meat goes well with many aromas and spices.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Buying and Preparing the Turkey Breast
Step 1. Buy turkey breast by weight
Boneless should be bought fresh or frozen according to a weight criterion. This cut is larger than the chicken counterpart so you can decide how much to buy. A serving of turkey breast is around 125-250g per person. Since once cooked it keeps well in the fridge, you can cook a lot of it and use the leftovers for delicious sandwiches.
- If you are buying fresh meat, check that it is tender and pink without spots. If it is a fresh but pre-packaged product, make sure to cook it before the expiration date or freeze it.
- Choose a turkey that does not show signs of frostbite or cold burns. Raw meat can be stored in the freezer for up to nine months.
Step 2. Defrost it for frozen turkey breast
If you try to cook it while it is still frozen, it will take an incredibly long time. The best way to defrost meat is to place it in the refrigerator. The night before when you plan to cook the turkey, put the breast in the refrigerator; it will take 24 hours to completely defrost 2-2.5 kg of meat.
- Leave the turkey breasts in their package and refrigerate them for as long as necessary. Place a plate or tray under them to catch any liquid that will form.
- If you're short on time, defrost the meat in cold water. Dip it while it is still wrapped in its packaging, inside the sink or in a bowl full of cold water. An hour of waiting will be required for each kilo of weight.
- As an even faster alternative you can use the microwave. Remove the meat from the package and place it on a dish suitable for use in the microwave. Read the appliance manual to find out the power and times required for defrosting.
Step 3. Unpack
When the turkey breast is thawed, discard the packaging it was sold with. Most of the time it is offered in supermarkets in polystyrene trays or in plastic bags that you must be sure to eliminate before cooking. If the brisket was rolled up like a roast, untie it before cooking.
Step 4. Consider marinating the meat
While marinating isn't a mandatory process, letting the turkey sit in a flavorful liquid will make it tender and tasty. Prepare the marinade at least one hour in advance of cooking. You can buy ready-made solutions or make your own. Place the turkey in a large food-grade container and pour the marinade over it. Use 60ml of liquid for every half pound of meat. Let it rest for 1-3 hours before cooking.
- You can prepare a quick marinade by mixing 125ml of vinegar with 60ml of oil, 4 teaspoons of minced garlic, one pepper and a half of salt for every 2kg of turkey.
- Remember to put the meat back in the fridge during the marinating period.
- Since defrosting meat at high temperatures (in the microwave or cold water bath) encourages bacterial growth, it is recommended that you immediately cook the turkey you treated this way. If you are marinating turkey breast, thaw it slowly in the refrigerator.
Part 2 of 3: Bake the Turkey Breast in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 160 ° C
Step 2. Calculate cooking times
The larger the turkey breast, the longer it will take. When you want to roast it at 160 ° C, it will take about 25 minutes for every half kilo.
- For cuts of meat under 3kg, allow for around 90-150 minutes. For those over 3 kg, the times will rise to 150-210 minutes.
- If you are cooking meat above 1500 meters, then add an extra 5-10 minutes for every 1 pound of meat.
Step 3. Season the meat
Rub the turkey breast with olive oil and sprinkle the skin with a pinch of salt and pepper. If desired, add dried thyme, oregano, sage, or basil.
- If you want to use fresh herbs, you can tuck them under the turkey's skin so that they cook in contact with the meat and flavor it.
- If you love the flavor of lemon with poultry, slice one and insert the slices under the skin. You will need to remove it after cooking.
Step 4. Put the brisket in the pan
Grease a baking dish with seed oil to prevent the meat from sticking and place the latter with the skin side up.
Step 5. Cook the turkey
Leave it in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 68 ° C, use a meat thermometer for this purpose. Cooking the breast at a low temperature (160 ° C) prevents it from drying out.
- If you want to make sure your chest stays moist, you can periodically wet it with its own juices. You can use a large spoon or a special pipette to pour the liquid over the meat.
- If you like crispy skin, turn on the grill for five minutes once the core temperature of the meat has reached 68 ° C.
Step 6. Let the turkey breast rest at room temperature for 20 minutes
Cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil and leave it on the kitchen counter for several minutes. In this phase the juices are reabsorbed by the muscle fibers. If you omit this step, you will get dry meat.
Step 7. Slice the turkey
Use a kitchen knife and slice the brisket into single portions. Arrange them on serving plates.
Part 3 of 3: Cooking the Turkey Breast in the Slow Cooker
Step 1. Calculate cooking times
Since the slow cooker works at lower temperatures than in the oven, it will take longer for the meat to reach 68 ° C. This appliance, however, has the great advantage that you can turn it on and then forget it for several hours, leaving you a lot of free time.
- The 2-3 kg turkey breasts with a "low" setting of the slow cooker need 5-6 hours of cooking. The 3-5 kg breasts need to cook for up to 8-9 hours.
- If you decide to set the appliance to "maximum", then the times will be reduced to those of a conventional oven.
Step 2. Put the meat in the slow cooker
Remember that it must be completely thawed and unpackaged. You should also remove the skin; since it cannot become crunchy in the slow cooker it is worth eliminating it.
Step 3. Add the flavors
Anything you add to the slow cooker will simmer along with the turkey all the time, creating a delicious and aromatic dish. You can use a fully customized blend or a commercial spice mix. Here are some ideas:
- Make a combination of 5g of minced garlic, 5g of flavored salt, 5g of pepper, and 5g of a mix of thyme, rosemary, oregano and basil.
- If you don't have the right spices, you can use a granular cube or a little freeze-dried soup. Melt a package in 240 ml of boiling water and add it to the slow cooker.
Step 4. Consider adding vegetables and other herbs
The great thing about the slow cooker is that you can't go wrong! Then add any vegetables and herbs you have in the refrigerator (as long as they go well with the turkey). Just to name a few: potatoes, carrots, onions, parsley, sage and oregano.
- Cut the vegetables into large chunks to prevent them from breaking too much during cooking.
- If you don't have fresh herbs in the fridge or garden, you can replace them with dried ones.
Step 5. Cover everything with water
Pour enough over the turkey so it doesn't dry out while it cooks. You can also use chicken broth instead.
Step 6. Set the power level you have decided on your appliance
Depending on the time you have available, you can choose a minimum or maximum temperature. Remember that if you decide to cook at a low temperature, it will take from 5 to 8 hours; if you decide to cook at a high temperature, much less time will be enough.
Step 7. Check the core temperature to make sure the brisket is well cooked
Use a meat thermometer and make sure the reading is at least 68 ° C. Insert the probe of the thermometer into the thickest part of the chest, being careful not to pierce it from side to side. Wait for the display to stabilize before reading the temperature.
Step 8. Remove the meat from the slow cooker to slice it
Put it on a cutting board and use the right knife for this.
Step 9. Finished
Advice
If you don't have a meat thermometer available, cook the brisket until clear juices come out. To check, make a small incision in the center of the meat. If the liquid that comes out is clear, then the turkey is ready
Warnings
- Do not refreeze meat that you thawed quickly. It needs to be cooked right away.
- Cook the meat immediately if you have defrosted it quickly in cold water or with the "defrost" function of the microwave.
- Always wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling raw meat.
- Don't let the turkey defrost too quickly as it could trigger a dangerous bacterial overgrowth.
- Always defrost the meat slowly by placing it in the refrigerator if you plan to marinate it; defrost it quickly if you want to cook it immediately.
