Easy Brined Turkey Breast

brined roasted turkey breast with orange glaze

5 from 4 votes

Everyone will love this brined turkey breast! Thanks to the brine, it's always juicy, moist, and tender. The homemade orange glaze take it to the next level! It's perfect for the holidays.

Prep Time45

Cook Time2

Brining12

Total Time14 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 688kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Ingredients

Brine for turkey

8 cups cold water, divided
½ cup Kosher salt
½ cup brown sugar loosely packed
8 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and smashed
1 medium lemon, sliced
1 medium orange, sliced
3 sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme
4 cups ice

Turkey breast

6 to 7 pounds turkey breast, bone-in and skin-on thawed
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary ½ teaspoon if using dried
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves ½ tablespoon if using dried
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Chicken broth as needed, for pan
2 yellow onions, quartered optional, only if not using a pan with roasting rack

Orange Glaze

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
⅔ cup sweet orange marmalade I’d recommend Smucker’s brand, it’s not bitter

Instructions

Brine turkey overnight

In a small pot, combine 2 cups of water with the brine ingredients (Kosher salt, brown sugar, smashed garlic, lemon slices, orange slices, rosemary, and thyme). Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes until dissolved and fragrant, stirring. This is your brine “concentrate.”
Pour the remaining 6 cups of cold water into a large pot or container large enough for the turkey to submerge. Then add the prepared brine concentrate and the 4 cups of ice to cool down fast. Tip: You can also use a large brining bag, but place it on a tray in case it leaks.
Once the brine is cold, add in the turkey. Make sure it’s fully submerged. Refrigerate for 12 to 15 hours.

Preheat oven and make the orange glaze

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a saucepan, combine all the orange glaze ingredients. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until reduced by half and thickened, stirring occasionally. Reserve half of the glaze for brushing the turkey and the other half for serving. Tip: The glaze can be made the day before.

Make the garlic herb butter

In a bowl, melt the butter and combine with 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 tablespoon thyme, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.

Prepare the turkey and roast

Remove turkey breast from the brine and rinse it, being careful not to splash water everywhere. Thoroughly pat the turkey dry with paper towel, including inside the cavity. This will help with even browning.
Optional: Remove the backbone using kitchen shears. This allows the breast to cook more evenly. I always do this.
Using a spoon, evenly insert half of the garlic herb butter under the skin (carefully separate the skin from the flesh to create "pockets" for the butter). Then, brush the remaining butter on the outside.
Transfer turkey to a roasting pan with a rack. Add a little bit of chicken broth to the pan, enough to cover about ⅛ inch. Note: If you don’t have a pan with a roasting rack, use a baking pan and place the turkey on top of a bed of quartered onions.
Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes at 350 degrees F, uncovered. As it roasts, you may need to refill the pan with more broth to prevent the drippings from burning.
After 1 hour and 30 minutes, remove from the oven and brush with the prepared orange glaze. Return to oven and roast for another 10 minutes. Repeat this process about 2 or 3 times, until the skin is caramelized and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165 degrees F. My 7.11 lb turkey breast took about 2 hours and 5 minutes to cook.
Let it rest for about 15 minutes before carving. Serve along with the reserved orange glaze.

Notes

Turkey breast: It’s fine to use a turkey breast that’s been “pre-brined” (most frozen ones at the grocery store are) - it won’t be too salty. This recipe accounts for that. If it’s not pre-brined, then brine closer to 18 to 20 hours.
How to safely thaw turkey: Thaw in the refrigerator on a tray in case the juices leak. Allow 24 hours for each 5 pounds.
I’d highly recommend using Kosher salt. It’s much better for brining. However, if you need to use table salt, use 2 tablespoons less than what the recipe calls for.
Make sure the turkey is fully submerged in the brine. Use a large pot or a large brining bag.
How long to brine: The optimal brining time is between 12 to 15 hours. The minimum is 10 hours.
Cooking times per pound: At 350 degrees F, cook for 18-20 minutes per pound. Always use a meat thermometer, it should register 165 degrees F in the thickest part.
Prep-ahead tips:
- The brine can be made up to 1 day in advance before you decide to start brining the turkey breast (keep refrigerated).
- The orange glaze can be made up to 2 days in advance. Keep refrigerated and warm up before using.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition