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. Do you cook a turkey at 325 or 350?For a 10-13 lb. turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 350° oven for 1 1/2-2 1/4 hr. For a 14-23 lb. turkey (weight with giblets): Bake in a 325° oven for 2-3 hr.
Is turkey done at 165 or 180?4. Read the thermometer correctly: Hold the thermometer still until the numbers stop. If the temperature is between 160 and 165 degrees F, the turkey is done.
Do you cook a turkey at 350 or 375?For the oven, the Test Kitchen agrees that 375℉ is the Goldilocks of temperatures for turkey roasting — it's not too hot, not too cold, and cooks quickly enough to ensure that a bird is just right by dinnertime. To check if the turkey is done, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.
How long does a turkey breast take at 350?The answer is simple! 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, my turkey breast was 3 pounds, so I roasted it for 60 total minutes at 350F. If you're ever unsure whether your bird is done, an instant read thermometer really is a lifesaver in these situations.
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