Roasted Turkey Breast with Sweet Pan Gravy

Roasted Turkey Breast with Sweet Pan Gravy

Serves: 6 / Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus brining time) / Total time: 3½ hours

8 pound bone-in turkey breast

1½ to 2 gallons water

1 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth or turkey broth or water or more as needed

8 cloves garlic, peeled, optional

2 tablespoons Dijon

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

3/4 to 1 cup apple juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Morton Nature's Seasons Seasoning Blend

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Place the turkey breast in a deep pot, big enough to hold it and enough water to cover. Mix the water with kosher salt and sugar, swishing it around so the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour the mixture over the turkey breast. Add more water to cover if necessary.

Place in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove turkey breast from the brine, and rinse well under cold water. Discard the brine. Set the turkey breast in a roasting pan. Pat the turkey dry. Let it set about 45 minutes to one hour before roasting.

Add the chicken stock to the bottom of the pan and toss in the garlic cloves if you like. Roasting the garlic cloves with the turkey breast adds a sweet, nutty flavor to the pan gravy.

In a large measuring cup, whisk together the Dijon, oil, cider vinegar, apple juice and brown sugar. Put about half of this mixture into a separate cup or bowl so you don't cross contaminate. Save one half of it for the pan gravy. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the mixture over the turkey breast.

Season the turkey breast with salt and pepper to taste and the seasoning blend.

Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting another 1½ to 2 hours. Spoon more of the juice mixture over the turkey while it roasts. If the breast starts to brown too much, cover with foil. The turkey breast is done when an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees inserted into the thickest part without touching the bone.

Remove the turkey; transfer to a platter and tent foil. Let turkey rest 20 minutes while you make the gravy.

If you are using the pan juices to make gravy, use a fat separator to remove the fat. Or pour or spoon off as much as you can. Pour the remaining juices into a saucepan or set the roasting pan (aluminum or metal only) over two burners and heat while scraping up any browned bits. Add the reserved apple juice mixture and bring to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue cooking about 2 minutes to thicken. Strain the pan gravy into a serving dish.

Remove the turkey breasts from the bone, and slice on slight angle across the grain. Serve with the pan gravy.

Cook's note: Adjust the amount of apple juice for the basting sauce and the chicken broth as needed.

From and tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

668 calories (21% from fat), 16 grams fat (5 grams sat. fat), 10 gramscarbohydrates, 115 grams protein, 565 mg sodium, 326 mg cholesterol, 53 mgcalcium, 0 grams fiber.