CITRUS SAGE TURKEY BREAST

CITRUS SAGE TURKEY BREAST image

Categories Poultry turkey Christmas Dinner

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 (5- to 6- pound) turkey breast, at room temperature for 1 hour
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, well softened
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 navel orange
1/2 medium red onion, cut into wedges
For Gravy:
1 1/2 to 2 cups brown turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
EQUIPMENT:
Flameproof roasting pan (not glass) with a V-rack; instant-read thermometer; 1-quart glass measure

Steps:

Heat oven to 425°F with rack in lowest position. Remove fat, pat dry inside and out. Stir together butter, sage, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Grate enough zest from orange to measure 1 teaspoon and add to butter mixture. Halve orange lengthwise and save one half for another use. Cut remaining half into wedges. Starting at wider, thicker end of breast, gently slide an index finger between skin and flesh of breast to loosen skin, leaving skin attached to breast at other end (be careful not to tear skin). Push butter mixture evenly under skin on both sides of breast, and massage skin from outside to distribute butter evenly. Put turkey on V rack in roasting pan and sprinkle all over with 3/4 teaspoon salt (if using a kosher turkey, use 1/4 t.) and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put orange and red onion wedges in area between rack and breast. Add 1 cup water to pan and roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Rotate breast 180 degrees and baste with pan juices, then roast 30 minutes. Rotate breast again 180 degrees, and baste with pan juices. Tent breast loosely with foil and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast (test both sides, close to but not touching bone) registers 165°F, 25 to 40 minutes longer. (Baste with juices once more; if pan becomes completely dry, add 1/2 cup water.) (Total roasting time: about 1 1/2 hours.) Transfer turkey to a platter, reserving juices in pan. Let turkey stand, uncovered, 25 minutes. Discard orange and onion wedges. Make Gravy While Turkey Stands.