Description
This Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast recipe features a tender, flavorful boneless turkey breast brined with spices and citrus, then roasted to perfection and brushed with a vibrant, fresh cranberry glaze. It's a perfect main dish for festive occasions or a comforting holiday meal, balancing savory and sweet flavors with aromatic herbs and warm spices.
Ingredients
Scale
Brine
- 8 cups cold water, divided
- 4 ounces kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 pound boneless turkey breast
- 2 tbsp ginger
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup orange juice
Rub
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp thyme
Cranberry Glaze
- 12 oz cranberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 tsp orange zest
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup orange liqueur
Instructions
- Prepare the Brine: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan on the stove. Add the kosher salt and brown sugar, whisking until fully dissolved. Add the remaining 4 cups of cold water to the brine and refrigerate until it reaches room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
- Brine the Turkey: Remove the turkey breast from packaging. Place it inside a brining bag set in a large bowl or roasting pan. Add ginger, peppercorns, bay leaves, fresh thyme, white wine, and orange juice. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey, ensuring it is fully submerged. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight or up to 12 hours.
- Dry and Prepare Turkey: Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Apply the Rub: Rub the turkey breast all over with olive oil. In a small bowl, mix all the rub spices together, then apply evenly over the turkey. If the breast separates into pieces, tie back together with kitchen twine. Place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, skin side up.
- Roast the Turkey: Roast the turkey breast in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F. Remove from oven and discard kitchen twine if used.
- Prepare Cranberry Glaze: While the turkey roasts, combine cranberries, grated ginger, orange zest, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice, water, and orange liqueur in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst, about 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Strain the Glaze: Pour the cooked cranberries through a large mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing solids to extract liquid. Reserve the glaze liquid for brushing on turkey and the strained cranberry solids to serve on the side or spread atop slices.
- Glaze and Rest: Brush the cranberry glaze over the hot roasted turkey breast. Let the turkey rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving with reserved cranberry solids.
Notes
- Use either boneless or bone-in turkey breast. Bone-in may require 10-15 extra minutes of roasting time.
- Skin can be removed before cooking if preferred, but keeping skin on during roasting helps retain moisture and flavor.
- Leftover turkey can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- The recipe yields 8 servings based on 4 pounds of turkey breast, allowing approximately ½ pound per person.
- If turkey breast separates, kitchen twine helps keep it together for even cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
