OK, I’ve had a zillion requests for this, mainly from my Homemade Deli-Style Roast Beef recipe.
That’s this thing here (if you like roast beef, I highly recommend it, both for flavor AND cost cutting measures):
Sorry it took me so long to noodle out a version for a turkey breast!
This turkey breast is so good—and super easy.
You can bust it out from start to finish in about an hour-and-a half, including resting time.
I roasted him in the same spirit as my Deli-Style Roast Beef recipe.
High heat to sear him a little, followed by lower heat to finish cooking him, followed by a quick rest before slicing to help keep him juicy.
For this recipe, I used a spicy chipotle butter on the outside, then hit it with a honey butter glaze in the last 20 minutes or so of cooking.
I love this combination of flavors. A little sweet, a little hot, so good.
The basic recipe goes like this
- Slather your bird with spicy butter and truss.
- Roast at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes to sear the outside.
- Drop the heat and roast at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes to cook through.
- Glaze after about 40 minutes, once the roast has reached about 130 degrees F internally.
- Roast at 350 for about another 20 minutes, until you reach 150-155 degrees F internally.
- Tent for 10-15 minutes or so until it reaches 160 degrees F internally.
- Slice. Devour. Enjoy. 🙂
Mix and match flavors to create your own recipe
Use this basic roasting method to create your own, personalized roast turkey breast.
Play around with spice combos and the butter rub. For example, try these combinations:
- Asian five-spice w/ginger honey glaze
- Cajun rub w/whiskey glaze
- Classic minimalist, with just salt and pepper
- Orange zest, sage, and garlic w/orange juice glaze
- Lemon zest and rosemary w/lemon glaze
- Ginger garlic with a maple syrup/whiskey glaze
You get the idea. What will you do? Leave a comment below, let us know!
Your house will smell amazing
When this little sucker is in the oven, the smell will very likely drive your dogs, cats, and kids nuts. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Little Penelope was enchanted.
She totally has Happy Turkey Face. (Right?)
OK. To the ovens!
Deli-Style Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast
Turkey breast
3 lb. boneless turkey breast, skin on
Spicy butter rub
8 Tbls. butter
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. ground chipotle
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
Honey butter glaze
4 Tbls. butter
1 Tbls. honey
Serves about 4-6, depending on how you slice it
Do a little prep
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan or roasting pan with foil and put a rack in it. Set aside.
Make the honey butter glaze
Melt 4 Tbls. butter in a small bowl.
Add the honey.
Whisk briskly to incorporate. Â 
Set aside for now. You’ll glaze your roast once he reaches about 130 degrees F in the oven.
Make the spicy butter rub
Leave your butter out on the counter until it softens and comes to room temp, about 30 minutes.
(You can usually fudge this in the microwave if you like, zapping it and stirring 10 secs at a time until the butter softens up.)
Chunk up the softened butter and put it in a small bowl or measuring cup.
Add the garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, chipotle, kosher salt, dried parsley.
Mash it up with a fork until the mixture is uniform.
Give it a quick taste and adjust the seasoning if you like.
Prep your turkey breast
Grab your turkey breast.
My turkey breast came trapped in a mesh net.
If yours came the same, cut the netting off and discard. You’ll truss him up later.
Here’s what my little guy looked like once I released him from his netting and unfolded him.
Sprinkle the underside of the meat with a little kosher salt.
You could also sprinkle him with spices, too. Totally up to you.
Next, loosen up his skin, just like you would on a roast chicken.
Pull the skin up with one hand, and with the other, use a small knife to gently slash the membrane that holds the skin to the meat.
Basically, you want to create a pocket for that glorious, spiced butter you made.
Take about half the spiced butter and spread it around under the skin.
Fold the skin back over the butter.
Roll him up as tightly as you can.
Tie him around with a couple of lengths of kitchen twine, like this.
(Yeah, I know…there are fancy and proper ways to truss a piece of meat. This works just fine, too. 😉 )
Once he’s trussed, spread the outside uniformly with the rest of the spicy butter.
Set him on the rack.
Roast your turkey breast
Pop him into your 450 degree F pre-heated oven.
Roast for 15 minutes to sear the outside.
After 15 minutes, drop the heat and roast at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes to cook through.
After about 40 minutes, once the roast has reached about 130 degrees F internally, pull him out of the oven for a sec.
Give the honey butter glaze a quick whisk, then brush the turkey all over.
Be sure to get all sides (except the bottom) and the ends.
Pop the glazed roast back into the oven.
Roast at 350 degrees F for about another 20 minutes, until you reach 150-155 degrees F internally.
Yank him out of the oven.
He should be gloriously brown and smell amazing.
Loosely tent with a large piece of foil for 10-15 minutes or so until he reaches 160 degrees F internally.
Slice, serve and enjoy!
Once he’s rested, have at it! Your turkey breast should be warm, juicy, and totally delicious.
Carve up fat slices for an entree-style dinner, or paper thin slices for sandwiches.
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
The Hungry Mouse
Yields About 4-6 servings
This turkey breast is so good—and super easy. You can bust it out from start to finish in about an hour-and-a half, including resting time.
Save RecipeIngredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan or roasting pan with foil and put a rack in it. Set aside.
- Make the honey butter glaze: Melt 4 Tbls. butter in a small bowl. Add the honey. Whisk briskly to incorporate. Set aside for now.
- Make the spicy butter rub: Leave your butter out on the counter until it softens and comes to room temp, about 30 minutes. Chunk up the softened butter and put it in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, chipotle, kosher salt, dried parsley. Mash it up with a fork until the mixture is uniform. Give it a quick taste and adjust the seasoning if you like.
- Prep your turkey breast: Sprinkle the underside of the meat with a little kosher salt. You could also sprinkle him with spices, too. Totally up to you. Next, loosen up his skin, just like you would on a roast chicken. Pull the skin up with one hand, and with the other, use a small knife to gently slash the membrane that holds the skin to the meat. Take about half the spiced butter and spread it around under the skin. Fold the skin back over the butter.
- Roll him up as tightly as you can.
- Tie him around with a couple of lengths of kitchen twine.
- Once he’s trussed, spread the outside uniformly with the rest of the spicy butter.
- Set him on the rack.
- Pop him into your 450 degree F pre-heated oven. Roast for 15 minutes to sear the outside.
- After 15 minutes, drop the heat and roast at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes to cook through.
- After about 40 minutes, once the roast has reached about 130 degrees F internally, pull him out of the oven for a sec. Give the honey butter glaze a quick whisk, then brush the turkey all over. Be sure to get all sides (except the bottom) and the ends.
- Pop the glazed roast back into the oven. Roast at 350 degrees F for about another 20 minutes, until you reach 150-155 degrees F internally.
- Yank him out of the oven. He should be gloriously brown and smell amazing.
- Loosely tent with a large piece of foil for 10-15 minutes or so until he reaches 160 degrees F internally.
- Carve up fat slices for an entree-style dinner, or paper thin slices for sandwiches.
