Roast turkey breast

[Bibliobeck]

Hi all - decided to go for a turkey breast this Christmas instead of a full turkey as there will just be three of us for lunch. Picked it up today and I was wondering if anyone had any advice about roasting this in terms of time/temp.

I'm not sure about timings per kilo/lb (this is 2.6kg) Are they less for a boneless breast than for a whole turkey?
Any advice as always gratefully received

[pigletwillie]

As a general guide, in an oven preheated to 180�C (350�F, Gas Mark 4):

for a turkey under 4.5kg, allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes
for a turkey weighing between 4.5kg and 6.5kg, allow 40 minutes per kg
for a turkey over 6.5kg, allow 35 minutes per kg
Remember some ovens, such as fan-assisted ovens, might cook the turkey more quickly – check the manufacturer's handbook for your oven if you can. The most important message is always to check that the meat is properly cooked before serving.

These cooking times are based on an unstuffed turkey. I always find that it's better to cook your stuffing in a separate roasting tin, rather than inside the turkey, so the turkey will cook more easily and cooking guidelines will be more accurate. (If you cook your turkey with the stuffing inside, you will need to allow extra time for the amount of stuffing and allow for the fact that the bird cooks more slowly.)

A turkey crown is also more likely to dry out when roasting so cover with some streaky bacon and or tin foil to start with and remove the foil halfway through to allow the meat to colour.

We have 16 for dinner this year so are roasting a whole bird for show and a crown for easy carving.

[Lesley Jay]

A good site for all things to do with cooking turkey including recipes is www.britishturkey.co.uk

[pigletwillie]

Quality site Lesley, you not bad for an old bird yourself.

[Alice]

A good tip for roasting your turkey , or any dry meat, is put a little water in the roasting tin (the professionals do). The steam helps to keep it moist.

[Lesley Jay]

Piglet!!! You cheeky sod!!!

[dexterdoglancashire]

A good site for all things to do with cooking turkey including recipes is www.britishturkey.co.uk

Absolutely! I used this to check the defrosting time for my bird. Think I may have overdone it a bit - according to the website my bird will feed around 16 people!!!! there is only me and the OH - I know he likes turkey but wow! know we'll manage it though!
How about a thread for left over turkey recipes?! Dexterdog

[dexterdoglancashire]

Just been watching TV - Tamasin Day-Lewis says cook the bird on its side, so that way the heat will penetrate the thick legs first and also, smear it with butter (which I always do - 1/2lb in old money per bird) - turn it over half way through cooking and cook the other side - Ive never tried this, but it sounds a good idea!
Paul Heathcote (our local hero) says cut the legs off the bird which reduces the cooking time and ensures the breast is cooked.
Dexterdog
Will compare cooking methods after Christmas! (mind you, after all the comments about a turkey roast, rather wish Id got one myself! LOL)

[JennieAtkinson]

Sorry can't help - we are having lamb!

[Don Vincenzo]

Cooking turkey

Hi all - decided to go for a turkey breast this Christmas instead of a full turkey as there will just be three of us for lunch. Picked it up today and I was wondering if anyone had any advice about roasting this in terms of time/temp.

I'm not sure about timings per kilo/lb (this is 2.6kg) Are they less for a boneless breast than for a whole turkey?
Any advice as always gratefully received

Hello, you may find that the turkey breast you buy will be still on the breast bones. However the recommendation for rosting pourtry is 20 minutes per pound ( roughly 1/2 kg ) plus 20 minutes on top of the overall weight. However when the meat juices come out clear it will be cooked. All this varies as each oven is different. I cook my on gas mark 6 then reduced to gas mark 5. You may find breast as a dry meat, you can overcome this by placing bacon on top of the breast add a bit of wine or chicken stock in the roasting tin, cover with silver foil, let it cook. Then remove the silver foil and let the turkey to brown. Stuffing should be cooked separate. A bit of garlic between the breast and bacon will add a nice taste.
Buono appetito
Don Vincenzo

[Alison]

Always good mine in line with Delia's recommendations and it comes out a treat. This calls for an initial blast to sort of set it and then turn the heat down to gently cook it whilst basting frequently. A friend pointed out that a lot of the recipes (particularly on supermarket birds) tell you to cook for a much shorter time at a higher temperature and I'm sure that dries the bird out too much which is what gives turkey a bad name in a lot of people's eyes.

[JennieAtkinson]

A friend of ours who is a chef reckons you give all fowl a hot blast on a high oven for 30 minutes then drop the oven temp and cook slowly in order that it doesn't dry out. Always works for us.

[Mrs Dobby]

Cool link LJ, thanks!

[Bibliobeck]

Thanks for the tips all. The turkey breast is completely boneless but I have some lovely local streaky bacon for it - shall be using the tips about putting some stock or wine into the tin too.

Merry Christmas all, may your turkeys (geese, lambs etc) be cooked to perfection and may you all be filled with Christmas spirit

[JennieAtkinson]

Definately filled with Christmas spirit