It is true blasphemy to try to avoid the traditional roasted turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. However, everyone will admit that turkey is a little bland and it can also be quite dry. Personnally, what bothers me most is to have to carve the turkey, and the big mess that goes with it, just before sitting for dinner. So in order to avoid any stress right before dinner time, I have been preparing this roasted turkey breast when I am hosting for Thanksgiving, which is the case this year.
You just need to ask your butcher for a deboned turkey breast with the skin on. The marinade below makes the meat very moist and tasty, and when it is ready you just need to slice it like a regular roast.
Ingredients:
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp salt
1 cup pomegranate juice (POM is perfect)
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 whole boneless turkey breast, skin on - cut into 2 halves lengthwise
Prepare the marinade a day or 2 in advance: in a large mixing bowl combine all the marinade ingredients. Place the turkey in a resealable plastic bag with the marinade and store in the fridge.
A couple of hours before your dinner, remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Bring the 2 turkey breast parts together, the thicker part of one against the thinner part of the other, so as to make the shape of a roast (skin side up). Tie the halves together with twine at 1 inch intervals. Season with salt and pepper and massage the skin with a little butter. Let it stand at room temperature for about one hour.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Put the turkey into the oven and roast, turning occasionnally, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 170F, about 2 hours (check cooking time based on the weight of the meat). Transfer the turkey roast to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for about 20 minutes before carving.
 |
| Photocredit: Joyce Siu |
 |
| Photocredit: Joyce Siu |
