Garlic-Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

FOR SERVING

FOR THE GARLIC-HERB BUTTER

FOR THE PAN SAUCE

Steps

1. Step 1

   Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Season all over with the kosher salt, working some under the skin and into the cavity side. Set on a rack in a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and refrigerate uncovered at least 8 hours or up to 24 — the skin should look dry and slightly translucent. Let it sit at room temperature 30 minutes before roasting.

   • 1bone-in, skin-on turkey breast half (about 3 lb.)
   • 1 ½ tspkosher salt

2. Step 2

   Make the garlic-herb butter: mash the 4 Tbsp. softened butter with the garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage and pepper until it's a smooth, fragrant paste. Loosen the skin over the breast meat by sliding your fingers between skin and flesh, being careful not to tear it, then smear two-thirds of the butter directly onto the meat. Rub the remaining butter over the outside of the skin. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425°F.

   • 4 clovesminced garlic
   • 4 tbspunsalted butter, softened
   • 1 tbspfresh thyme leaves, chopped
   • 1 tspfresh rosemary needles, finely chopped
   • 1 tspfresh sage leaves, finely chopped
   • ½ tspblack pepper
   • 1bone-in, skin-on turkey breast half (about 3 lb.)

3. Step 3

   Roast the breast skin-side up at 425°F for 20 minutes, until the skin is puffed and starting to brown. Reduce the oven to 325°F and continue roasting 50–70 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (not touching bone) reads 155°F. If the skin is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil. The pan juices should be sizzling and the kitchen should smell of garlic and herbs.

   • 1bone-in, skin-on turkey breast half (about 3 lb.)
   • 4 clovesminced garlic

4. Step 4

   Transfer the turkey to a carving board and rest, loosely tented, 20 minutes. Carryover cooking will bring it to about 165°F. Do not skip this — slicing hot turkey lets the juices run out and the meat dries.

5. Step 5

   While the turkey rests, make the pan sauce: pour off all but about 1 Tbsp. of fat from the roasting pan, set the pan over medium heat and add the white wine. Scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer until slightly syrupy, 3–4 minutes.

   • ½ cupdry white wine
   • ½ cuplow-sodium chicken broth

6. Step 6

   Off the heat, whisk in the cold butter a piece at a time until the sauce is glossy and lightly thickened, then stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust: more salt if it's flat, a squeeze more lemon if it's heavy, a grind of pepper for bite.

   • 2 tbspunsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
   • 1 tbspfresh lemon juice
   • 1 ½ tspkosher salt
   • ½ tspblack pepper

7. Step 7

   Carve the breast off the bone and slice across the grain into ½-inch-thick pieces. Arrange on a platter, spoon the pan sauce over, and serve warm. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat gently, covered, with a splash of broth to keep the meat moist.

   • 1bone-in, skin-on turkey breast half (about 3 lb.)