Cranberry-Glazed Turkey Breast Recipe
Not everyone finds themselves feeding a huge crowd during the holidays. For most of my childhood, holiday dinners consisted of Mom, Dad, Grandma Sara and me — I’m the only child of two only children, so, no aunts, uncles or cousins. And it was great! We didn’t have the crazy hustle and bustle that comes with a house full of relatives, but we also didn’t have any of the drama or fights that sometimes come along with it. Holidays were still special, but we didn’t need 24 pounds of bird to make it happen.
If you’re in a similar situation for Christmas (or just a random Friday night on which you feel like eating turkey), this recipe from our affiliate pals at Grokker is for you. It’s festive (Because hey! Cranberries!), but it’s considerably less time-intensive than you might think.
Cranberry-Glazed Turkey Breast Recipe
- Brine:
- 3-4 lb. boneless turkey breast
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 tbsp powdered ginger
- 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ cup kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 8 cups water
- Rub:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- Cranberry Glaze:
- 12 oz cranberries
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup orange flavor liqueur
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup chopped ginger
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp orange zest
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
- Brine the turkey by placing it in a large bowl, add orange juice, white wine, fresh ginger, peppercorns, fresh bay leaf, fresh thyme, kosher salt, brown sugar, and water. Let it sit overnight.
- Remove turkey from the brine and pat dry. Coat it with olive oil.
- In a bowl mix together salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cloves, fresh thyme, cayenne pepper, paprika, and ground oregano. Mix the rub together and coat the turkey with the rub.
- Place the turkey on your roasting pan and roast it in a 375°F oven for one hour.
- Bring a saucepan to medium high heat and add cranberry, orange juice, orange flavored liqueur, water, fresh ginger, honey, cinnamon, brown sugar, and zest of orange. Stir well. Once the cranberries start bursting, reduce heat to low for an additional 5-10 minutes. Strain the glaze with a mesh strainer.
- When the turkey is done, remove from oven and cut off the cooking twine. Brush the turkey with the cranberry glaze. Place the turkey on a cutting board and let it rest for 10-15 minutes, then carve it, plate it, place some cranberries on the plate with thyme, and serve!
Think you could get by with just a breast for your next gathering? We always have so many leftovers that it might be something to consider in our house. Plus, turkey is priced really well after the holidays, so it could be a perfect way to have a tasty, affordable dinner in the near future! —Kristen