What Temperature To Cook A Turkey Breast To For Juicy, Tender Meat

Cooking a juicy, flavorful turkey breast can seem daunting, but it’s easier than you think if you follow some simple guidelines. The most important factor is ensuring the turkey breast reaches the proper internal temperature to kill any harmful bacteria while keeping the meat tender and moist.

How Long To Cook A Turkey Breast

The general rule of thumb is to cook a bone-in turkey breast for about 20 minutes per pound at 350F (177C), until it reaches the safe minimum internal temperature. The time can vary slightly depending on the size and shape of the breast, as well as your oven.

For example, a 5 pound bone-in turkey breast will take approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes at 350F. Smaller or boneless breasts may cook faster at around 15 minutes per pound. Always use a good meat thermometer to check the internal temp rather than relying on cook times.

What Temperature To Cook Turkey Breast To

The USDA recommends cooking turkey to a minimum internal temperature of 165F (74C) to ensure it’s safe to eat Poultry needs to reach 165F to effectively kill any potential bacteria like salmonella

However, cooking turkey breast to 165F will lead to dry, overcooked meat. The collagen and fat has fully rendered by 150-155F so going higher leads to stringy, chalky texture. For the juiciest results, cook bone-in turkey breast to:

• 150F (66C) for tender, juicy meat
• 155-160F (68-71C) for slightly firmer texture

As long as the breast reaches 150F for at least 3 minutes, it’s considered safe. The remaining heat during resting will bring it up to a safe 165F.

Checking Turkey Breast Temperature

Using an instant read thermometer is the only reliable way to check the internal temperature Thermapens by Thermoworks provide incredibly fast, accurate readings to monitor temperatures.

Insert the probe into the thickest part of breast, taking care not to hit the bone Check temperature in a few spots to ensure there are no cold spots Whole turkey requires checking the inner thigh as well.

Pop-up thermometers can be handy but aren’t always accurate. Only trust your own thermometer and double check the breast reached 150-165F.

Why Temperature Matters

Proper temperature is so important for turkey breast because it’s very easy to overcook and end up with dry meat. Turkey breast is low in fat so there’s not much protective moisture. Once the proteins seize up and squeeze out all the juices, you can’t reverse it.

Undercooking is dangerous but overcooking leads to disappointing results. That’s why using a good meat thermometer and following safe minimum temperatures is critical.

While whole turkeys need to cook to higher temperatures to ensure the dark meat is done, boneless or bone-in breast can be removed from the heat at a lower point. This prevents overcooking white breast meat.

Resting & Carryover Cooking

Whenever you cook meat, it’s essential to let it rest before slicing into it. Resting gives the juices time to redistribute evenly throughout the breast. If you cut too soon, the juices will spill out quickly.

Additionally, the internal temperature will continue rising about 5-10 degrees during resting due to carryover cooking. A turkey breast removed from the oven at 150F will coast up to around 160F, well within the safe zone.

After roasting or smoking, tent the turkey breast loosely with foil and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. The meat will be juicy and ready to serve.

Cook Turkey Breast To Proper Temp For Best Results

Cooking turkey breast perfectly so it’s juicy and tender but also safe requires monitoring the temperature precisely. While the USDA says 165F is required, in reality you can remove bone-in breast from the oven at 150-155F since it will continue cooking during resting time.

Always use multiple thermometers to verify temperatures in multiple spots. Let it rest sufficiently before slicing. Following these steps will lead to foolproof turkey breast with mouthwateringly moist meat every time.