Roasting a frozen turkey breast may seem daunting, but it’s actually a simple process that results in a delicious, juicy meal. With some key tips on thawing, preparation, and roasting, you can make this a stress-free experience. In this article, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process and provide plenty of tips and tricks along the way.
Overview of Roasting a Frozen Turkey Breast
Here’s a quick rundown of what’s involved
- Safely thaw the frozen turkey breast in the refrigerator over 24-48 hours
- Prepare the turkey breast by removing giblets, rinsing, patting dry, and seasoning
- Preheat the oven to 325°F
- Place turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan, breast-side up
- Roast for approximately 15-20 minutes per pound
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure internal temp reaches 165°F
- Allow to rest before slicing and serving
Proper thawing and roasting at a low temperature are key for a moist, tender turkey breast. Read on for more details on each step.
Thawing the Turkey Breast
The first step is thawing the turkey breast safely. There are a few methods you can use:
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Refrigerator Thawing The preferred method is thawing in the refrigerator over 24-48 hours Place the frozen turkey breast on a tray or pan and allow it to gradually thaw in the fridge. This slow thaw helps maintain quality
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Cold Water Thawing: If you’re short on time, you can submerge the vacuum sealed turkey breast in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Estimate 30 minutes per pound of turkey.
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Microwave Thawing: Only partially thaw the turkey breast in the microwave if cooking immediately after. Microwaving can start to cook the meat and affect texture.
The goal is a completely thawed turkey breast ready for seasoning and roasting. Never thaw at room temperature as this risks bacterial growth.
Preparing the Turkey Breast
Once thawed, prep the turkey breast for the oven:
- Remove any giblets or neck from the inner cavity. Reserve to make turkey stock if desired. Rinse the cavity well.
- Pat the skin and entire turkey breast dry with paper towels. Getting it as dry as possible will help it roast up crispy.
- Generously season all over with salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, paprika, and other desired seasonings. Rub it into the skin.
- Brush the skin with olive oil or melted butter to promote browning and crisping.
Trussing or tying the turkey breast with kitchen string can help it hold its shape while roasting, but is optional. Now it’s ready for the oven!
How to Roast a Frozen Turkey Breast
Roasting is easy once your turkey breast is prepped:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. This moderately low temp helps the breast roast evenly.
- Place turkey breast on a roasting rack in a pan, breast side up. The rack lets air circulate underneath.
- Roast for approximately 15-20 minutes per pound, until 165°F is reached on a meat thermometer.
- For example, roast a 3 lb breast for 45-60 minutes total. Check temp at least halfway through.
- Let turkey breast rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing to let juices redistribute.
Roasting brings out delicious, savory flavor. Brushing with pan drippings halfway through roasting adds even more flavor.
Turkey Roasting Temperatures and Times
Use these approximate roasting times for different turkey breast sizes:
- 1 to 2 lbs: 30-45 minutes
- 3 to 4 lbs: 60-75 minutes
- 5 to 7 lbs: 90-120 minutes
Always rely on a meat thermometer for doneness, not just roasting time. Different ovens can vary.
For food safety, turkey should reach the following minimum internal temperatures:
- 165°F for the breast
- 175°F for the thighs
After resting, the temperature can increase another 5-10 degrees as well.
Tips and Tricks for Juicy, Flavorful Turkey
Follow these tips for the best roasted turkey breast:
- Truss or tie the breast to hold its shape and cook evenly
- Use a meat thermometer for accuracy doneness
- Baste with pan drippings halfway through roasting
- Roast breast-side up on a rack for even browning
- Avoid peeking in the oven which can lower the temperature
- Let rest before slicing to redistribute juices
With this easy roasting method, your turkey breast is sure to come out moist, tender, and full of flavor. Pair it with some simple sides like mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, or a fresh salad for an easy holiday meal or weeknight dinner.
Common Turkey Roasting Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
Can you roast a turkey breast from frozen?
Yes, you can roast a frozen turkey breast without thawing first. It will just take significantly longer. Increase roasting time by 50-100%. Use a thermometer to judge doneness.
Should you brine a turkey breast before roasting?
Brining is optional but can make the breast even juicier. Dissolve salt and sugar in water, submerge the breast, and refrigerate 8-12 hours before roasting. Rinse and pat dry before seasoning.
What is the best roasting pan for turkey breast?
Use a shallow roasting pan so the breast sits above the pan bottom. This allows air circulation for even cooking. Add veggies to the pan to roast with the drippings.
What temperature should I roast a turkey breast?
Roast at a moderately low temp of 325°F to keep the meat moist and tender. Higher heat risks drying out the lean breast meat.
How can you tell when turkey breast is done?
Use an instant read meat thermometer to check internal temperature. The breast should reach 165°F minimum for food safety and best results.
Recipes to Pair with Your Roasted Turkey Breast
Once you’ve mastered the basic roast turkey breast, it’s time for some delicious recipes:
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Cranberry Turkey Salad Sandwich – Shred roasted turkey breast and mix with cranberries, celery, and mayo for a tasty salad between bread or lettuce.
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Open Face Turkey and Gravy sandwiches – Pile slices of rested turkey breast on bread or biscuits, top with gravy for an easy hot sandwich.
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Turkey Tetrazzini – Mix roasted turkey with spaghetti, mushrooms, cheese and cream sauce for this classic casserole.
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Turkey Enchiladas – Fill tortillas with shredded turkey, cheese, and enchilada sauce for an easy Mexican-inspired meal.
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Turkey Soup – Simmer the turkey carcass for stock, then add chopped turkey meat, veggies and noodles for a soothing soup.
The possibilities are endless for using up your roasted turkey breast creatively. Have fun with the recipes!
As you can see, roasting a frozen turkey breast is straightforward and delivers a delicious entree. With proper thawing, seasoning, slow roasting, and resting, you’ll have a tender, juicy turkey breast ready for amazing meals. We hope these tips give you the confidence to roast your own turkey breast at home. Let us know how your turkey turns out!
Don’t Forget the Bag of Giblets!
Obviously, with the turkey frozen solid, you wont be able to pull the bag of giblets out of the cavity. Dont worry about it right now. Set the turkey on the rack and put it in the oven. Do not open the door of the oven for two hours.
After two hours, you should be able to work your meat thermometer into the deepest part of the thigh. What works best is the digital kind that you can set to alert you when your meat or poultry reaches its target temperature. Ideally the thigh will make it to 175 to 180 F, but for now, itll probably read 90 to 95 F.
Once you have the probe into the thigh, brush the skin with melted butter, season with salt and pepper and return it to the oven for another hour. By then you should be able to get the bag of giblets out. Fortunately these days it seems like they come wrapped in paper rather than plastic, but either way, you definitely dont want to leave it in there.
At the three-hour mark, the thigh reading should be around 140 F, but it depends on whether you got the thermometer all the way in or not. It can be tricky when its frozen, and you may not realize if youve hit bone.
Under normal circumstances, making multiple holes in a turkey with thermometers would not be recommended. But these are not normal circumstances.
Therefore, ideally, in addition to your probe thermometer, you will also have an instant-read thermometer. That way you can leave the probe thermometer in the thigh while using the instant-read thermometer to take temperature readings elsewhere, like the breast, and within the body cavity.
How to Cook a Frozen Turkey
First, manage your guests expectations. Cooking a frozen turkey will take around 50 percent longer than cooking one thats already been thawed. So youll want to break out the snacks to make sure folks dont start eating the furniture.
For a 14 to 18 pound turkey, which would ordinarily require four hours of cooking time, youll need about 6 hours in the oven, plus another 30 to 45 minutes to rest afterward (the turkey, not you, although youll need a rest by then too).
Youll want to modify the cooking times if your turkey weighs less or more than that. A meat thermometer (the kind you leave in the bird while it roasts) will help. But as a rough guide, figure 1.5 times whatever your cooking time wouldve been.
Second, preheat your oven to 325 F. You want a very low temperature so that the outside of the turkey doesnt burn before the inside has cooked.
Line a roasting pan with foil, and put a roasting rack in it. This will ensure that the turkey stays above any liquid that may drain out, which would cause it to steam rather than roast. And it will cook more evenly on a shallow pan than one with high sides.
You may have better luck setting the wrapped turkey onto the rack and then peeling the wrapper off the turkey, rather than trying to handle a naked, frozen turkey. Just make certain that youve removed all of the wrappers.
Can you cook a turkey breast from frozen?
FAQ
Can I cook a turkey breast from frozen?
Can you cook a frozen turkey without thawing?
Is it better to cook a turkey breast at 325 or 350?
Do you cook a frozen turkey covered or uncovered?