Description
This Cranberry Orange Turkey Breast recipe offers a flavorful twist on traditional turkey with a sweet and tangy cranberry orange sauce. Perfectly seasoned with a spiced rub and baked to juicy perfection, this dish is ideal for holiday dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 1 turkey breast about 4-5 lb
Rub Blend
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon dark molasses
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 14 ounces
- 1/2 cup lingonberry jam (can be replaced with cranberry jam or orange marmalade)
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 orange zested
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F to prepare for roasting the turkey breast.
- Prepare Turkey Surface: Pinch the turkey breast all over with a fork to tenderize and allow flavors to penetrate.
- Make and Apply Rub: In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, minced garlic, canola oil, dark molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Rub this blend thoroughly onto the turkey breast and set aside.
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix the whole berry cranberry sauce, lingonberry jam, fresh cranberries, and orange zest until well combined.
- Thicken Sauce: Whisk cornstarch into orange juice until smooth, then stir this mixture into the cranberry sauce blend.
- Prepare Roasting Pan: Lightly grease a roasting pan that fits the turkey breast snugly to ensure even roasting.
- Assemble for Roasting: Place the seasoned turkey breast into the roasting pan, pour the cranberry sauce around it, avoiding placing too much sauce on top to prevent burning.
- Roast Turkey: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165 degrees F.
- Rest Turkey: Remove from oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing to retain juices.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh cranberries and extra orange zest before serving for an appealing presentation.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey breast reaches the safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- The lingonberry jam can be substituted with cranberry jam or orange marmalade for a similar flavor profile.
- Allowing the turkey to rest after roasting helps the juices redistribute, resulting in a moister turkey.
- If fresh cranberries are unavailable, frozen cranberries can be used but may affect the sauce texture slightly.
- Make sure not to pour the sauce over the top of the turkey breast to avoid burning during roasting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
