Description
A flavorful Cranberry Orange Turkey Breast recipe featuring a sweet and spiced rub blend and a vibrant cranberry-orange sauce perfect for a festive meal.
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 your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for roasting the turkey breast.
- Prepare Turkey Surface: Pinch the turkey breast with a fork all over the surface to allow the rub to penetrate and flavor the meat well.
- Make the Rub Blend: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, minced garlic, canola oil, dark molasses, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- Rub Turkey: Rub the prepared blend evenly and generously onto the entire turkey breast. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Prepare Sauce Mixture: In a medium bowl, mix fresh cranberries, whole berry cranberry sauce, Lingonberry jam, and orange zest until well combined.
- Thicken Sauce: In a separate cup, whisk together orange juice and cornstarch, then stir this mixture into the cranberry sauce blend to thicken it.
- Grease Roasting Pan: Lightly grease a roasting pan that is snug enough to hold the turkey breast without excess space to ensure even roasting.
- Assemble for Roasting: Place the seasoned turkey breast in the roasting pan and pour the cranberry sauce around the turkey, keeping most sauce off the top of the breast to prevent burning.
- Roast the Turkey: Place the pan in the preheated oven and roast for about 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rest the Meat: Remove the turkey breast from the oven, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes to retain juices when slicing.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the sliced turkey breast with fresh cranberries and additional orange zest before serving to enhance presentation and flavor.
Notes
- Ensure the roasting pan fits the turkey breast snugly to avoid drying out.
- You can substitute lingonberry jam with cranberry jam or orange marmalade depending on preference.
- Use a meat thermometer to accurately check the internal temperature for food safety.
- Resting the turkey after roasting allows juices to redistribute, keeping the meat moist.
- If fresh cranberries are not available, frozen can be used but thaw and drain excess water first.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
