Quick Turkey Breast dinner help needed

[wtdedula]

Hello All;
Today is my mother's birthday and by her request, I am cooking a turkey dinner this afrternoon. I cook Turkey dinners all of the time around Thanksgiving where I cook the whole bird but this time, I want to try to buy a big Turkey Breast instead which I've never done before.

I want to have Roast Turkey, with dressing (I have a good recipe I use) as well as scalloped potatoes, and some green vegetable, and a garden salad.

Does someone have some tips on how to cook the turkey breast so it comes out tender and juicy, not dry ? Could I use a long, low-heat roasting method (As we've talked about with beef) and baste often or is there some other method that works well for juicy, tender turkey breast?

Also, I plan to make the stuffing in a separate casserole - and drizzle pan juices on it - this sound like a good plan ?

Thanks muich for any cool advice you can offer.

Tim

[bubbamom]

Happy Birthday Mom!

Cook it the way you cook your Thanksgiving turkey - - UNLESS that turns out dry.

Other possibilities...

Use a covered roasting pan with a rack and perhaps some apple cider or chicken broth in the pan bottom. Remove cover of roaster for the last 20 +/- minutes of roasting time. (I've used this method) OR

I've never used a roasting bag, but some of my friends swear they are the best thing since indoor plumbing and sliced bread.

Enjoy the day, I'm sure everything will taste great and Mom will love you for all your efforts.

[greenawalt87]

You got it , long and slow. Is it on the bone? that helps with moister and maybe brine the breast?

[wtdedula]

Hello ... I ust thought you'd like to know how things turned out. The answer is Better than GREAT .

I found great instructions on the internet that others may want to take note of ... http://homecooking.about.com/od/turk.../blturkey6.htm

Was tender, not dry and full of flavor due to the spices (Thyme, Sage, Kosher Salt, and freshly ground black Pepper) and oil I put on it at the start of the cooking cycle. I didn't use a cooking bag, bubbamom but I suppose the tin foil served sort-of the same purpose. bubbamom, the instructions at the link above even suggests we open up the tin foil and baste a few times during the last 30 minutes similar to your instructions.

Yes, greenawalt87 it looks like there was some bones included with the breast I got.

I wonder ... would a cooking bag or even tin foil help me keep a fairly tough cut of beef moist while I cook it at low temp. for a long duration ?

I'm going to print out these instructions and keep them in my files so I can use it again.

Tim

[bubbamom]

So glad it turned out well!

Yes, I would think that a tight foil cover would help keep in the moistsure when cooking a less tender cut of meat at low temps. I've never used the cooking bag, but suspect that it would serve the same purpose. The idea is to hold in moisture, promote a more even cooking and concentrate flavors.

When cooking less tender cuts of mean, I usually use a covered roaster, clay cooker or my slow cooker, (obviously seasoning and adding some cooking liquid) and basically, I guess that all three methods help accomplish the same thing.