Roasted Cumin and Chili Rubbed Turkey Breast

inAmerican Recipes, Autumn Recipes, Chicken & Poultry Recipes, Double Duty Recipes, Mexican Recipes, Recipes
  • YIELDS | 8-10 SERVINGS
  • PREP TIME | 5 MIN PLUS 3-6 HRS MARINATING TIME
  • COOK TIME | 1.5-2.5 HRS

Brining the turkey and rubbing it in these wonderfully fragrant spices make this dish so moist it will melt in your mouth. Plus you won’t believe the beautiful crust it develops for a show-stopping presentation. This recipe can also be used to prepare different takes on chicken, lamb, and pork. I like to serve my Maple, Bacon Brussel Sprouts recipe with this dish. You may wish to make an extra batch of cumin chili rub and store it for future meals.

Double Duty Recipe: See Turkey and Grapes Salad for a twist of the basic chicken salad. Or cut leftovers into strips and serve with tortillas and beans for an entirely different meal.

Ingredients

  • 4-6 pound turkey breast with skin

Brine

  • 3 quarts water
  • 1/2 cup coarse Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup agave nectar
  • 1/2 cup orange juice

Dry Rub

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Pour Kosher salt into 3 quarts of warm water, or enough to cover turkey breast, and stir to dissolve. Add agave nectar and orange juice; stir. Submerge the turkey breast into the brine bath. Refrigerate 3 to 6 hours.
  2. Take the turkey out of the brine, rinse well, pat dry, and let come to room temperature.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix the dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan or a shallow baking dish with olive oil.
  4. Rub the turkey on all sides with the dry rub before placing it in the pan. Bake for 1.5-2.5 hours depending on the size and oven, or until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 160°F on the thickest part of the breast.
  5. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Be sure to save the juice to serve alongside.

Notes

If your schedule is so hectic that there’s is no time to cook the turkey on the same day, do the prep work one day and cook the meal the next.

  1. Soak the bird in brine for 3-6 hours, rinse, and apply the rub.
  2. Store the meat in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.