If you are looking for a faster way to cook a turkey and your family prefers the breast meat, look no further. This herb roasted Dutch Oven Turkey Breast is so full of flavor. Roast some vegetables along with the turkey and make a delicious gravy with all the pan drippings. This will be your new favorite way to serve turkey for Sunday dinner or Holiday dinner.
Why this recipe is just so good...
- Cooking your turkey in a Dutch oven has so many benefits. The meat comes out so juicy and will have a nice crisp skin if you don't cover it. And you can add lots of vegetables along with the turkey, so it literally is a one pot meal.
- Meats cook quickly when they are roasted in a Dutch oven. It holds the heat in and keeps the food moist, no basting needed! This turkey breast cooked in just about 2 hours. And you can make the best gravy using its own pan juices.
- I have recipes for beef, chicken and pork that are cooked in a Dutch oven that you may want to try as well: Dutch oven Corned Beef, Dutch Oven Ham, Dutch Oven Pork Tenderloin, Dutch Oven Eye Round, Dutch Oven Chicken Breast and Dutch Oven Mediterranean Chicken. You could say I definitely love my Dutch oven!!
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this roast turkey breast:
- turkey breast, bone in, skin on
- butter
- fresh herbs: rosemary, sage, thyme
- garlic powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- low sodium chicken broth or turkey stock)
- carrots, onion
- thickener of choice to make gravy, optional (Arrowroot powder, cornstarch, flour)
- We are roasting a bone-in turkey with the skin on in a Dutch oven for this recipe. When you roast or braise meat that have the bone and skin on, you will be sure of getting juicy, flavorful meat. But not to worry, if you don't have a Dutch oven roasting pan, just use any large roasting pan. You can always use aluminum foil if you need to cover it.
- Adding butter and herbs is the best way to add more flavor to the turkey. Use sage, thyme, rosemary and garlic. These herbs go really with with poultry.
How to make Dutch Oven Turkey Breast
- Remove defrosted or fresh turkey from refrigerator to prep it. Pat it dry.
- Rub softened butter on skin and place herbs and rub more butter under turkey skin. Sprinkle seasonings on top.
- Place turkey, breast side down in a large Dutch oven. .
- Cook for 1 hour at 400°F. uncovered. Turn turkey breast side up. Lower temperature down to 325°F. Add vegetables. I used sliced carrots and pearl onions. Pour 1 cup of broth over turkey.
- Put back in oven and cover if the turkey is browning too quickly. Baste the turkey with the liquid. Roast for approximately 1 more hour or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F. Let the turkey breast rest for 10-15 minutes and the temperature will raise to 165°F, which is the USFDA's recommended temperature for poultry.
Cooking Tips
- If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can use a large roasting pan.
- To make gravy, remove turkey and vegetables and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Spoon off some of the fat from the top of the juices. Pour ½ cup of the dripping into a cup or small bowl. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of corn starch or Arrowroot powder and mix well. Add back to the Dutch oven, scrape the browned bit on the bottom and bring dripping to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes to thicken the gravy.
FAQ
Should I leave the skin on the turkey breast?
Yes, leaving the skin and bone in the turkey adds flavor to the meat. Plus it is the perfect place to smear butter and put the herbs. You won't need to baste the turkey, the butter and turkey skin create lots of juices and keep the turkey mois
You should only need to cover the turkey breast if it is getting brown too quickly. Every oven is different, so decide based on the color of the skin. It is much smaller than a full size turkey and cooks so much faster. To get the skin nice and crispy, leave the lid off. However, if you see the turkey browning too quickly, only then I would suggest putting on the lid.
You can add quartered potatoes right into the Dutch Oven when you add the carrots and onions. But in my opinion, Mashed potatoes seem to always go really well with turkey and gravy. Or make roasted potatoes on a sheet pan. And roast or saute' as many vegetables as you'd like. Marinated Asparagus, Pecan Butternut Squash, Fried Turnips, Charred Brussels Sprouts or Sweet Carrot Casserole would all be delicious, healthy choices.
My Sugar Free Pumpkin Cake would be a perfect dessert to end the meal.
According to Butterball, you can defrost the unopened turkey in the refrigerator by placing on a tray or baking sheet for1 ½ -2 days. Or try the cold water method. Place unopened turkey in a large bowl of cold water. Drain and add more cold water every 30 minutes to keep the water cold. It should defrost in about 3-5 hours.
If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd love if you gave it a 5 star rating. This tells me what you like and want to see more of. Thank you!
Here are some other fantastic Fall recipes to try:
If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd love if you came back and gave it a 5 star rating. This tells me what recipes you like and want to see more of. Thank you!!
Dutch Oven Turkey Breast
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Rest: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
Description
If you are looking for a faster way to cook a turkey and your family prefers the white meat, look no further. This Dutch oven herb roasted turkey breast is cooked in a Dutch oven and is so juicy and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 6 ½ pound turkey breast, bone in, skin on
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 sprigs each of fresh herbs: rosemary, sage, thyme *
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1 cup low sodium broth (vegetable, chicken or turkey)
- 1 pound of carrots, sliced
- 2 cups pearl onions *
- 2-3 tablespoons thickener of choice to make gravy, optional (Arrowroot powder, cornstarch, flour)*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lower middle rack to accommodate a large Dutch oven.
- Gently loosen the skin and rub softened butter under the skin and place herbs under skin. Sprinkle seasonings on top of turkey.
- Place turkey breast side down in the Dutch oven in the preheated oven.
- Roast turkey uncovered for 1 hour. Remove from oven, turn temperature down to 325°F.
- Add vegetables and the broth to the Dutch oven. Turn turkey breast side up. Cover the turkey if you feel it is too brown for your preference.
- Continue roasting for about 1 additional hour or until meat thermometer registers 160-165°F.*
- Let turkey rest 15 minutes before carving.
- Spoon the cooked juices over the turkey or use to make a gravy.
- To make gravy: strain some fat from the Dutch oven.
- Make a "slurry". Whisk thickener and ½ cup of the liquid in a measuring cup.
- Heat remaining drippings and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat to simmer and slowly add in the slurry. Stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes to heat through. The gravy will thicken as you continue to cook.
Notes
*If turkey is frozen, defrost in the refrigerator for 36-48 hours. Don't thaw it at room temperature. If you purchase it fresh, store in refrigerator and use within 4 days or freeze it.
*If you don't have or want to use fresh herbs, you can substitute 1 teaspoon each of the rosemary, thyme and sage. Or use about 2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning.
*The temperature of the cooked turkey will raise about 5 degrees as it rests.
*Store leftovers in an airtight container. Use within 3-4 days. Freeze cooked turkey to use for soups or casseroles. For best flavor, use within 2 months.
Jodi says
This is so easy! We love it
Deb Belsha says
Glad you liked it!
Carol says
Turkey came out so juicy!
Deb Belsha says
Glad you liked it!
Jay says
Looks amazing
Deb Belsha says
Thanks, hope you love it
Deb Belsha says
Thanks, hope you enjoy!
Deb Belsha says
Thanks!
Jay says
Scrumptious.
Deb Belsha says
Thanks!
Meg says
Looks so juicy!
Deb Belsha says
Hope you enjoy!
Deb Belsha says
Thanks!
Kalyn says
I love cooking in my Dutch oven and this is a great option for Thanksgiving, especially if you're trying to keep clean-up to a minimum or are entertaining a smaller group. Excellent recipe!
Deb Belsha says
Glad you like it. I love how moist it keeps the turkey.
Deb Belsha says
Thank you for the nice comment!