Turkey breast, marinated in buttermilk and seasonings, so it’s extra tender and juicy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’re intimidated by the idea of cooking a whole turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, or you just don’t need that much turkey to begin with, this Buttermilk Marinated Turkey Breast is for you.
Often, with a boneless turkey breast, the meat tends to be dry, but marinating it in buttermilk solves that problem, and you end up with moist, tender turkey that’s easy to slice and serve.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to marinate your turkey for 8-12 hours, so plan accordingly. The longer, the better. Believe me, you’ll be rewarded with the most tender, moist turkey you’ve ever had.
I’ve tried all kind of turkey marinades over the years, but the results were usually mediocre. It’s definitely the buttermilk that makes this turkey so moist and delicious! I don’t know how it works, but it does.
And don’t forget about any additional time you might need to defrost your turkey. Defrosting in the refrigerator is the safest method, and you’ll need to plan on 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds of frozen turkey that needs thawing.
This technique also works with a bone-in turkey breast, if you prefer, although you may have to marinate it in a stock pot rather than a large zip-top bag. Just make sure you have room to put it in your refrigerator.
This is such a delicious solution to a whole Thanksgiving turkey, I often make two of these Buttermilk Marinated Turkey Breasts for my family, rather than one large turkey.
It’s so much more manageable than cooking a big bird. And that means a less stressful holiday for me!
Be sure to save this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Ingredients
- Boneless turkey breast
- Buttermilk
- Spices: salt and pepper, poultry seasoning, paprika
- Garlic
- Vegetable oil
Buttermilk Marinated Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 2-2.5 lb. boneless turkey breast
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoons + 1/4 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoons pepper divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoons poultry seasoning divided
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Place turkey breast in a large, zip-top bag. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, and garlic. Pour buttermilk mixture into bag with turkey breast and seal tightly. Place in a baking dish to catch any drips and place in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove turkey breast from buttermilk and pat dry with paper towels. Discard buttermilk. Place the turkey breast in a roasting pan, or on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, stir together oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Spread the oil and seasoning mixture over the turkey.
- Cook in the preheated oven until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion reads 165 degrees (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes). Let stand for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
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7 comments
Jim
Can Turkey be cooked in Air Fryer instead of oven?
Also, how do I make Buttermilk if I can’t find any?
Danelle
I’m sure it could be cooked in the air fryer, but I haven’t done that, so I can’t advise on the method or cooking times. You can make a buttermilk substitute with 1 cup of milk and about a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice.
Mary Kay
Especially moist and makes good gravy
Chris
Do you cook it covered
Danelle
Uncovered, to get the browned skin. Marinating in the buttermilk helps keep it moist, even though it’s cooked uncovered.
Isabel Liss
This was DELICIOUS! The breast was tender and moist and seasoning was spot on. There are such a variety of methods to cook a turkey breast, but this very direct “at 350″ for the whole time yielded the result I was after! The skin did not crisp with this method, but thanks to the final oil rub it had a great color (thank you paprika!) I did make this adjustment (because you know we all have to play with the recipe 😉 ) — I cooked it in a large shallow roasting pan on a bed of 2 carrots slice in 2″ chunks, 3 ribs of celery sliced in 2” chunks, 1/2 of an onion cut in large pieces, one apple cut in large pieces and a cinnamon stick, which added a nice dimension to the drippings (and hence the gravy). This one is a keeper!
Vicky
When you cook two breasts do you double the cooking time? Thanks!