Roasted Turkey Breast

Roasted Turkey Breast
Big Sur Bakery

Ingredients:

For The Brine:

2 cups kosher salt

1/2 cup (not packed) light 

   brown sugar

2 bay leaves 

5 peppercorns

*

For The Turkey Breast:

1 free range turkey breast

2 yellow onions

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 

    melted

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

*

Directions:

The day before, fill a large pot with 5 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Turn off the heat.  Add the salt, brown sugar, bay leaves, and peppercorns and stir until the salt and sugar artfully dissolved.  Set the brine aside to cool completely.

Once the brine has cooled, put the turkey breast in it, placing a heavy plate on top to keep it submerged.  Cover the pot with plastic wrap and let it set for 24 hours in the refrigerator.  

The next day, pull the breast out of the brine, runs it in cold running water, and pat it dry with paper towels.  Discard the brine.  Leave the breast uncovered in the refrigerator until you're ready to roast it.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425^F.

Slice both onions into four 1 inch thick rings and lay them in the roasting pan (to use as props under the turkey breast).  Lay the breast right on top of the onions, and brush it with melted butter.  Season the skin with salt and pepper-but do so lightly as the breast will already be salty from the brine.

Roast the turkey breast for 30 minutes.  Then turn the oven temperature down to 375^F, and continue to cook the turkey until its internal temperature is 165^F.  (Use a meat thermometer to take the turkey's temperature, inserting it slightly off-center and not touching the bone.)  This will take approximately 1 hour (10 to 12 minutes per pound).

Serves 10