For more festive recipes for your holiday table, visit our Thanksgiving and Christmas Collections. I am not going to lie it took me years to be convinced that cooking a turkey breast or a turkey crown, as it is known in the UK, is enough for my Thanksgiving table. I felt like I would miss the drama of the whole turkey and knew I’d miss the dark meat. I was wrong! And this recipe will convince you to switch over to the breast as well. Or at least give it a try for smaller gatherings.
Turkey crown recipe
I’ve written about the challenges of cooking a whole turkey in the past. But the summary of it is the bird is giant and consists of white and dark meat, which cook within different amounts of time. It takes too long to roast an entire turkey and the end result is often dry. My personal solution to the above problems was to limit my turkey size to no more than 4.5kg/10lbs but I hear it’s often not an option in the US! My solution number two is turkey crown. Plus herbed butter, which delivers both flavour and moisture. (I need to mention my other solution: roast duck! Small but insanely flavourful, perfect for smaller gatherings.)
What is Turkey Crown?
If you are not from the UK, this term might be new to you. I know I was mystified when I first heard it upon our arrival here. But despite a very regal name, turkey crown simply refers to the breast part of the bird with the bones and skin still attached. As you’ve guessed it, you are only getting the white meat. And this makes it much easier to figure out how long to cook it. If you want to buy a boneless crown, it often costs a bit more. Before you start thinking, you would prefer the breast to be boneless, let me convince you otherwise. The bones are beneficial to keeping the delicate white meat from drying out in the oven, especially when the turkey breast is still quite large. Mine was 5 lbs or 2.2 kg and took 1 hour 45 minutes at 350F/180C. Bones are also useful in making stock, which can become the basis of amazing soups. However, if you choose to go with a boneless turkey breast, lower the cooking time accordingly.
Serving suggestions
A turkey dinner is so much more than the meat sitting at the centre of the table. The sides do so much to make a meal into a feast. Fortunately, I have all the recipes you need for yours:
Perfect Roast Potatoes are always on my table, but Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes add a different twist! Rosemary Potatoes au Gratin, or Butternut Squash Casserole for a sweeter hit Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Carrots Braised Red Cabbage for something extra classy And a simple homemade gravy is a must!
And of course no Thanksgiving meal would be complete without something sweet to finish things off. I couldn’t begin to pick just one, so check out my Thanksgiving dessert collection to see all my favourites!
Leftovers and storage
Leftovers can keep in a fridge for 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. That gives plenty of opportunity for delicious leftovers to be the source of easy meals for days to come. Apart from eating the turkey breast in your sandwich with a bit of cranberry sauce, you can transform your leftovers into something completely new and exciting. Here are our favourite recipes:
Turkey Marsala Pot Pie Hearty Turkey Stew Leftover Turkey Soup Chicken and Dumpling Soup (Use leftover turkey instead) Turkey á la King
