Turkey Breast Cooking Time

Raised on farms, wild turkeys are comparatively small (usually no more than fifteen pounds), with less white meat than other turkeys and chewy, almost gamy dark meat. Because there's very little fat on wild birds, they can be dry if they're not cooked carefully or brined.

Below are some great recipes for preparing your turkey. 

Ingredients:

- 1 Cup long-grain rice - 1 Can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth - 1/2 Cup white wine - 2 Teaspoons dried parsley - 1/2 Teaspoon each dried rosemary, thyme and sage - 1 Bay leaf - 1 BONE-IN TURKEY BREAST (5-6 pounds) - Paprika - 3 Cloves garlic

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. In 5-quart Dutch oven combine rice, broth, wine, parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage and bay leaf. Place turkey over rice mixture and sprinkle turkey generously with paprika. Cut off root ends of garlic cloves.

Place whole garlic bulbs, cut-end-up, in rice around turkey breast. Cover top of Dutch oven with foil and lid.

Bake at 350 degrees F. 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast registers 170-175 degrees F.

Allow to stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. To serve, carve turkey into slices and place on platter.

Spoon rice mixture into serving bowl. Squeeze garlic from skins onto turkey and rice.

Ingredients:

- 1 13-Pound WHOLE TURKEY fresh or thawed - 1 Medium onion quartered - 1 lemon quartered - 1/4 Cup vegetable oil - 1 Teaspoon dried thyme - 1 Teaspoon dried tarragon - 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary - 1 Teaspoon salt - 1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325. Remove giblets and neck from turkey and reserve for broth. Rinse turkey with cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place onion and lemon quarters in neck and body cavities. In a small bowl, mix oil with herbs, salt and pepper. With your finger tips, gently loosen skin from the breast without pulling off the skin.

Place 1 tablespoon of herb mixture under skin; replace skin. Rub cavities and outside of turkey with remaining herb mixture. Secure the neck skin to the back with skewers. Fold wings under back of turkey. Place legs in tucked position. May be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for several hours. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (no more than 2-1/2 inches) deep roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful it does not touch the bone.

Cover bird with a loose tent of foil. Roast turkey in a preheated 325 degree F. oven for about 2-1/2 hours. Remove foil and baste bird with pan juices. Continue to roast for about another hour until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees F. in the thigh. Remove turkey from oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Transfer to a large platter and serve with gravy.

Ingredients:

- 1 15-Pound WHOLE TURKEY fresh or frozen (thawed) - 3 Large lemons - 2 Large limes - 1-1/2 Teaspoon salt, divided - 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper coarsely ground - 1/4 Cup dry white wine  - 1/4 Cup packed brown sugar - Pan Gravy - 1 Bunch, each fresh sage, marjoram, and thyme, divided

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325. Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well. Blot dry with paper towels. Peel skin from lemons and limes to make rose garnishes.

Reserve in refrigerator. Squeeze enough juice from the lemons and limes to equal 2 tablespoons each. Cut the remaining lemons and limes in half and place in the turkey cavity. Sprinkle salt in the cavity. In a small bowl, mix the wine, brown sugar, and citrus juices; reserve for glaze.

Gently loosen skin from the turkey breast without totally detaching the skin and carefully place 1 tablespoon each fresh sage and marjoram under the skin. Replace the skin. Fold neck skin and fasten to the back with 1 or 2 skewers. Fold the wings under the back of the turkey.

Return legs to tucked position. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (about 2-1/2 inches deep) roasting pan. Rub turkey with salt, pepper, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of salad oil. Insert oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful that the pointed end of the thermometer does not touch the bone.

Roast the turkey in a preheated 325 degree F. oven about 3-3/4 hours. During the last hour of roasting time, baste with the pan drippings. During the last 30 minutes, baste with the citrus glaze. Loosely cover with lightweight foil to prevent excessive browning.

Continue to roast until the thermometer registers 180 degrees F. in the thigh, or 170 degrees F. in the breast. Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Place on a warm large platter and garnish the platter with the remaining fresh herbs and lemon and lime roses.

Prepare lemon and lime roses as follows: with a small sharp knife or vegetable peeler, cut a continuous thin 1-inch strip of peel. Avoid cutting into the white pith. Roll tightly, skin inside out, and secure with toothpicks. Reserve in a bowl filled with ice water until time for service.