Bourbon and Molasses-Glazed Turkey Breast
This recipe presents a bone-in turkey breast roasted with a rich, sweet, and slightly spicy bourbon and molasses glaze. It's designed to yield a tender, flavorful main course with a beautiful caramelized crust, perfect for any special meal or gathering.
Equipment
- 1 Roasting pan With a rack for even cooking and air circulation.
- 1 Small Saucepan For preparing the bourbon-molasses glaze.
- 1 Whisk To combine glaze ingredients smoothly.
- 1 Basting Brush Heat-resistant, for applying glaze during roasting.
- 1 Meat Thermometer Essential for ensuring the turkey is cooked safely and to perfect doneness.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 cup bourbon whiskey such as Maker's Mark®
- 1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco®
- 1 2 pound bone-in turkey breast
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- In a small saucepan, combine the bourbon, blackstrap molasses, brown sugar, kosher salt, and hot pepper sauce.
- Bring the glaze mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves; then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Place the bone-in turkey breast in a roasting pan, ideally on a rack.
- Brush the turkey breast generously with the prepared glaze.
- Roast the turkey for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, basting every 15-20 minutes with the remaining glaze.
- Continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F (74°C).
- If the turkey skin begins to brown too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
- Carve the rested turkey breast and serve warm with any desired pan drippings.
Notes
Achieving a beautifully glazed and juicy turkey breast relies on consistent basting. The sugars in the molasses and brown sugar can burn, so monitor closely and tent with foil if browning too quickly. For deeper flavor, consider marinating the turkey in a portion of the cooled glaze for a few hours or even overnight. Always use a meat thermometer; turkey breast is done at 165°F (74°C). Overcooking will result in dry meat. Resting the turkey after roasting is crucial; it allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a succulent final product. For an extra touch, thicken any pan drippings with a cornstarch slurry to create a light sauce to accompany the carved turkey.