If you find yourself cooking Thanksgiving for two, don’t stress out. This easy oven roasted turkey breast with black garlic butter is a delicious option.
I have always been part of a mass crowd during Thanksgiving. I am lucky to have a big, loving family always around me. But I do remember my single days, when I lived in Miami and a couple Thanksgivings came up where I wasn’t with my family.
Then you get the invitations from friends who have large families that always have room for one more guest. But sometimes, you find yourself in a situation where it’s a small crowd for Thanksgiving, or you have newlyweds who want to shut the world away and celebrate on their own. What should you do?
You don’t need a big ‘ole turkey to celebrate when it’s just the two or three of ya. Cornish hens work well, if you don’t mind giving up turkey. But if you have the turkey hankering, then the next best thing is to feed a small crowd for Thanksgiving, or any night of the week.
Because it is turkey breast, which is low in fat, I did lather it up nicely with my Black Garlic Butter – remember that? Sweet, garlicky goodness!
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Ingredients you need
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- Butter
- Black garlic: This is fermented garlic and it is so full of flavor with a hint of sweetness.
- Fresh thyme: You can also use fresh oregano, rosemary or basil.
- Bone-in turkey breast: These are quite large. The one I cooked was about 6-pounds, so you will have plenty for 4 hearty eaters or 2 who enjoy leftover sammies!
- Salt and pepper
Step-by-step directions
This is not an overly complicated recipe, so rest assured that you can still have a fabulous holiday without stressing out.
Simply combine butter, garlic butter and thyme, like you would a compound butter. Then slather this butter all over the turkey breast, especially rubbing it under the skin. Season with salt and pepper and roast!
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Roast Turkey Breast with Black Garlic Butter
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon butter unsalted, room temperature
- 3 black garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon thyme fresh
- 6 lb turkey breast bone-in
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper ground
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF.
- Using a rubber spatula or a hand mixer combine butter, black garlic and thyme until thoroughly and evenly mixed.
- Wash Turkey breast and pat dry with paper towels.
- Rub the garlic butter all over the turkey breast, including under the skin.
- Place turkey breast side up on a small roasting pan or cast iron skillet and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast until temperature of the thickest part of the breast meat registers 160ºF with an instant read thermometer, about 2 ½ hours.
- Remove from the oven and tent turkey loosely with foil for 20 minutes, or until internal temperature rises to 170ºF.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
I definitely had those times, especially my first few years in the U.S. Most of students went back home for holidays but us international students got left out. LOL. I remember our gathering was more like international food than Thanksgiving food, but still I was grateful for being with someone else, even though it was just one person or few at that time… Great recipe! I love the black garlic butter too. Sounds awesome! Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving with your family! xo
What a wonderful collection! I hope you had a magnificent holiday!
Great ideas for a Thanksgiving meal for two! Thank turkey looks amazing good! Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Ah, I ALMOST bought some black garlic on Sunday, but it was a little too expensive. Your recipe sounds wonderful Laura!
Many of the Thanksgivings Mrs K R and I have celebrated have been just the two of us. But we always did a big turkey anyway. We love the leftovers! Plus it’s a really fun meal to prepare (a bit of work, but so worth it). But something a bit less probably makes sense for most people. Love the black garlic butter in your recipe!
So many folks have small gatherings at TG – we will be 3 or 4. I’m doing a turkey just because I won’t give up leftovers but this is a wonderful idea. The butter is a keeper as well. Happy Thanksgiving – X0
If it’s only John and me I don’t cook a big turkey. That black garlic butter sounds dreamy.