Thanksgiving for Two? Roast Turkey Breast with Black Garlic Butter

Cooking Thanksgiving turkey for a small crowd just got easier and tastier: Roast Turkey Breast with Black Garlic Butter. Leftover included!

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!

Some fresh thyme, salt and pepper and we were good to go to roast.

Turkey breasts are quite large, this one was about 6 pounds, so you will have plenty for 4 hearty eaters, or 2 honeymooners who can make some quesadillas with their leftovers.

Roast Turkey Breast with Black Garlic Butter

Author:

Laura Bashar

Turkey for 2 or 4, this is a great way to serve up a smaller portion of the Thanksgiving feast. Recipe by Laura Bashar of Family Spice

Ingredients:

• 3 TBS butter, unsalted, room temperature
• 3 black garlic, cloves
• 1 tsp thyme, fresh
• 6 lb turkey breast, bone-in
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Using a rubber spatula or a hand mixer combine until thoroughly and evenly mixed:
• 3 TBS butter, unsalted , room temperature
• 3 black garlic , cloves
• 1 tsp thyme, fresh
3. Wash and pat dry with paper towels:
• 6 lb turkey breast, bone-in
4. Rub the garlic butter all over the turkey breast, including under the skin.
5. Place turkey breast side up on a small roasting pan or cast iron skillet and season turkey with:
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
6. Roast until temperature of the thickest part of the breast meat registers 160ºF with an instant read thermometer, about 2 1/2 hours.
7. Remove from the oven and tent turkey loosely with foil for 20 minutes, or until internal temperature rises to 170ºF.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Yield: Serves 6

Cook Time: 2 hours 30 mins

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Serve this baby with some of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes:

Cosmopolitan Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries with Crystalized Ginger

Cranberry Orange Quinoa Salad

Cranberry Sauce with Persimmon and Brown Sugar

Mai Tai Cranberries with Mango and Rum

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Pomegranate-Cranberry Sauce

Spiced-Tea Cranberry Sauce

Spicy Serrano-Cranberry Sauce

Creamed Spinach with Swiss Chard and Beet Greens

Moist Stuffing with Swiss Chard

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

Mushroom and String Bean Casserole

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Mushroom & Thyme Quinoa Pilaf

Rustic Mashed Potatoes with Thyme

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions

Now, I’m going to be busy this week with my family for the holidays, so be sure YOU have a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving.

Remember, let’s celebrate one season at a time. We can hold off on the Black Friday deals and shopping for AFTER Thanksgiving. If we don’t savor the moments we have with our loved ones, they will pass us by.