This Apple Cider Turkey Breast is a delicious and different way to enjoy a turkey breast. This can be made in just over one hour so it make it a fantastic option for a Sunday dinner or even an easy Thanksgiving dinner. Save the recipe to Pinterest so you can always find it!
Picking a turkey breast
My turkey breast is a boneless skinless breast with white and dark meat. This is a nice, easy breast to cook for every day and it even works as a perfect sized breast for small Thanksgiving dinners. A boneless 3 lb. breast can feed about 4- 6 people. The recommendations are to plan on 1/2 lb turkey per person when working with a boneless, skinless breast. You can also find boneless breasts with the skin still on, which works too. And, you can use a breast for this recipe that has the bones and the skin. Just know your cooking time will be increased with a bone-in bird.
Tying the turkey breast
Turkey breasts will sometimes come in parts that split between the white meat and dark meat. This is what I had grabbed, although I honestly didn’t realize it until opening the package. However, if your breast comes this way too, use cooking twine to make sure things are bound together. I tied mine in three or four parts to ensure I could work with it as a whole. Simply wrap the string around the bottom of the breast and knot it at the top. If your roast is a whole roast and not split, then you can skip this part.
Applying the dry rub
I began this Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast recipe with a dry rub. This will truly help to flavor your meat properly right from the start. It contains just a few ingredients that help set the stage for this meal.
Because this is a quick recipe, this is something you can do just before cooking. You don’t have to let everything sit. However, if you have time, give the turkey 30 minutes to sit after applying the rub.
To start, lightly rinse the turkey and pat it dry. Then massage the rub into the meat on all sides.
Braising
Braising meat allows it to retain flavor and moisture. It is one of my favorite ways to cook and if you are familiar with my recipes then you know, I do it a lot. To start you want to heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan and let it warm until shimmering. Then you add the meat. Sometimes you need to braise the meat on all sides, but in this case just the top and the bottom will be sufficient. Let it sear in the oil for 4 minutes per side and then remove it from the pan and set aside.
If your turkey breast is one of the larger ones with high sides, I would recommend also searing for at least two minutes per side.
Making the base sauce
Once the turkey has been removed, onions, apple cider, chicken broth, a touch of balsamic and some fresh herbs are combined to help make a flavorful sauce for the Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast recipe. Part of the reason I love braising so much is because I’m a sauce girl. I love a good sauce with my meats or even my vegetables and this one really creates a beautiful harmony of flavors. They will be slightly different from recipes like my more traditional Butter Herb Turkey {HERE} or my Instant Pot Turkey Breast {HERE}. This really highlights the apples and the slight sweetness that still comes through from the apple cider. And then the balsamic adds in just a touch of acid and, as Kevin likes to say, “beefy flavor.” It is a delicious sauce
Cooking the Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast
Based on the size of the turkey, your cooking times will vary. Because we braised the turkey and it is covered in the oven, you should not run into a dry bird. That said, my breast took 1 hour in the oven at 350 degree. Generally, you want to allow 20 minutes per pound of turkey. That was correct in my case. Even with the searing, I still allowed for the full 20 minutes. If you have a similar size breast, that cooking time should work for you too. If you have a breast that is larger or you are using a breast with bones in it, know you might have to allow for a longer cooking time.
Once the oven portion of the braising was complete, I decided to add a few more apples and then broil my Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast for a final few minutes. If you have a turkey breast with the skin on this will especially help the skin crisp up. Make sure to keep an eye on it. I broiled for two minutes on my breast just to char it a touch. Start there with your breast if it has skin on and then increase the time for a few minutes if needs be.
Making the pan sauce
As a final step in the cooking process, I decided to make a pan sauce for my Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast. What was the use of making that great sauce if I wasn’t going to drizzle it over my turkey? Doing this is simple. Just remove the breast and the apples with a slotted spoon. You want to keep as much of the drippings and the sauce in the pan as possible. Then add in a little flour and some chicken broth. I’ve given recommendation in the printable recipe below for making it thicker or thinner.
Tips for making my Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast
- When braising the turkey breast, be careful in turning it, especially if it is a split roast as mine was. I used both a large spatula and tongs to turn my breast. If your breast is just one whole breast then also be careful because those can be awkward to turn and sear on the top side.
- Again if you have a larger breast that’s one piece, also sear it on each side for two minutes in addition to the top and bottom sear.
- As always make sure to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
- For the rub, you can use fresh herbs if you like. You want about 2 Tablespoons of each of the chopped fresh herbs if you decide to do in this direction.
- There is no substitution for the fresh herbs that go in the pot with the turkey so make sure to have those.
Storing and reheating
You can save the Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days as ling as they are covered and in an air tight container. You may either reheat them in the microwave for 2 minutes or in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. In the oven, cover the meat with foil to keep it from drying out.
Looking for some side dish recipes?
If you are looking for a few side dishes to go with my Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast, try these.
- Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan {HERE}
- Bacon & Brussels Sprouts {HERE}
- Creamy Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes {HERE}
- Honey Roasted Carrots & Beets {HERE}
- Lemon & Herb Baby Potatoes {HERE}
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce {HERE}
Thank you so much for visiting today, friends! I hope you love my my Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast recipe. You can find a full, printable recipe below with all the ingredients and steps. You can also find me on instagram @sugarmaplefarmhouse and @sugarmaplekitchen. Our YouTube channel is @sugarmaplefarmhouse. Happy eating!
Apple Cider Braised Turkey Breast
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch oven
Ingredients
Dry Rub
- 3 tsp dried oregano
- 3 tsp rubbed sage
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
For the Braised Apple Cider Turkey Breast
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 lb boneless, skinless turkey breast, tied
- 1 cup chopped yellow onions
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, left whole but sliced in the center
- 3 sprigs of sage
- 3 springs fresh thyme
- 2 sliced apples, divided You can add in additional fresh. sliced apples to the final plate. I find I like the crispness of the apples with the gravy.
For the Pan Gravy
- All the pot drippings
- 1/8 cup flour
- 1/2 - 1 cup chicken broth Use 1/2 first and if you want it a little thinner add the second 1/2 cup.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the dry spice mix ingredients. Pat the turkey dry and rub the spices into the turkey breast on all sides.
- Remove the turkey from the packaging and remove any bindings. Re-tie the turkey with cooking twine a quarter of the way down, halfway down and then 3/4 down. Divide into quarters with the twine if the breast is long or seems unmanageable.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over a medium to high flame. When it is shimmering, add the turkey breast. Cook on the top and the bottom for 4 minutes. Then remove and set aside.
- Add the next 1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. When it is shimmering, add the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes until they start to brown and caramelize.
- Reduce the heat to medium to low. Add the apple cider and deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits as you go. Simmer for about 3 minutes and then add the chicken broth and balsamic.
- Add in the garlic cloves and the sage and thyme sprigs. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add in the turkey breast. Spoon the sauce over the turkey breast and then add the slices from one of the apples.
- Cover and braise in a preheated oven for 1 hour. If your breast is larger or you have a bone-in breast you may need more time. Turkey is done when it reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.
- When the turkey is done, remove the Dutch oven lid and add the slices from the second apple. Broil for 2 minutes. If your breast has skin on it this will especially help the skin to become crispy.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and then remove the turkey breast. Set aside and cover. Remove all the apples with a slotted spoon, reserving all the drippings in the Dutch oven.
- To make the gravy, add 1/8 cup of flour and 1/2 - 1 cup of chicken broth to the Dutch oven. Simmer for 5 minutes and then remove.
- Serve the turkey with additional fresh sage, fresh sliced apples if desired and the gravy.
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