Brined Turkey Breast with Spanish Spice Rub & Sour Orange Sauce
Sink your fork into this flavour-packed brined turkey breast recipe. It’s a fiesta of smoky spices and citrus zing that’s simply irresistible.
Ingredients
For the Turkey and Oranges:
Method
For the Turkey and Oranges:
- Place water in a large bowl or plastic container. Whisk in salt and sugar and let sit 5 minutes to dissolve. Add the turkey breast, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
- Heat griddle to medium-high. Remove turkey from the brining solution, rinse well under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the skin side of the turkey with the rub (see below for recipe). Using tongs, dip paper towels into the oil and oil the grates of the griddle. Place the turkey on the griddle, rub side down and cook until slightly charred and a crust has formed, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium, turn the turkey over and continue cooking, with the lid closed for 30 to 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the breast registers 70 degrees C (the temperature will continue to rise off the heat). Remove from the heat, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice into 1 1/4 cm thick slices.
- While turkey is resting, brush the cut side of oranges with oil and place cut side down on the griddle and cook until slightly charred. Ladle sour orange sauce onto a platter and top with the sliced turkey. Garnish with griddled oranges and parsley leaves.
For the Spice Rub:
- While turkey is brining, whisk ingredients together in a bowl.
For the Sour Orange Sauce:
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat on the grates of the griddle. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the orange juice, zest, and lime juice and cook until the mixture is reduced to about 125 ml. Stir in the honey.
- Add the chicken stock and cook until it's reduced to a sauce consistency, about 500ml.
- Strain the sauce into a bowl, whisk in the butter, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the thyme and parsley and serve hot.
Gobble up something special with our brilliant brined turkey breast recipe.
This brined turkey breast recipe with a Spanish spice rub and a sour orange sauce is a celebration of mouthwatering Mediterranean flavours, where succulent turkey meets a sunshine-bright sauce for a dish that’s anything but ordinary.
Start with a simple brine for your turkey breast - salt, sugar, and water - then smother with a vibrant blend of Spanish paprika, cumin, mustard, fennel, and black pepper - delivering a smoky, aromatic crust that’s sure to deliver the flavour.
After a golden roast, your brined turkey breast recipe is finished with a drizzle of sour orange sauce - a tangy-sweet medley of freshly squeezed orange and lime juice, honey, and butter, simmered with onion, garlic, and a sprinkle of fresh thyme and parsley. Every slice is juicy, tender, and bursting with citrusy zing, while the spice rub adds a Spanish flair that transports you straight to the sun-drenched markets of Seville.
This is restaurant-quality food made in your own kitchen, and now you know how to make an easy brine for turkey breast dishes, your culinary creativity will know no bounds! And if you’re wondering what to serve it with, how about a vibrant saffron rice or fluffy couscous to soak up the sauce. You can also pair it with roasted hasselback sweet potatoes and blackened green beans for a colourful, hearty spread. For a lighter touch, a crisp fennel and orange salad is the perfect palate cleanser. However you serve it, this brined turkey breast recipe is guaranteed to be the star of your next feast.
Feeling adventurous? Swap the oranges for blood orange or grapefruit for a new twist on the sauce, or add a pinch of smoked paprika to the rub for even more Spanish sizzle. And if you’re hungry for more global inspiration, why not try a traditional Moroccan beef tagine, an iconic Chinese char siu BBQ pork, or a classic Italian chicken cacciatore.
