One of my most valued kitchen tools is my trusty cast-iron skillet. In fact, I’m such a fan of cast-iron skillets I have several for different uses. I have one 10 inch skillet for stovetop and oven use and one I use for roasting on my grill. Cooking a turkey breast is much easier than preparing and roasting a whole turkey and it yields multiple meals (turkey and gravy with mashed potatoes, turkey hash on waffles, sandwiches, salads, soups, tacos, etc., etc.) This is the easiest, tastiest roast turkey recipe you will ever find. Rub the spices on your clean turkey breast, put it on a hot cast-iron pan in your covered grill or oven, walk away, and come back 1 ½ hours later to a golden brown, crispy-skinned, flavorful turkey breast. The versatile spice rub is also great on roast chicken or grilled or oven-baked wings. For turkey leg lovers, rub the spice on turkey legs and throw them on the grill for an hour or less and dig in. Why buy sliced deli turkey for sandwiches when you can slice your own freshly cooked breast meat at home for a fraction of the cost? Home cooking rules!

Spice Rubbed Roast Turkey Breast

Ingredients:

• 1 small turkey breast (approximately 5 pounds)

• 2 tablespoons canola oil (one to rub on the breast (optional) and one for the cast-iron pan)

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Spice rub from https://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2018/11/26/smoke-chicken-wings/

Preparation:
Preheat your grill or oven to 400F.

1. Wash and dry the turkey breast making sure to remove any giblets. (see Note)

2. Sprinkle the spice mixture on the inside of the breast.

3. Rub the oil all over the breast (optional) and sprinkle and rub the spices all over the outside of the bird.

4. Refrigerate the prepared breast uncovered for about 4 hours, removing it a half-hour before roasting. This step contributes to making the skin crispy and flavorful when fully cooked.

5. Preheat your cast-iron skillet to very hot.

6. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet and carefully place the turkey breast in the skillet. It will be a tight fit, but that’s ok.

7. Roast the turkey in a covered grill or your oven for 1 ½ hours or until the internal temperature of the breast reads 155-160F. on your meat thermometer. Once removed from the grill or oven the breast will continue to cook for approximately another 10 degrees. (see Note)

Note: if using a grill, you can add a nice smokey flavor to the turkey meat using a combination of soaked Apple and Mesquite wood chips either placed directly on your charcoal, or in a smoking tube or pierced foil packet in your gas grill.
Note: save the giblets, neck, and wingtips to combine with pre-made chicken stock, fresh herbs, onions, and celery for a flavorful stock to use for soup or gravy.

Wine paring: Pinot Noir, Burgundy, Viognier, White Cotes du Rhone blends, Dry Riesling