Turkey Breast Roasting Times

Whether you are cooking turkey breast or a whole turkey, one of the most popular methods used is roasting. When cooking turkey breast, the roasting process tends to evaporate and reduce the moisture content, shrinking the fibers and making the meat tough, so it is important to follow the proper steps for roasting and use the right turkey cooking times to ensure the best results. When roasted properly, the turkey breast will be moist and tender with excellent flavor.

There are many turkey recipes that you can prepare, which create delicious dishes from the turkey breast alone or with a combination of breast and dark meat. For more turkey cooking methods in addition to roasting, see Turkey Cooking Guide. You can also learn more turkey preparation, handling, and storage information with the complete Turkey Guide.

The turkey breast cooking times may vary greatly, depending on a number of variables that affect the cooking time such as the shape of the turkey breast, the proportion of meat to bone, the variations in different ovens, the altitude, and if the turkey is fresh or frozen and then thawed. Adding the confusion is that almost every source providing roasting times is different from one another. Listed below are roasting times that can be used as a general guideline. However, the only true gauge for determining proper doneness is with a meat thermometer. The breast must reach an internal temperature of 170Â°F .

A shallow baking pan will yield the best results when roasting a turkey breast, allowing air to flow completely around the turkey breast.

Roasting Times for a Turkey Breast Cooked in a 325Â°F Conventional Oven
Weight	Unstuffed	Stuffed
2 to 3 pounds	1Â½ to 2 hours	not generally applicable
4 to 6 pounds	1Â½ to 2Â¼ hours	not generally applicable
7 to 8 pounds	2Â¼ to 3Â¼ hours	3 to 4 hours