There’s no reason not to use an electric roaster to cook your turkey—every time it comes out perfectly moist and tender, and you can use your oven for other things. Electric roaster ovens also keep food moister longer than regular ovens, so you don’t have to worry about dry turkey.
You can read everything you need to know about how to cook a turkey in an electric roaster oven in this post. First, I’ll answer some of the most common questions people have about electric roasters. Then I’ll give you the recipe and simple steps to cook the best Thanksgiving turkey ever!
Electric roasters make cooking a flavorful and moist turkey breast so easy. With the right techniques you can use a countertop electric roaster to bake a perfect turkey breast packed with flavor and with deliciously crisp, browned skin.
As someone who loves hosting Friendsgiving and other small holiday gatherings I’ve found that roasting a bone-in turkey breast in my electric roaster is much simpler than wrestling a whole turkey into the oven.
In this guide, I’ll explain how to prep, season, and roast a savory turkey breast in an electric roaster so you can enjoy ideal results with minimal effort.
Benefits of Using an Electric Roaster
Electric roasters provide a few advantages over conventional oven roasting:
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Consistent, even heating: Electric roasters surround the turkey breast with gentle, ambient heat for uniform cooking. No hot or cold spots!
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Self-basting lid: The tight lid keeps moisture locked in. Some lids have spikes that self-baste the breast as it cooks.
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Hands-free roasting: After starting the roaster, you don’t have to watch and baste the turkey like in the oven. Just let it do its thing.
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Frees up oven: You can use the oven to cook sides at the same time.
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Portability: Roasters are easy to transport to serve turkey at potlucks or gatherings away from home.
Picking the Right Size Turkey Breast
When cooking a turkey breast in an electric roaster, you want to select the appropriate size breast for your particular roaster:
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Small (12-16 cups): Opt for a 2-3 pound boneless turkey breast.
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Medium (18-22 cups): Choose a 3-4 pound bone-in split turkey breast.
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Large (24+ cups): Go for a 4-6 pound whole bone-in turkey breast.
Making sure you have a breast that fits comfortably in your roaster is key for even cooking. Crowding the breast can lead to uneven roasting.
Seasoning Your Turkey Breast
One of the joys of cooking a whole turkey breast rather than just cutlets is that you can really pack it with seasonings. Here are some of my favorite ways to add big flavor:
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Herb butter: Blend butter with chopped rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper. Loosen skin and rub some under. Spread the rest on top of skin.
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Dry rubs: Coat the breast in bold spice rubs like smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
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Citrus and herbs: Fill the cavity with orange, lemon, lime slices and fresh herb sprigs. They impart flavor as the turkey cooks.
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Aromatics: Stuff the cavity with quartered onions, carrots, celery and garlic for extra moisture and flavor.
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Brine before roasting: Soaking in a saltwater brine ensures a super juicy and seasoned breast.
Get creative and use your favorite flavors! A turkey breast can handle almost any seasoning blend.
How to Cook a Turkey Breast in an Electric Roaster
Cooking your flavored-up turkey breast in an electric roaster is remarkably easy. Just follow these simple steps:
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Heat roaster: Preheat your empty roaster to 325°F. This moderate temp prevents overcooking.
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Prep breast: Pat the breast dry. Truss or tie into a tidy shape if desired. Rub with oil and seasonings.
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Insert probe thermometer: Place probe end into the thickest part of the breast and run the cord out under lid.
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Add 1 cup liquid: Add broth, wine or water to the bottom of the roaster. This keeps things moist.
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Roast breast: Place seasoned breast directly on the roaster rack. Close the lid snugly.
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Cook to temp: Roast until the thermometer reaches 160-165°F. Check periodically and add liquid as needed.
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Rest before slicing: Remove breast and let rest 15 minutes before slicing for juicy results.
It’s that simple! Let your electric roaster do all the work for a phenomenally juicy and delicious turkey breast.
Common Electric Roaster Turkey Questions
If you’re new to using an electric roaster for turkey, here are some quick answers to common questions:
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How long per pound? Cook bone-in breast for about 18-20 minutes per pound at 325°F. Boneless cooks faster.
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What size breast? See the size recommendations earlier based on your roaster’s capacity.
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Baste or not? No basting needed – the self-basting lid does this automatically!
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Can I stuff it? You can loosely stuff the cavity but cook time will be longer. Adding flavor ingredients is better.
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Brined or unbrined? Brining isn’t required but does make the breast super moist and tasty.
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Foil the lid? Foiling the underside of the lid reduces browning if it cooks too fast.
Get Roasting!
Now you’re ready to prep and roast the best turkey breast of your life using the handy electric roaster in your kitchen. With the right techniques, you can enjoy a beautiful, delicious holiday meal the easy way. Impress your family and friends with your moist and flavorful roasted turkey breast this season!
What’s The Best Electric Roaster Oven?
I can’t speak to the quality and performance of all electric roaster ovens, but I would certainly recommend the one I own! I have the Oster 22-Quart Roaster Oven, which I like because it’s large enough for a 22 lb turkey, has a removable pan and roasting rack for easy clean-up, and offers a wide range of cooking temperatures (150–450ºF).
There must be a lot of other great brands and models out there, though, so don’t be afraid to give one another try if it gets mostly good reviews!
How Big Of A Turkey Can I Cook In An Electric Roaster?
Thanks to their domed lids, some large electric roaster ovens can accommodate up to a 25 pound turkey. When you look for a roaster oven, the size may be given in quarts, but the product description will usually also say how big of a turkey it can fit. (As a point of reference, a 22-quart electric roaster oven will typically fit turkeys up to 28 pounds. ).
The BEST and easiest Turkey Breast cooked in the Electric Roaster. Plus mouthwatering gravy too!
FAQ
Do you cook a turkey breast up or down in an electric roaster?
Is it better to cook turkey in a roaster oven or regular oven?
Do you put liquid at the bottom of an electric roaster for turkey?
Should I cover my turkey with foil in a roaster?