• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • meet the team
  • blogger resources
  • Contact Me
My Account
Member Dashboard
40 Aprons Premium (Ad Free!)

40 Aprons

Delicious, Healthy-ish Meals for the Whole Family

  • All Recipes
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Cooking Basics
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Dessert
    • Main Course
    • Meal Prep
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Baking
    • Crockpot
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • Sous Vide
  • Dietary Needs
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Keto
    • Low Carb
    • Paleo
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Whole30
  • Cuisine
    • American
    • Asian
    • Indian
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican & Latin
    • Southern
Home Blog Course Main Course

Perfect Whole30 Turkey Breast and Gravy (Paleo Turkey Breast)

Cheryl Malik
Cheryl Malik Posted: 11/06/17 Updated: 12/22/22
5
/5
14 Comments
Jump to Recipe
DF Dairy Free GF Gluten Free P Paleo 30 Whole30

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy is epic: brined to perfection with an herb butter stuffed under the skin (using ghee, of course)! It’s my perfect Thanksgiving turkey made Whole30 Thanksgiving compliant, and it’s a must for any paleo Thanksgiving or Whole30 Thanksgiving! This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy might actually become your favorite turkey recipe…

This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy is epic: brined to perfection with an herb butter stuffed under the skin (using ghee, of course)! It's my perfect Thanksgiving turkey made Whole30 Thanksgiving compliant, and it's a must for any paleo Thanksgiving or Whole30 Thanksgiving! This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy might actually become your favorite turkey recipe...

I’ve been working on this ultimate turkey recipe for years.

Even before we hosted Thanksgiving on our own, I ended up on turkey duty years back. Having volleyed the task back and forth between them over the years, my parents had long tired of the weighty responsibility and scrutiny that comes with masterminding the primo dish at the biggest food-centric holiday in America.

This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy is epic: brined to perfection with an herb butter stuffed under the skin (using ghee, of course)! It's my perfect Thanksgiving turkey made Whole30 Thanksgiving compliant, and it's a must for any paleo Thanksgiving or Whole30 Thanksgiving! This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy might actually become your favorite turkey recipe...

Well, the white meat was so dry…

Well, if someone hadn’t deep fried the entire thing…

Well, if maybe the cook actually used a little salt now and again…

Well, if maybe you hadn’t lit the entire thing on fire…

This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy is epic: brined to perfection with an herb butter stuffed under the skin (using ghee, of course)! It's my perfect Thanksgiving turkey made Whole30 Thanksgiving compliant, and it's a must for any paleo Thanksgiving or Whole30 Thanksgiving! This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy might actually become your favorite turkey recipe...

Why’s the carpet all wet, Todd?

I don’t know, Margo!

You know, petty stuff. Back and forth between them, the non-cook never satisfied with their day of relaxation (Dear Thanksgiving Day of Relaxation, miss you always), always insistent on picking on the other out of defensiveness of their last year’s turkeys memories.

This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy is epic: brined to perfection with an herb butter stuffed under the skin (using ghee, of course)! It's my perfect Thanksgiving turkey made Whole30 Thanksgiving compliant, and it's a must for any paleo Thanksgiving or Whole30 Thanksgiving! This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy might actually become your favorite turkey recipe...

So eventually I took over, an impartial third party immune to poultry critique. I started with a simple recipe but was unsatisfied. As the years went on, I researched and researched, integrating new techniques and more key ingredients to produce the perfect bird. The recipe is in my free ebook The Complete and Total Guide to Thanksgiving, which you can download by joining my mailing list here!

It’s got absolutely everything you need to positively destroy Thanksgiving this year, from a weeks-out timeline to a minute-by-minute schedule the day of, what you can make ahead of time, what you need to make right then and there. Plus tried-and-true recipes for every single course, plus my epic turkey recipe. You’ve got to check it out!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

So when I wanted to make a Whole30 turkey breast with gravy (or perfect paleo turkey breast!), I knew I had to take what makes my regular turkey so special and make it compliant (and, hey, smaller, since there are usually fewer of us on a Whole30 at Thanksgiving!).

This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy is epic: brined to perfection with an herb butter stuffed under the skin (using ghee, of course)! It's my perfect Thanksgiving turkey made Whole30 Thanksgiving compliant, and it's a must for any paleo Thanksgiving or Whole30 Thanksgiving! This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy might actually become your favorite turkey recipe...

Brine.

Truss.

Herb butter under the skin.

Perfection. Every time.

Don’t skip the brining with this Whole30 turkey breast and gravy! Poultry dries out when cooking pretty easily, since you cook it all the way through, and that’s especially true for larger pieces. And don’t skip the herb butter either! It imparts the entire breast with a moist and heady infusion, and the richness of the thyme is too good to pass up. It all goes perfectly with my Whole30 Thanksgiving recipes series, so check those out, too!

To make this Whole30 turkey breast and gravy, I used…

Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy is epic: brined to perfection with an herb butter stuffed under the skin (using ghee, of course)! It's my perfect Thanksgiving turkey made Whole30 Thanksgiving compliant, and it's a must for any paleo Thanksgiving or Whole30 Thanksgiving! This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy might actually become your favorite turkey recipe...
5 from 4 votes

Whole30 Turkey Breast and Gravy (Paleo Turkey Breast)

Prep:12 hours
Cook:1 hour 45 minutes
Total:13 hours 45 minutes
This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy is epic: brined to perfection with an herb butter stuffed under the skin (using ghee, of course)! It’s my perfect Thanksgiving turkey made Whole30 Thanksgiving compliant, and it’s a must for any paleo Thanksgiving or Whole30 Thanksgiving! This Whole30 turkey breast and gravy might actually become your favorite turkey recipe…
Print Save Saved! Click Here to Remove Ads
4 people

Ingredients

For the Turkey Breast

  • 5 tablespoons ghee divided
  • 3 cloves garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 whole turkey breast skin-on
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the Brine

  • 9 cups water
  • ½ cup salt
  • 1 spring fresh thyme
  • 3 cloves garlic mashed

For the Gravy

  • ¼ cup drippings from pan or ghee
  • ½ of one onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups turkey stock
  • 1 cup chopped cauliflower fresh or frozen
  • 4 tablespoons arrowroot
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos to taste
  • sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Make the brine: Stir together all ingredients until salt is totally dissolved. Pour brine into large food storage container or Ziploc bag and place turkey breast in brine. Seal completely and refrigerate 12 hours.
  • Drain brine and let turkey breast dry until very dry. Pat dry with paper towels if necessary.
  • Preheat oven to 350º F.
  • Mix 3 tablespoons ghee, garlic, and thyme in food processor. Carefully, using your fingers, peel the skin away from the chicken breast and rub the butter mixture under the skin. If necessary, depending on your turkey breast, tie breast with kitchen twine to keep the breast tight. Rub the outside of the skin with the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee and season with salt and pepper.
  • In a roasting pan, fitted with a rack, place turkey, breast side up. Roast 1 hour then baste with any drippings. Roast another 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature reads 160º F. Remove from oven, loosely tent turkey with foil, and let rest while you make the gravy.
  • Heat drippings or ghee over medium heat, in your roasting pan or in a saucepan if desired. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and start to brown. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cauliflower, thyme sprigs, and turkey stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer until cauliflower is fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Remove thyme stems.
  • Transfer mixture to blender and blend until smooth.
  • In a small bowl, add arrowroot powder and a little water. Whisk until smooth, adding a little more water if needed. Return gravy to saucepan or roasting pan and stir in arrowroot slurry. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened. Add coconut aminos for color and taste, plus salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Notes

  • Add coconut aminos for color and taste, plus salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 359kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 14438mg, Potassium: 261mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 265IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 15g

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @40aprons on social and be sure to leave a review on the blog post!

Rate Recipe Tag Me on Instagram
Cheryl Malik

Meet Cheryl Malik

Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She's been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.

Read more...

You may also like...

  • This Whole30 Instant Pot turkey breast with gravy is quick, so delicious, and totally Whole30 compliant. Brined with a garlic-herb butter under the skin, this Whole30 turkey breast and the gravy are both made in the Instant Pot, making Thanksgiving easier! You'll love this Whole30 Instant Pot turkey breast and gravy, because the meat is so tender, and the gravy is so easy. Perfect for any Whole30 Thanksgiving or paleo Thanksgiving table. 
    Whole30 Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Gravy (Paleo)
  • bowl of creamy mashed potatoes topped with a rich Paleo Gravy and some chopped chives
    Easy Paleo Gravy (Whole30, Grain Free, Vegan Friendly)
  • Instant Pot turkey breast slices covered with gravy on a plate
    Instant Pot Turkey Breast

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Linda says

    Posted on 6/2/20 at 8:16 pm

    The first step says to “stir together all ingredients until the Salt is dissolved” I can’t tell from the recipe if there are ingredients that are just for the brine or if I should in fact put “ALL” the ingredients in the brine….
    I’m a novice at this- which ingredients go in the brine (salt, water….anything else??)

    Reply
    • Amelia Camurati says

      Posted on 6/5/20 at 3:08 pm

      Oh, no! It looks like our recipe formatting has been removed! The brine ingredients are 9 cups water, 1/2 cup salt, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, and 3 cloves garlic mashed. We are working to get this updated for you and others! Sorry for the confusion, but thanks for asking!

      Reply
  2. Margarita Perez says

    Posted on 11/27/19 at 3:56 pm

    I am roasting a 10 pound turkey breast, on the bone. Would you increase/change any part of the recipe? I was going to use a 2 gallon ziplock bag to brine the breast.

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says

      Posted on 3/19/21 at 12:03 pm

      Everything can stay the same, you can always the thyme.5 stars

      Reply
  3. L says

    Posted on 9/30/19 at 10:29 am

    It just says arrowroot… is that powder, flour, the actual arrowroot…?

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 9/30/19 at 1:48 pm

      Arrowroot flour.

      Reply
  4. Michelle says

    Posted on 12/25/18 at 5:12 pm

    I made this today and it was perfect! Thanks for the recipe. I will definitely be making it again ❤️5 stars

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 2/27/19 at 3:55 pm

      So happy you liked it!!5 stars

      Reply
  5. Lacey says

    Posted on 11/8/17 at 8:53 am

    What size turkey breast did you use?

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 11/8/17 at 2:39 pm

      I believe we used a 3 pound breast from Butterball5 stars

      Reply
      • Angie says

        Posted on 7/28/20 at 2:06 pm

        Cheryl, where did you find a compliant turkey breast tenderloin? They all have sugar as one of the preservation additives. Hard to find without it.

      • Amelia Camurati says

        Posted on 8/13/20 at 11:06 am

        Whole Foods is a good place to start!

Primary Sidebar

What’s Popular?

Reusable meal prep trays with sweet potato, scrambled eggs, and sausage for a whole30 breakfast

Whole30 Breakfast Meal Prep

Crispy, golden air fryer tater tots in a large white serving bowl next to a small ramekin of bright red ketchup.

Air Fryer Tater Tots

Overhead view of marry me chicken in a cast iron skillet

Marry Me Chicken (Chicken in a Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce)

Instant pot chicken and rice in a bowl

Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

In Season

Whole30 In-n-Out burgers close up

Whole30 Burgers – Burger Joint Style (Paleo, Low Carb)

Overhead photo of keto chicken tortilla soup in a rustic bowl

Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup (Low Carb, Gluten Free)

Air fryer chicken wings on a platter with sauce

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings in Buffalo Sauce

Instant pot frozen chicken breast - easy chicken recipes for dinners with few ingredients

Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast

As seen on:

More Goodies + NO Ads!

Become a 40 Aprons Premium Member!

All the 40 Aprons content you love - now even better.

  • Member-Exclusive Recipes
  • Meal Plans & Grocery Lists
  • eBooks
  • NO ADS!
Join now

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

Disclaimers

Contact

© 2023 40 Aprons
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
2263 shares