Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

It's turkey talk here, my friends, a column stuffed (!) full of useful turkey tips. Maybe you've been wondering why or how to cook a turkey breast in a slow cooker. Or how to make turkey gravy or turkey stock. Or what to do with those little sacks of giblets found inside turkeys. So many tips for cooking a Thanksgiving turkey! (Or better still, a pre-Thanksgiving turkey just to make turkey stock for gravy on Thanksgiving Day or make certain there's leftover turkey for sandwiches!)

Whole Food, Simply Prepared, "Plain" But Perfect. A Long-Time Family Favorite. Another Quick Supper, a Kitchen Parade Specialty. Hearty & Filling. Budget Friendly. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Great for Meal Prep. Potluck & Party Friendly. Low Carb. Low Fat. High Protein. Weight Watchers Friendly.

~ PIN This Recipe ~

~ PIN This Recipe ~

~ Skip Straight to the Recipes ~

~ Slow Cooker Turkey Breast ~
~ How to Make Turkey Gravy ~
~ How to Cook Turkey Giblets ~
~ How to Make Turkey Stock ~

COMPLIMENTS!

• "I also made your turkey gravy which was THE BEST!!!!!!" ~ Anonymous

BEST RECIPES!

• Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Made the List!
• Best Recipes of 2008

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It's Not Too Early To Begin Planning for Thanksgiving

People are beginning to plan their Thanksgiving menus. I can tell: already people are poring over the collection of My Very Best Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes at A Veggie Venture, especially the World’s Best Green Bean Casserole, the traditional holiday casserole, except updated with fresh green beans and fresh mushrooms, so many rave reviews!

We Could Go Out ... or Order In.

The traditional Thanksgiving meal has many moving parts. It’s not hard to cook, it just takes planning and plotting.

This morning I saw a supermarket ad, a full Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce and rolls) for eight for $8 a plate.

Whew. That’s a bargain, I understand its appeal.

Still, isn’t there a psychic pleasure in cooking special family meals ourselves?

For the next few weeks, my aim is to offer up simple Thanksgiving recipes to give cooks new confidence to tackle the Thanksgiving meal. How about this list, that first year?! Since then, I've added dozens more Thanksgiving recipes to the collection.

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JUST THIS MONTH
~ Make-Ahead Fresh Green Bean Casserole ~
~ Perfect Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (Party Potatoes) ~
~ Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars ~
~ Pumpkin Pecan Pie ~

SINCE 2008
more
~ Thanksgiving Recipes, Menus & More ~
~ My Very Best Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes ~

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First Up, That Thanksgiving Turkey.

It’s oh-so-easy to cook a turkey breast in a slow cooker. I’m newly in love with a programmable slow cooker, especially the "keep warm" setting that turns on automatically once the food is cooked.

But more than that – this is the real magic – the breast may be cooked and sliced the day before, then warmed in the microwave just before serving. This magic trick works for whole turkeys too, a trick I learned from my mother many years ago, and produces moist, flavorful turkey while avoiding all the kitchen mess just before serving. Neatniks will love this!

And for anyone comparing how to cook a breast in the slow cooker vs cooking a whole turkey? I've got you covered! See How to Dry-Brine and Roast a Whole Turkey.

Buy an Extra Turkey, an Extra Breast or Two.

Frugal shoppers know that during November and December, turkey is dirt cheap. I like to buy an extra turkey breast — or two or three.

Some times it's to have extra white meat for our Thanksgiving meal or after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches or turkey soup.

Some times it's to have a breast on hand for an easy, healthy slow cooker supper during the holidays or the winter months.

And there's nothing easier than cooking a turkey breast in the slow cooker, you're going to love this recipe!

When to Cook a Turkey Breast

• For a hot meal for the end of a long day.
• For a small Thanksgiving gathering.
• A few weeks before Thanksgiving, perhaps to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving in October, just to make turkey stock for turkey gravy on American Thanksgiving some weeks later.
• A day or two before Thanksgiving, just to make sure there's enough turkey after Thanksgiving for sandwiches and casseroles. This is especially useful if you have a houseful for the holiday.
• A day or two before Thanksgiving, just to have for turkey leftovers. This is especially useful if you're not hosting your own Thanksgiving.
• Whenever turkey breasts go on sale!

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How About Some Fun Side Dishes?

~ Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple ~
~ Roasted Green Beans with Rosemary & Walnuts ~
~ Easy Brussels Sprouts Bites ~

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Bookmark! PIN! Share!

How do you save and share favorite recipes? recipes that fit your personal cooking style? a particular recipe your mom or daughter or best friend would just love? If a useful recipe like this inspires you, please do save and share! I'd be honored ...

~ PIN This Recipe ~

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SLOW COOKER TURKEY BREAST

Hands-on time: 20 minutes to start, 10 minutes to finish
Time to table: 3 – 7 hours
Serves: Varies with breast size, allow 1/2 pound uncooked weight (including bone) per serving

• 1 turkey breast, skin on, bone in, about 4 – 5 pounds, fully thawed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
• 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (I use No-Big-Deal Homemade Chicken Stock)

PREP Remove the sack of giblets (see Giblets) from inside the turkey. Rinse the breast inside and out under running water. Pat it dry with paper towels.

BROWN In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high until shimmery. Add the breast, letting it cook on all sides for 2 – 3 minutes per side until golden. Transfer the breast to the slow cooker, breast side down if possible, on its side if needed to fit.

START THE VEGETABLES In the same skillet, add the onion, celery and garlic and cook until just golden, stirring often. Stir in the thyme and pepper. Stir in the chicken stock. Pour this liquid over top of the breast in the slow cooker.

SLOW COOK Cover tightly and cook on Low for about 6 hours or on High for about 3 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the breast registers 165F/75C.

LET REST Transfer to a platter, cover the breast with foil while making the Turkey Gravy. (Alternatively, transfer all the pan liquids to a storage container to refrigerate or freeze to use for gravy later.)

Not into gravy? Let the turkey rest for 20 - 30 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve.

PREP FOR LEFTOVERS After serving, "pick the turkey" by cutting or tearing off as much meat as possible; refrigerate the meat for leftover-turkey sandwiches.

Use the breast carcass to make Turkey Stock.

ALANNA's TIPS

• TURKEY BREAST Before starting, make sure that the turkey breast will fit inside your slow cooker, preferably without touching the lid. If it doesn’t, cut the "breast" (which is actually both breasts) in half and cook them one at a time. For a rough guideline, a six-pound breast barely fits into a six-quart slow cooker.
• THYME Measure the thyme leaves into your hand, then rub between your fingers over the skillet to release the oils.
• MEAT SAFETY If needed, brush up on how to safely handle meat. For example, here, be sure to thoroughly clean your sink after rinsing the turkey. (And! put any cleaning tools into the dishwasher and any cleaning cloth into the laundry!) This is to prevent contaminating the sink with organisms lurking in the raw meat juices. In fact, the current guidance is to not rinse the turkey at all (so not to risk cross-contaminating the sink) but so far my brain resists this. But I do carefully clean my sink!

FOR MORE INFO If you "skipped straight to the recipe," please scroll back to the top of this page for ingredient information, ingredient substitutions, tips and more. If you print this recipe, you'll want to check the recipe online for even more tips and extra information about ingredient substitutions, best results and more. See https://www.kitchenparade.com/2008/11/slow-cooker-turkey-breast.php .

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per 3 ounces cooked breast meat: 133 Calories; 2g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 58mg Cholesterol; 54mg Sodium; 0g Carb; 0g Fiber; 0g Sugar; 25g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 3 & PointsPlus 3 & SmartPoints 3 & Freestyle 0 & myWW green 3 & blue 0 & purple 0 & future WW points CALORIE COUNTERS 100-calorie serving = 2.25oz (19g protein).

Adapted from The Healthy Slow Cooker: More Than 100 Recipes for Health and Wellness by Judith Finlayson. FYI I independently select cookbooks and other products here on Kitchen Parade — if you buy something after clicking a link, I may earn a small commission, no extra cost to you. This notice is required by U.S. law and good manners. My Disclosure Promise

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HOW TO COOK TURKEY GIBLETS

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Serves: Varies

FIRST, WHAT ARE GIBLETS? Giblets are the turkey’s heart, liver and gizzard.

WHERE DO YOU FIND THE GIBLETS? ARE GIBLETS IN THOSE LITTLE BAGS INSIDE A TURKEY? Yes! In a whole turkey, you'll find the giblets in a small paper bag inside either the neck end or the, ummmm, "other" end. Be sure to check both ends for a little bag, one will hold the turkey neck. A turkey breast package may or may not include giblets.

HOW TO COOK THE GIBLETS & NECK To cook the giblets (except the liver) and the neck, cover all but the liver with water and simmer gently for 30 minutes for a thick, flavorful stock that adds wonderful flavor to turkey gravy. If you like, chop up the cooked giblets and put them into the turkey stuffing, something like my Canadian grandmother's Sausage Stuffing (Turkey Dressing).

HOW TO COOK THE TURKEY LIVER Since there's just one small liver, cook it in a little butter until just barely cooked and eat it right out of the skillet. Cook's treat!

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TURKEY GRAVY

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Time to table: 20 minutes
Makes about 4 cups gravy

• Hot liquid from cooking the turkey breast in the slow cooker (or 4 cups No-Big-Deal Homemade Chicken Stock or 4 cups chicken broth)
• Liquid from cooking the giblets, optional
• 4 tablespoons flour
• Salt & pepper to taste

Transfer the liquid from the slow cooker (if you like, add the stock from cooking the turkey giblets too) to a large pot and bring to a boil on medium high. Stir together the flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. A tablespoon at a time at first, add about two cups of the liquid to the bowl, stirring to incorporate each addition before adding another. Slowly whisk the broth-flour mixture into the pot. Return the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer until the desired thickness is reached.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Half Cup: 56 Calories; 1g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 3mg Cholesterol; 171mg Sodium; 7g Carb; 0g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 4g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 2 & PointsPlus 4 & SmartPoints 2 & Freestyle 2 & myWW green 2 & blue 2 & purple 2 & future WW points

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HOW TO MAKE TURKEY STOCK

Even when the turkey meat is gone, the carcass will yield wonderful stock for using in soups, stocks, sauces and more. If you don’t have time to make stock right away, throw the carcass into the freezer for a day or two or even a week.

Otherwise, put the carcass, a rib or two of celery, a carrot or two and some onion wedges onto a baking sheet and put under the broiler – yes, the broiler. It will take about 10 minutes for the carcass and vegetables to brown. Don’t be afraid of a little burn, either, it really adds flavor.

Transfer the carcass and vegetables to a stock pot (or even back into the slow cooker on high) and cover with water. Add a bay leaf and about five peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer for about an hour. For the first 30 minutes, skim off and discard the gunk that accumulates on top.

Turn off the heat, let cool, then strain through a colander and discard the solids. For extra-clear stock, strain through cheesecloth one or more times.

I like to freeze the stock, How to Freeze Stock in Canning Jars.

But if you prefer, use freezer bags – and do be sure to use actual freezer bags, not just plain ziplock bags; the double-line bags work better than the zipper bags.

Two cups at a time, pour the stock into quart freezer bags, it helps to "stand" the bag up in a bowl, turn the tops over to the outside, then fill the bags through a funnel. Then seal tightly, making sure each bag is zipped up tight! Label and place carefully flat in the freezer; once the bags are frozen, you can store them upright.

For more tips about making turkey stock, see my cooking lesson for Homemade Chicken Stock, it's filled with tips and techniques. But really, making homemade stock needn't be a big production, I think of it as No-Big-Deal Homemade Chicken Stock and yeah, making turkey stock is also no-big-deal.

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Seasonal Cooking: Thanksgiving Planning Across the Years

Mashed Potatoes & Carrots Flaky Tender Pie Crust How to Make Flaky Tender Pie Crust (photo tutorial) (<< readers love this!) Slow-Cooker Turkey Breast Make-Ahead Fresh Green Bean Casserole Six Thanksgiving Menus How to Dry-Brine and Roast a Whole Turkey Sausage Stuffing (Turkey Dressing) Pumpkin-Stuffed Lasagna Rolls Homemade Butterhorns (Thanksgiving Crescent Rolls) Pumpkin Cheesecake

This Week On A Veggie Venture

~ Creamy Brussels Sprouts Gratin ~
~ Cauliflower Mac n Cheese with Ricotta ~
~ more Recent Recipes ~
A Veggie Venture

If you like Kitchen Parade's recipes, you'll love A Veggie Venture, my food blog about vegetables with more from-scratch recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, home to the famous Alphabet of Vegetables and vegetables in every course, seasonal to staples, savory to sweet, salads to sides, soups to supper, simple to special.

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Beyond a Great Sandwich:
Ideas for Turkey Leftovers or Planned Overs

more
~ recipes for cooked turkey ~

• THE RECIPE Turkey Wild Rice Casserole A festive make-ahead hot dish. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Turkey Tetrazzini A good way to use up leftover turkey or roast chicken.

• THE RECIPE Easy Tortilla Soup with Chicken or Turkey Quick to assemble. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Chicken or Turkey & Wild Rice Soup A hearty mix of leftover chicken or turkey, wild rice and butternut squash.

• THE RECIPE Easy Skinny Turkey Roll-ups with Fresh Veggies Just deli turkey, honey mustard and a few veggies.
• ANOTHER TAKE Ten-Minute Foolproof Enchilada Sauce Easy meal prep for Ten-Minute Enchiladas.

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Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

~ turkey ~

~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~

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This Turkey Tip Has Moved

How to Cook a Turkey the Day Before
please see

~ How to Dry-Brine and Roast a Whole Turkey ~

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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