Description
Succulent slow cooker bone-in turkey breast delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal kitchen effort. Herb-infused, juicy meat promises a delightful meal you can easily prepare with simple ingredients and hands-off cooking technique.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 (7-pound) bone-in turkey breast, skin on
Herbs and Spices:
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste
- 0.5 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
Liquid and Aromatics:
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large white or yellow onion, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks
- 0.5 cup (120 milliliters) orange juice (or substitute with chicken broth)
- 0.25 cup (60 milliliters) reduced sodium chicken broth
Gravy Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups broth (from turkey drippings in the slow cooker)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the slow cooker by lightly spraying the ceramic insert with cooking oil and distribute onion chunks evenly across the bottom.
- Remove turkey breast from packaging and thoroughly pat dry using paper towels.
- Create a flavor-packed herb butter by mixing softened butter with minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, paprika, and ground pepper.
- Carefully massage the herb butter mixture all over the turkey breast, gently lifting the skin to distribute seasoning underneath without tearing.
- Position the seasoned turkey breast atop the onion layer in the slow cooker.
- Pour orange juice and reduced sodium chicken broth around the turkey, ensuring liquid surrounds but does not completely cover the meat.
- Cover and cook on high temperature for approximately 3 hours or low temperature for around 5 hours, monitoring internal temperature until it reaches 160°F using a digital meat thermometer.
- For optional crispy exterior, transfer cooked turkey to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack and broil at 500°F for 5 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- To create an optional gravy, strain cooking juices and discard onion chunks, supplementing with additional broth if needed.
- In a separate saucepan, develop a roux by melting butter and whisking in flour, then gradually incorporate strained cooking liquid, simmering until thickened.
- Season gravy with salt and pepper, then serve alongside sliced turkey breast.
Notes
- Slow cookers provide gentle, moist cooking that helps prevent turkey from drying out, making it incredibly tender and flavorful.
- Rubbing herbed butter under the skin ensures deep seasoning and helps create a rich, aromatic result that penetrates the meat completely.
- Checking the internal temperature with a digital thermometer is crucial for food safety and achieving perfectly cooked turkey without overcooking.
- Broiling the turkey breast after slow cooking is an optional but fantastic technique to achieve a crispy, golden-brown skin that adds textural contrast.
- Homemade gravy using the cooking juices transforms the dish by capturing all the delicious herbs and turkey drippings for an extra layer of flavor.
- Allowing the turkey to rest after cooking helps redistribute juices, ensuring each slice remains moist and succulent when served.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg