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Easy Crockpot Recipes for Turkey Breast
The exact cooking time for the turkey depends on the size of the bird and also the size of your slow cooker, so bear this in mind and keep an eye on it towards the end of the cooking time in case it is ready sooner than you expected. When a thermometer registers 180 degrees F you can just switch the crockpot to low and keep it warm. It has to reach that temperature inside though, in order to be safe to eat.
If you want to make roast turkey and you are also making other festive foods like yams, macaroni cheese, desserts and other things, you will find that roasting the turkey in your slow cooker frees up the oven for other things. You can cook a bone-in turkey breast or a whole turkey in the crockpot if you have a big enough machine. You can stuff a whole turkey if you are using it.
You can use whichever seasonings you like for the dry rub. If you fancy something a little different, you can use Cajun seasoning instead of the usual chicken ones like thyme and sage. You will not need to baste this turkey as it cooks. As long as you do not lift the crockpot lid too much, the bird will come out very succulent and moist. If you do want it extra crispy on top though, baste it a couple of times during cooking with egg whites or heavy cream.
Juicy Roast Turkey with Mixed Vegetables
Ingredients -
1 small turkey or a turkey breast, cleaned and trimmed
Vegetables (garlic, celery, fennel, bell peppers, potatoes, carrots and onion all work)
Turkey stock or vegetable stock
Dry rub (salt, pepper, marjoram, sage and thyme are possibilities)
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Preparation:
Rub olive oil all over the turkey and then season it inside and out with your seasoning mix. Ideally you should do this 24 hours before cooking it.
Chop the vegetables into big chunks. When you are slow cooking vegetables in a crockpot the vegetables get very soft and you do not want them to disappear, keep the chunks large.
Toss them with olive oil and use salt and pepper to season them. Arrange ¾ of them in the crockpot and pour in a little turkey stock or vegetable stock. This is only to produce steam so an inch would be enough.
Add the turkey to the crockpot and fill around the sides with the leftover chopped vegetables. Cover the crockpot and cook the turkey on high. The cooking time will range from 6 to 12 hours, depending on the size of the bird. When it is 180 degrees F in the center, it is done.
Carve the turkey and serve it with the vegetables arranged around the outside. You can thicken the liquid in the crockpot and use it as gravy if you want to. To do this, transfer it to a saucepan first, and simmer it, adding cornstarch dissolved in cold water to it.
(Serves 6)
Photo Description:
Lots of people choose turkey for their thanksgiving or Christmas dinner but they do not think about slow cooking it. A crockpot is a wonderful way to cook meat. As long as you add some stock, broth or soup to the slow cooker when you add the meat, the resulting steam will keep the bird moist and juicy, as well as infusing it with lots of flavor. The above recipe might not have exact quantities on it but you can use your judgment. You know what size of bird will fit in your crockpot and how many vegetables you like with your meat. As long as you have an inch of stock in there, the bird will come out perfect.
