This slow cooker turkey breast is coated in seasoned herb butter and cooked to tender perfection in the crockpot. It’s a great way to free up oven space for your big Christmas feast, and the turkey always comes out delicious! Making this slow cooker turkey is a hassle-free way to have a great and attractive main meal. My crockpot turkey is served with two favorite side dishes: cranberry jello salad and bacon brussels sprouts. Pecan pie bars and pumpkin meringue pie should be served for dessert.
How to Make Turkey Breast in Slow Cooker?
If you’re feeding more people, you can use a whole breast instead of a half breast.
Double the amount of seasoned butter in the recipe and continue. You’ll also have to extend the cooking time. Do you like your skin to be crispy? I’m in the same boat. The turkey is grilled for a few minutes after it comes out of the slow cooker to get the skin crispy and golden brown.
You’ll need a larger circular slow cooker to cook a turkey breast, and a regular circular slow cooker will be insufficient. I strongly advise using a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast because it will be less prone to dry out.
Spreading the butter mixture evenly over the turkey can be tricky at times. Make the process run easily, make sure your butter is very soft, and let your turkey breast sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before seasoning it.
A typical-sized turkey breast will take about 6 hours to cook on low heat. When a thermometer put into the thickest portion of the meat reaches 165 degrees F, the turkey is done. Make sure to modify the cooking time if you’re using a larger or smaller turkey breast. Whether it comes to determining when the turkey is done, I like to use the thermometer reading rather than the number of hours in the crockpot.
Ingredients
- 6 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast
- Four tablespoons of softened butter
- One teaspoon of powdered garlic
- Two teaspoons of powdered onion
- 2 tsp. paprika (smoked)
- One teaspoon thyme, dry
- One teaspoon of kosher salt
- a half teaspoon of pepper
- 1 peeled large onion, cut into 1 inch thick slices
- Optional garnish of fresh herbs
- spray for cooking
For the gravy
- a quarter-pound of butter
- flour (four tablespoons)
- 1 cup broth (chicken or turkey)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine four tablespoons of butter, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is well blended.
- Remove the turkey’s skin and loosen it. Spread half of the butter mixture under the turkey’s skin and the other half all over the turkey’s top.
- Coat the bottom of a big oval slow cooker with cooking spray and layer the onion slices on top.
- On top of the onion slices, place the turkey breast. Cook for 6 hours on low, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the breast reads 165 degrees F.
- Place the turkey breast on a baking pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to broil.
- Broil the turkey for 4-5 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and golden brown.
- Drain the liquid from the slow cooker and discard the sediments using a filter.
- In a medium saucepan, melt four tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it is completely combined.
- Cook for 1 minute with the flour and butter combination.
- Fill the pan with 1 cup of filtered drippings and 1 cup of chicken broth.
- Cook, stirring regularly, for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce has barely thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the turkey slices with gravy on the side. If desired, garnish with fresh herbs.
How Long does a Turkey Breast Take to Cook in a Slow Cooker?
Place the turkey breast on top, elevating it. Slow cook on LOW for 6 hours (do not use high) or until an internal thermometer in the center reaches 165F/75C. If possible, check the interior temperature after 5 hours. Place the turkey in the crockpot and cover it gently. Cook your turkey on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours, or until an internal temperature of 170 degrees F in the thickest portion of the breast and 180 degrees F in the thigh has been reached.
Place the turkey breast on the onion in the pan (breast meat side up). Drizzle the oil over the breasts in an equal layer. Reduce the temperature to 175 degrees after 15 minutes of roasting. Roast for 8 to 9 hours, or until the internal temperature of the breast meat is 165 to 170 degrees when removed from the bone. The basic rule is that a turkey breast should be roasted for 20 minutes per pound. So, if my turkey breast weighs 7 pounds, it will take 140 minutes to cook (2 hours and 20 minutes).
In the Crockpot, Should the Turkey Breast be Cooked Up or Down?
Another way to ensure juiciness is to cook the turkey breast down and then rest it breast side down, allowing all of the liquids to collect in the breast meat. As you program your cooking, take in mind that each slow cooker warms differently and the actual size of the turkey. The liquids from the turkey cook down to the breast, resulting in the most succulent meat. The breast is also better shielded from the heat, preventing it from becoming overly dry. Use a meat thermometer to eliminate any guesswork about when the turkey is done.
We’ve discovered that if you cook a turkey upside down, the roasting rack can leave unattractive markings and indents on the turkey’s breast. If you try to flip it, you risk tearing the skin. Roast the bird right-side-up for the most stunning results. Reduce the heat to 350°F and place the turkey in the oven. Roasting turkeys breast-side up is recommended. Some folks prefer to start the turkey breast-side down to protect the breast flesh, but we can’t imagine flipping a hot, sputtering turkey.
What’s the Best Way to Prepare a Boneless Butterball Turkey Breast?
Place the roast in the slow cooker with the skin side up. 12 cup liquid should be added. Cook on LOW for up to 8 hours or HIGH for up to 4 hours, or until a minimum internal temperature of 165oF is reached when tested with a meat thermometer. Turkey must reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit in four hours. Roasting time ranges from 134 to 214 hours. Check internal temperature throughout the last 12 hours by placing a thermometer into the thickest portion of the roast or breast.
When the internal temperature hits 165°F to 170°F, remove it from the oven.350°F is ideal for cooking a turkey breast. However, 325° will work, but it will take a little longer, the skin will not be as crisp, and it may take a little longer to dry. 375° is too hot, and the skin will cook extremely quickly. In a shallow roasting pan, place the breast on a rack. Brush with oil to keep it from drying out. Do not use a cover. Cook for 4 hours, or until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).
When it Comes to Turkey Breasts, How do you Determine When They’re Done?
To ensure that your turkey is cooked to the proper temperature, you need a meat thermometer. Place it close to the thigh bone, but not touching it. It’s done when the thigh temperature reaches 180°F, and the breast temperature reaches 170°F. The turkey is done when the thickest section of the breast meat reaches 165°F. After 1 hour of roasting, check the breast for doneness every 10 to 15 minutes until fully cooked. The standard is 15 to 20 minutes per pound (about 1/2 kg) at 325°F to 165°F internal temperature. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes on the counter, covered with foil, and circulation the juices before carving.
In general, 20 minutes per pound of turkey breast at 350°F is a good rule. A lower temperature will take longer to cook the meat, whereas a higher temperature will cook it faster. There is no hard-and-fast guideline for cooking a chicken all the way through without burning it, though “low and slow” is a decent rule to follow. All of our temperature instructions assume you’re cooking at 325°F, but you can cook it at a slightly lower temperature for the same amount of time or slightly less.
Can I Use a Slow Cooker to Cook a Frozen Turkey Breast?
Yes, it is correct. A delicious turkey breast may be made in the crockpot on any night of the week. This slow-cooked turkey breast is a terrific weekday meal since you can take it out of the freezer before work, throw it in the slow cooker, and come home to a delicious home-cooked supper.No, a frozen turkey breast cannot be cooked in a crockpot. Because it is a food safety problem, you should never put frozen meat in the crockpot. It’s possible that your meat isn’t completely thawed, resulting in undercooked meat. A 3-pound boneless turkey breast will take 3-4 hours on low in a crockpot.
After 3 p.m., check the temperature to see where it is. It will take 4-6 hours on high or up to 7 hours on low to cook a bone-in turkey breast, depending on how big it is. The solution is straightforward! At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, cook for 20 minutes per pound. Because my turkey breast weighed 3 pounds, I roasted it for 60 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re ever in doubt about whether your bird is done, an instant-read thermometer can be a lifesaver.
Conclusion
Crockpots and Instant Pots will both work. Especially when the crockpot does all the work, I’ll take care of everything. So, if you don’t want to roast a full turkey this Thanksgiving, try this slow cooker recipe. Cooking two turkey breast halves in a slow cooker takes only 3-4 hours. After those 3-4 hours, you’ll have all the open space you’ll ever need for the rest of your sides. What is the outcome? Juicy, moist, and tender turkey breast flesh. Don’t worry about browning it in the slow cooker; it does so beautifully. It’s not necessary to broil it. What about all those delectable drips? You can strain them to make the most delicious gravy you’ve ever tasted.
