Making turkey breast in the slow cooker guarantees moist, juicy meat every time. And it creates intensely flavorful drippings for homemade gravy. This slow-cooker turkey breast is perfect for Thanksgiving but it’s easy enough that you can pull it together anytime you’re in the mood for a turkey dinner (or a sandwich stuffed with leftover turkey).
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow or sweet onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 large carrots, chopped in half
- 2 stalks celery, chopped in halves or thirds
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 Zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 bone-in turkey breast (about 6 pounds; see Tip)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Arrange onion, carrots and celery in a single layer in the bottom of a 6- to 7-quart oval slow cooker. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth.
- Combine rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and lemon zest in a small bowl.
- Remove any excess skin from the neck of the turkey breast and gently loosen the skin from the breast by running your hands between the skin and the meat. Rub the herb salt over the turkey breast, both over and under the skin.
- Place the turkey on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees F, 3 to 3 1/2 hours on High or 6 to 7 hours on Low.
- Preheat the oven broiler. Transfer the cooked turkey breast to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Reserve the liquid in the slow cooker.
- Broil the turkey until the skin is browned, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure the skin crisps but does not burn. Loosely tent the turkey with foil and let rest while you make gravy.
- Strain the reserved liquid from the slow cooker into a measuring cup and add enough broth to make 2 cups. (Discard the vegetables.) In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour begins to smell toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly pour in the drippings and broth, continuing to whisk until the liquid is incorporated and no lumps remain. Cook, whisking frequently, until the gravy thickens and comes to a simmer.
- Carve the turkey breast by following the line of the breastbone with your knife to separate the meat from the bone. Slice and serve immediately with the gravy.
Tips
Tip: If your turkey breast has the rib cage attached, ask your butcher to remove it so the bone-in breast sits flat in the slow cooker.
Equipment: 6- to 7-quart oval slow cooker
Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 3 Oz.
Per Serving:
255 calories; protein 43.7g 88% DV; carbohydrates 3.9g 1% DV; dietary fiber 0.7g 3% DV; fat 6.1g 9% DV; saturated fat 2.7g 14% DV; cholesterol 120.8mg 40% DV; vitamin a iu 2154.4IU 43% DV; vitamin c 2.1mg 4% DV; folate 26.1mcg 7% DV; calcium 25.3mg 3% DV; iron 1.3mg 7% DV; magnesium 49.5mg 18% DV; potassium 449.6mg 13% DV; sodium 483.5mg 19% DV; thiamin 0.1mg 8% DV.Exchanges: 5 1/2 Lean Protein, 1/2 Fat
Courtesy of http://www.eatingwell.com.