Slow Cooker Turkey with No-Fuss Gravy

This sluggish cooker turkey breast is flavorful and moist and is an ideal easy-but-fancy dinner all 12 months spherical. Bonus: the gravy makes itself!

This turkey recipe is so unimaginable, it would make you rethink make turkey for Thanksgiving (and another dinner!).

Steps for Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

The causes this sluggish cooker turkey recipe is so superb are twofold. First: undeniably tasty turkey. Second: a gravy that principally makes itself within the sluggish cooker whereas the turkey cooks.

To prep the gravy and provides it a little bit of a head start:

1. Sauté coarsely chopped carrots, onions and celery in butter till barely tender.
2. Stir in flour after which broth.
3. Add seasonings.
4. Simmer for a minute or two till barely thickened.
5. Add this combination to the sluggish cooker earlier than the turkey.

Following this methodology means the gravy will just about be able to go on the finish of cooking time AND it permits the turkey to bask within the flavors whereas it sluggish cooks.

Boneless vs Bone-In Turkey Breast

This recipe works nice with bone-in or boneless turkey breast.

• If utilizing bone-in turkey breast, place it breast-side down within the sluggish cooker.
• If utilizing boneless turkey breast: hold the twine/netting on the turkey breast whereas it cooks. Also, relying on the scale, a boneless turkey breast will seemingly want a bit much less cooking time than a bone-in turkey breast.

In each circumstances (boneless or bone-in), I’ve used turkey breasts weighing lower than 5 kilos. It works wonderful, however once more, simply take care to not over prepare dinner or the turkey could also be dry. 

The turkey must prepare dinner till it registers not less than 165 levels F on an instant-read thermometer. I usually prepare dinner the turkey a bit longer – upwards of 175 to 180 levels F – and it’s nonetheless tender and scrumptious.

Finishing the Gravy

After the turkey is finished cooking, take away it from the sluggish cooker and tent with foil.

Strain all the pieces left within the sluggish cooker via a wonderful mesh strainer right into a saucepan. Discard the veggies and simmer the gravy within the pan for 10 to 12 minutes till barely thickened a bit extra.

The gravy might not be as thick as conventional gravy however might be silky and barely thick.

For a thicker gravy, whisk collectively cornstarch and chilly water (a tablespoon or so of cornstarch in a pair tablespoons of water) and stir the slurry into the gravy, simmering for 2-3 minutes.

A Versatile Dinner Recipe

While turkey is usually pigeon-holed into belonging solely to Thanksgiving, this sluggish cooker turkey breast recipe is ideal all 12 months spherical. It is simple sufficient for a weeknight however fancy sufficient for a extra formal weekend/Sunday dinner.

In reality, I usually make this recipe merely to have turkey meat to make use of in recipes like this pot pie or this leftover turkey soup (that’s so loopy scrumptious, we undoubtedly eat it extra than simply the week after Thanksgiving).

One Year Ago: Tortellini Sausage Soup
Two Years Ago: Black Bean & Pumpkin Chili
Three Years Ago: BBQ Turkey Quesadillas

Slow Cooker Turkey with No-Fuss Gravy

Yield: 8 Servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 hours hrs

Total Time: 7 hours hrs 30 minutes minutes

• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 giant carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ cups no-salt added or low-sodium hen broth
• ½ cup water
• 2 sprigs recent thyme or 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 to eight pound bone-in or boneless turkey breast (see word)
• Salt and pepper

Cook ModePrevent your display screen from going darkish

• In a big, nonstick skillet soften the butter over medium warmth. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and prepare dinner for 8-10 minutes, till the onion is translucent and the greens are frivolously browned.

• Stir within the flour and prepare dinner for 2-3 minutes till the flour coating the veggies turns golden. Whisk in 1 cup of the broth, working to clean out any lumps because it cooks and thickens. Stir within the remaining broth and water. Add the thyme and bay leaves.

• Scrape the combination right into a 6- or 8-quart sluggish cooker (smaller turkey breasts will slot in a 6-quart/bigger will want the house in an 8-quart sluggish cooker).

• Season the turkey breast on all sides frivolously with salt and pepper (see word beneath). Place the turkey within the sluggish cooker (breast aspect down if utilizing bone-in).

• Cover the sluggish cooker and prepare dinner on low for 5-7 hours till the interior temperature of the turkey breast reaches not less than 165 levels.

• Carefully switch the turkey breast to a reducing board (or 9X13-inch pan to catch any juices), tent with foil and let relaxation whereas getting ready the gravy.

• Strain the liquid from the sluggish cooker right into a saucepan. Discard the greens.

• Skim fats from the gravy, if wanted. Bring the gravy to a simmer over medium warmth and prepare dinner for 10 to fifteen minutes, stirring usually, till it’s barely thickened. It will not be as thick as conventional gravy however might be silky and barely thick. For a thicker gravy, whisk collectively cornstarch and chilly water (a tablespoon or so of cornstarch in a pair tablespoons of water) and stir the slurry into the gravy, simmering for 2-3 minutes.

• Season the gravy with further salt and pepper, to style, if wanted.

• Slice the turkey and serve with the nice and cozy gravy.

Salt: hold a detailed eye on the salt content material of this recipe. If you may’t discover no-salt added hen broth and use low-sodium, take care to not over salt the turkey breast as a result of the gravy could also be be too salty. It’s simpler so as to add salt on the finish, to style, slightly than find yourself with too-salty turkey and gravy.
Turkey Breast: this recipe works nice with bone-in or boneless turkey breast. Just a few notes: if utilizing bone-in turkey breast, place it breast-side down within the sluggish cooker. If utilizing boneless turkey breast: hold the twine/netting on the turkey breast whereas it cooks. In each circumstances (boneless or bone-in), I’ve used turkey breasts weighing lower than 5 kilos. It works wonderful, however once more, simply take care to not over prepare dinner or the turkey could also be dry. 

Author: Mel

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 500kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 69g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 193mg, Sodium: 686mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g

Recipe Source: tailored from a recipe referred to me by a long-time reader, Rebecca L., from America’s Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution (thanks, Rebecca!)

Recipe initially posted November 2013; up to date November 2024 with new images, recipe notes, and many others.