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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy
Learn how to make the best Turkey Breast In the Slow Cooker. With juicy meat, a crisp golden skin, and a delicious gravy, this easy recipe covers everything you need to make the perfect turkey breast in the Crockpot!
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Servings: 6 Servings
Equipment
Ingredients
Turkey Breast:
- 5-6 lb bone-in, skin-on, turkey breast (I use a frozen Butterball or Shady Brooks Farm turkey breast). Thaw completely before using. *See note.
Turkey Rub:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted until very soft and spreadable but not hot.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried poultry seasoning, unsalted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Crockpot Aromatics:
- 1 large white onion - sliced into thick rings
- 4 cloves of fresh garlic, smashed
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Gravy Ingredients:
- Turkey drippings + unsalted chicken broth, enough to bring the drippings up to 2 cups, plus more to adjust consistency.
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold or room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Coarse Kosher Salt to taste
Instructions
To Make The Rub:
- Make the rub by mixing the melted butter, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl.
Prep The Turkey:
- Pat the turkey breast dry all over with paper towels. Then, gently loosen the skin from the breast meat, but don’t remove it, just create a gap where we can put the butter.
- Place the onion slices, smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, and fresh herbs in the bottom of a slow cooker.
Season and Cook The Turkey Breast
- Place the turkey breast in the slow cooker. If you’re using a double-breasted turkey, make sure it’s (mostly) upright so the skin doesn’t stick to the sides of the Crockpot and peel off later. I tuck a few chunks of onion underneath to keep it propped up and steady.
- Spread half of the herbed butter under the skin, coating as much of the meat directly as you can. Rub the rest of the butter on the outside skin of the turkey. Don’t worry about the bottom—the juices will baste it as it cooks.
- Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F on an instant read meat thermometer.
Brown The Skin (Optional)
- After the turkey is fully cooked, lower the oven rack to the second level from the bottom and move the turkey breast to a rimmed baking sheet. If it tips, prop it up with balls of foil or pop it on a roaster rack to keep it steady. Broil on HIGH for 5–7 minutes, rotating every 2 minutes until the skin is evenly golden and crisp. If the sides aren’t browning, lay the turkey on its side for a few minutes, flipping as needed. Cover any areas that brown too quickly with foil.
- Let the turkey rest for 15–20 minutes before slicing (I rest uncovered so the skin stays crisp). While the turkey rests, make the gravy.
To Make The Gravy:
- Strain the turkey drippings through a fine mesh strainer into a measuring cup, discarding the herbs, onion, and garlic. Add broth or water as needed to make 2 cups. Taste and dilute with water if the drippings are too salty.
- In a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly add the turkey drippings in three parts, whisking constantly and letting the gravy thicken a bit before adding each part. Continue whisking until all the liquid is added and the gravy is smooth.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 45-60 seconds or until the gravy has thickened. Add the pepper and taste to see if it needs more salt. See note*
- Once the turkey has rested, carve the breast off the bone (for bone in breasts) and cut it against the grain into even slices, keeping the crispy skin on top. Serve with the warm gravy.
Notes
- Most grocery store turkey breasts are pre-brined or packed in a salt solution, and this recipe is written for brined turkeys. If your turkey breast is unseasoned, use 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt or salted butter for a 5–7 lb turkey breast. Don’t add too much, because the drippings for the gravy will be inedible.
- Gravy note: feel free to adjust the recipe to your liking. For a thin gravy, whisk in a little extra chicken broth (after thickening) until you reach the consistency you want. If the gravy is too thin, mix 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and add it to the gravy a little at a time. The gravy will thicken in about a minute.
- For Boneless Turkey Breast (usually around 3 lbs): Reduce the salt and spices to ¾ tsp and butter to 4 Tbsp. Keep the aromatics and gravy ingredients the same.
If your boneless turkey has netting, remove and reserve it, season and butter the turkey as directed, then return it to the netting before cooking 3-4 hours on LOW. Crisp the skin with the netting on, and remove it after resting (before slicing).
Nutrition
Serving: 1lb | Calories: 703kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 76g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 262mg | Sodium: 1173mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 794IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg