This crock pot turkey breast recipe is a great alternative to a whole turkey or chicken and fits much better in the crock pot. No reason to take up all that oven space with a turkey if a turkey breast is enough to feed your whole family. This is also a great recipe for a whole chicken in the crock pot.
I'll admit it, I am one of those people who makes a turkey at Thanksgiving and otherwise only has it sliced between two pieces of bread.
So, I recently bought one, or rather a turkey breast.
It has been chillin' in the deep freeze waiting for me to remember it was out there. So, Sunday as we were trying to get out the door for church and Sunday school, I decided to get it out and throw it on the counter. Please do not criticize my thawing techniques. It was rock solid and would have taken days to thaw in the fridge. And besides, all those bacteria cooks out.
Crock Pot Turkey Breast Ingredients
To make a crock pot turkey breast you will want to make brine since it will be in the slow cooker. In addition, you will want lots of veggies for when it is cooking. Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Whole Turkey Breast - This a bone-in turkey breast that will have the breast cavity fill with all the veggies. I am sure a boneless turkey breast would work as well. In addition, a whole chicken could be made with this recipe.
- Brown Sugar - For the brine. Trust me, a little sweetness will be a good thing.
- Sea Salt - Salt locks in the water. For the brine, you will want to lock in the water.
- Celery - I think you have to have celery with turkey. My grandma told me that I think.
- Onion - Onions add more moisture and flavor. Sweet onions are my go to onions.
- Garlic cloves - Just get a whole garlic bulb. You need garlic for the brine and for the turkey. Garlic all the way.
- Green bell pepper - Honestly, it doesn't have to be green. Any color of bell pepper will be fine.
- Baby Carrots - I just feel like root vegetables are necessary at thanksgiving. So I tossed in carrots for good measure.
- Butter - Fat is flavor and we all need more flavor. Bring on the butter.
- Chicken Roasting Seasoning Salt - I have transitioned to rotisserie chicken salt. Still just as good.
How to Make a Turkey Brine
When we got home I decided I would try to grill the bird breast. And if I am going to be grilling a large hunk of meat, of course, I need to brine it! So, I grabbed one of my two-gallon zipper bags and threw the hunk of meat in. Grabbed a handful of garlic cloves, whacked 'em, peeled 'em and tossed them on the turkey.
Seriously, whole smashed garlic cloves.
I knew I didn't have much time for the breast to brine, so I kept the brine recipe simple.
8 cups of water
ยฝ cup of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of Famous Dave's Roasting Chicken Seasoning
1 Tablespoon of sea salt
Mix add it all to the large measuring bowl and whisk together.
Pour over top of the turkey and garlic and seal the bag, getting all the excess air out.
Put in the fridge for two hours to two days. Now, in a perfect world where said turkey breast thaws and is ready to go on the grill by five, we would have at turkey last night. However, this bad boy was still frozen solid at 6:30 p.m. So, we at popcorn for supper.
But, Monday was a totally different story. Turkey, meet crock pot!
How to Make a Turkey Breast in the Crock Pot
Drain the brine off the turkey. Then fill the turkey breast cavity with the veggies and two slabs of butter as well as sprinkle in some more chicken roasting seasoning. Tossed the rest of the veggies around the turkey, drizzled the breast with olive oil, and doused it in seasonings. Before putting the lid on, I added about ยฝ cup of water.
Then, I literally smashed the lid down on the crock. The breast was a bit large and barely fit in the six-quarter. But, it roasted all day. And was ready for dinner when we all got home. The turkey meat literally was falling off the bone. No need to carve this crock pot turkey breast.
Thanks turkey farmers, for another great Thanksgiving meal. But honestly, this is a great recipe anytime of the year.
Thanksgiving Recipes
๐ Recipe
Crock Pot Turkey Breast
Ingredients
Brine
- 8 cups water
- ยฝ cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons Famous Dave's Roasting Chicken Seasoning Salt
- 1 Tablespoon of sea salt
- 1 Turkey Breast
Crock Pot
- 3 stalks of celery chopped
- ยฝ cup carrots chopped or baby carrots
- 1 green pepper rough chopped
- 1 onion rough chopped
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 4 tablespoons butter divided in half
- Chicken Roasting Seasoning
- Olive oil
Instructions
Brine
- Mix brine ingredients together.
- Place turkey breast in a large Ziploc bag and power brine over top.
- Refrigerate overnight.
Crock Pot
- Toss vegetables together and season with seasoning salt.
- Fill the breast cavity with the veggies and two slabs of butter.
- Any leftover veggies left add around the turkey
- Drizzle the breast with olive oil and doused in seasonings.
- Add about ยฝ cup of water.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours
Nutrition
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Jent
Is there something wrong with the way WE thaw meat????
This looks really good - can't wait to try it!
LuAnn
That looks fabulous! Did it taste just as good?
Four Ransom's
Look delicious...I just might have to steal this recipe!
Jane @ Going Jane
Looks yummy, Leah! But my fave part if the popcorn for dinner. My kids ate cereal for dinner last night bc I'm recovering from the sickies and the thought of cooking made me, well...sick! lol! ๐
covnitkepr1
My first love is Jesusโฆthen my wife of 45 yearsโฆthen cooking. I really enjoyed looking over your cooking blog. I will follow it from here as I see no follow widget on it.
BTW...everything looks yummy!!!
alicia
This sounds perfect for a busy day. Plus it turned out beautiful. WOW! Thanks for sharing and linking up to Tasty Tuesdays.
Cookin' Mama
OH... this turkey breast looks good. Might have to remember that come Thanksgiving ๐ Thanks for sharing.
Katie @ On the Banks of Squaw Creek
lol. So let me get this straight - first, brine the turkey as if you were going to grill it, but then, put it in the crockpot? lol again.
Glad you enjoyed it!!!
Oh, and I thaw meat the same way. ๐
Samantha
Hunk of Meat Mondays--I love it:)
I have never cooked a turkey before, but this looks relatively do-able. For thanksgiving, we deep pit them in the ag department as a fundraiser--It is the easy way out ๐
Candace
What a great way to make a turkey breast! I've never thought about making it in my crockpot. I'm definitely going to have to borrow this recipe. Thanks!
Melissa
Hi - I am making this (now) for Thanksgiving and was wondering how many hours you cooked it for and did you cook it on high or low? I assume low but wanted to make sure.
Leah @ Beyer Beware
I cooked it on low for probably 8 or 9 hours. I would say minimum of 6 hours on low. Just make sure it is 165 degrees when you shut the crock off!