Description
This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy recipe offers a deliciously simple way to prepare juicy, tender turkey breast with a rich, homemade gravy. Using a slow cooker ensures the meat remains moist and flavorful, while the aromatic vegetables and herbs create a savory braising liquid that is transformed into a luscious gravy. Perfect for an easy, hands-off meal that delivers classic comfort and harvest flavors without much fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey and Vegetables
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped medium
- 1 celery rib, chopped medium
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 5 lb turkey breast (bone in, skin on, trimmed of fat; skin removed later)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Gravy
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp fresh sage
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, celery, and crushed garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the vegetables become aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add Flour: Stir in the flour and continue cooking for about 2 minutes until the mixture turns golden brown. This step helps create a roux for thickening the gravy later.
- Deglaze and Transfer to Slow Cooker: Gradually add 1 cup of chicken broth to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom to incorporate flavor and smooth out lumps. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker.
- Prepare Braising Liquid: Pour the remaining chicken broth, water, dry white wine, fresh sage, and bay leaves into the slow cooker with the roux mixture. Stir gently to combine.
- Season and Cook Turkey: Season the turkey breast generously with salt and pepper. Place it skin side up into the slow cooker, ensuring it’s partially submerged in the braising liquid. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165°F (75°C).
- Rest Turkey: Remove the turkey from the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
- Separate Fat and Strain Liquid: Let the remaining braising liquid settle for 5 minutes. Skim off the fat from the surface using a large spoon or gravy fat separator. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan, discarding the solids such as celery and bay leaves.
- Make Gravy: Simmer the strained braising liquid over medium heat until it thickens, approximately 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Discard the turkey skin, carve the turkey breast into slices, and serve along with the warm, flavorful gravy.
Notes
- This recipe offers a convenient and low-maintenance way to prepare turkey breast with minimal hands-on time.
- The slow cooking process ensures the turkey breast remains juicy and tender while developing deep, rich flavors.
- Removing the skin after cooking reduces excess fat and results in a leaner meal option.
- Feel free to use either unsalted butter or olive oil according to your preference or dietary needs.
- The gravy can be thickened further by adding a slurry of flour or cornstarch mixed with water if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz turkey breast, 1/4 cup gravy
- Calories: 167 kcal
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 743 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
