Crockpot Turkey Breast Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it safe to cook a turkey in a slow cooker on low? ›

For the purpose of having this turkey done fast, I cook it on HIGH heat setting, but you CAN cook it on low if you wish.

Roasting the bird slowly, at a lower temperature is the best way to achieve tender meat. You should still prep the bird with butter, salt, and pepper, as described above (or dry-brine it). To cook, set your oven to 325°F and roast for 3½ to 4 hours for a 12- to 14-pound bird.

Some recipes instruct you to cover only the turkey breast rather than the whole bird because the former cooks more quickly than the dark meat and is prone to drying out. In either case, remove the foil tent during the last 30 minutes of roasting time to encourage the crispiest skin possible.

Roasting Tips

Place roast, skin side up, on a flat roasting rack in a 2-inch deep roasting pan. Do not add water to pan. Roast uncovered according to Cooking Schedule or until meat thermometer in center of breast roast reaches 170° F and in center of turkey roast reaches 175° F.

Most slow cooker meals take 8-12 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high, but there are also recipes for slow-cooked meat that take up to 24 hours. If you want to avoid overcooking your dish, follow the given guidelines as closely as possible.

When the contracting muscle fibers reach 180° F they begin to break up. The bonds within the molecules begin to break down, causing proteins to unravel and the muscle meat becomes more tender. Of course the longer the turkey is cooked, the more the proteins are denatured and the meat gets tougher.

The idea is that by roasting your bird breast side down, it's further away from the heat source and the juices from the dark meat can trickle down to the white meat, resulting in juicier white meat that won't dry out. Then you flip the turkey right side up so the skin on the breast can crisp up in the oven.

Your turkey will cook more evenly and faster if you start it out at room temperature so remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. If you plan to stuff your turkey, wait until you're ready to put it in the oven before putting the stuffing in the turkey.

The Fork Method

To find out if your turkey is done without a thermometer, pierce the mid-thigh muscle with a fork, explains Johnson. "When the juices run clear, and no longer reddish or pink in color, it's a good indication that your turkey is done."

What are 2 ways to keep turkey from drying out? ›

Don't butter your bird

Placing butter under the skin won't make the meat juicier, though it might help the skin brown faster. However, butter is about 17 percent water, and it will make your bird splotchy, says López-Alt. Instead, rub the skin with vegetable oil before you roast.

A simple mixture of broth, butter, lemon, garlic, pepper, and salt delivers moisture and flavor to the white meat and enhances the texture and taste of the dark meat. If you're choosing to brine this bird and then inject it, do not add salt to the injection mixture because the turkey will end up being too salty.

It is not safe to cook any meat or poultry in an oven set lower than 325 °F. At lower temperatures, meat stays in the Danger Zone (between 40 °F and 140°F for too long.

Slow cookers are a perfectly acceptable and safe way of preparing food; however, because of the low temperatures produced, the following procedures should be observed.

When you're starting to think about going to bed, preheat your oven to somewhere between 170-180ºF. If your oven temperature does not go this low, set it to its coolest setting; anything up to 200ºF is fine.

Set your oven temperature no lower than 325°F. Place the turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. For more even cooking, it is recommended that you cook your stuffing outside the bird in a casserole dish.