It’s not Thanksgiving yet and you are already craving turkey and gravy. If this sounds right, then this slow cooker turkey recipe is for you. Easy enough to make without the pressure of a holiday and super tasty- this recipe features turkey breast slow cooked in a homemade gravy that you can place in the crock pot, set and forget until dinner time. It is so tender and perfectly cooked after about 7 hours that you may never want to make turkey in the oven again! Thanksgiving style turkey

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups no-salt added or low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup water

2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tablespoon dried

2 bay leaves

6-8 pound bone-in skin-on turkey breast

Salt and pepper

 

Instructions:

In a large, nonstick skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are lightly browned.

Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until the flour coating the veggies turns golden. Whisk in 1 cup of the broth, working to smooth out any lumps as it cooks and thickens. Stir in the remaining broth and water. Add the thyme and bay leaves.

Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Season the turkey breast all over with salt and pepper (see the note above about how much salt to use). Place the turkey in the slow cooker (breast side down). Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours until the internal temperature of the turkey breast reaches 165 degrees.

Carefully transfer the turkey breast to a cutting board (or 9X13-inch pan to catch any juices), tent with foil and let rest while preparing the gravy.

Strain the liquid in the slow cooker into a saucepan. Let it settle for 5 minutes or so and then skim the fat from the surface. Bring the gravy to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often, until it is slightly thickened. It won’t be as thick as traditional gravy but will be silky and slightly thick. If you’d like it thicker, simply whisk together a slurry of cornstarch and cold water (a tablespoon or so of cornstarch in a couple tablespoons of water) and stir the slurry into the gravy, simmering for 2-3 minutes.

Season the gravy with any additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Carve the turkey and serve with the warm gravy.

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Quick tip: This recipe also works great with chicken thighs rather than turkey breast.

Recipe and image courtesy of Mel’s Kitchen Cafe