A Slow Cooker Is The Key To A Juicy Turkey Breast That Frees Up Oven Space

If you own one of the best slow cookers money can buy or inherited one from your childhood, you probably know they're particularly useful and convenient for cooking large portions of meat. If you're making a fully fledged meal centered around bone-in turkey breast, a slow cooker can not only save you time but also free up extra cooking space in your oven or on your stove.

Turkey breasts can be tricky to cook since they're exceptionally lean, easily becoming dry. Slow cookers indirectly reduce preparation time thanks to the steam they create during the low-and-slow cooking process, which is helpful if you don't want to trouble yourself with making a brine for your usual roasted turkey recipe. Fortunately, slow cookers rely on lower cooking temperatures than conventional ovens while trapping moisture, which keeps cooked turkey perfectly juicy. Not to mention, if you cook a sizable turkey breast in your slow cooker, you have more time and space to make a few tasty side dishes.

Another benefit of using a slow cooker is this appliance does most of the work. Beyond priming your turkey breast for cooking, all you need to do is turn on your slow cooker's high or low setting for four to eight hours. Utilize a meat thermometer and pull the breast from your slow cooker once it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. In the meantime, you can prepare other foods and plan accordingly.

Prepare and season your turkey breast for optimal cooking and results. Add some chopped onions, carrots, and whole garlic cloves to the base of your slow cooker and then, for more flavor and texture, cover either the exterior of the turkey breast with cooking oil or place cubed butter beneath the skin. Once you rub your meat with salt, pepper, and other preferred seasonings, place the breast over the veggies, and set your appliance to cook on low or high.

Whether you're preparing a turkey breast for a simple weeknight dinner or large family meal around Christmas or Easter, having the extra space to make flavorful sides and accompaniments like perfect roasted potatoes, homemade stuffing, and bakery-worthy blueberry pie is key. Better yet, you can prepare these foods in accordance with the time it takes your turkey breast to cook.

Additionally, if you like the convenience of your slow cooker but prefer turkey meat with crispy skin, broil your cooked turkey breast on a lined sheet pan for approximately 10 minutes before serving. You can also reserve the meat's drippings for a quick homemade gravy. Since slow cookers transform lean turkey breast into delicious, pull-apart meat in mere hours, when it comes to serving, portioning this tender meat onto plates couldn't be an easier task.