Mains · American
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
A herb-and-paprika rubbed turkey breast that cooks itself while you get on with the day.
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Hands-off
- 8 h
- Total
- 8 h 15 min
- Makes
- 12 servings
- Serves
- 12
10 minutes to season, 8 hours in the slow cooker (1 hour on HIGH, then about 7 on LOW), about 5 minutes to slice. The breast must be fully thawed before you start; thawing time is not included.
- easy
- gluten-free
- thanksgiving
- holiday
- slow-cooker
- hands-off
Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means
Scaling? Made for one bone-in breast of about 2.7 kg (6 lb). Smaller or larger breasts cook in different times, so go by the thermometer, not the clock. The breast has to fit in your slow cooker with the lid closed; check the cooker's manual for the largest piece of meat it is made for. Some items (like eggs) don’t halve neatly: beat them, then measure out half.
Ingredients
You need: slow cooker, 5-6 quart (4.7-5.7 L) or larger, big enough for the breast with the lid closed · small bowl · pastry brush · paper towels · instant-read thermometer · cutting board kept for raw poultry · carving board and knife
Contains: milk
Method
Mix the rub
In a small bowl, stir together 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp rubbed sage, 2 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp dried thyme.
Dry the turkey, don't rinse it
Take the fully thawed 2.7 kg (6 lb) turkey breast out of its wrapping and pat it dry with paper towels. Don't wash it under the tap: rinsing only splashes raw-poultry germs around the sink. Throw the towels away and wash your hands.
Otto tried this firstOtto holds the turkey under the tap 'to clean it' and sprays the whole sink. Raw poultry doesn't need washing: pat it dry instead.Butter and season
Brush the turkey all over with the 42 g (3 tbsp) melted butter. Sprinkle the rub over the whole surface, then loosen the skin with your fingers and rub some underneath it too.
One hour on HIGH
Put the turkey in the slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Keep the lid closed: every peek lets heat out.
Ready when: Not done yet. The first hour on HIGH just gets the meat warming up quickly.
Finish on LOW
Switch to LOW and cook about 7 hours more. Toward the end, check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast, not touching the bone.
Ready when: A thermometer in the thickest part (away from the bone) reads at least 74°C (165°F), and the juices run clear. If it's not there yet, cover and keep cooking, checking again every 30 minutes.
Slice and serve
Lift the turkey onto a carving board and slice it. Wash the raw-poultry board, the brush and your hands in hot soapy water.
Swaps
Don’t swap
- a frozen or partly frozen breast: it must be fully thawed before it goes in the slow cooker
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Use them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze for 3 to 4 months.
- Reheat
- Reheat on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven until it reaches 74°C (165°F). Don't reheat leftovers in the slow cooker: it warms them up too slowly.
If something goes wrong
- Still under 74°C (165°F) at the end of the time Why: A bigger breast than 2.7 kg (6 lb), a cooker that runs cool, or the lid was lifted a lot.
Keep cooking with the lid on and check every 30 minutes until the thickest part reads 74°C (165°F). Breasts vary, so the thermometer decides, not the clock.
Good to know
- Slow cookers come in many sizes. Use one where the breast fits with the lid fully closed, and check your cooker's manual for how large a piece of meat it is made for.
- If your schedule doesn't allow the first hour on HIGH, cooking on LOW the whole time is also considered safe; allow more time and check the temperature.
Safety
- Cook turkey to at least 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part, measured with a thermometer. Colour and the clock are not reliable.
- Only put a fully thawed breast in the slow cooker. A frozen one stays too long at temperatures where germs grow.
- Don't rinse raw turkey. Keep it on its own board, and wash hands, board and brush with hot soapy water after touching it.
- The cooker's insert, lid and juices get very hot. Use oven mitts to lift the turkey out, and keep kids and the cord away from the counter edge.
- Spice blends and butter vary: check labels if you cook for allergies.