I did kind of a dry run for Christmas dinner the other week. Its never a good idea to try out new recipes ON the special day so I usually try them out ahead of time. I never mind really because, if its good, I get to actually enjoy a special meal twice and we all know how much I love my food!
Turkey is the meat of choice in most homes for Christmas Dinner. I know that it is also the choice of meat for the holidays in Canada. In America, probably not, since they just had turkey for Thanksgiving, but if they are anything like me, they never quite get tired of eating turkey. Well, just so long as it is cooked well that is. Ain't nobody going to like a poorly cooked dry turkey!!!
This year I decided to try cooking a Turkey Crown in the slow cooker and I have to say that I was totally pleased with the results. It was so easy to do, and resulted in a perfectly cooked and deliciously moist turkey! I adapted the idea from a recipe I discovered on Skinny Taste.
So not only is this delicious, but it is also relatively low in fat as well. If you really were craving a brown looking turkey, you could finish it off in the oven for about 15 minutes, but I did not bother. I basically was just wanting to see how the recipe worked and how it tasted.
I was so pleased with the results that I am doing it again on Christmas Day, which works perfectly for me as this year Christmas is on a Sunday and we will be spending an hour in church in the morning, so I won't be home to tend any turkeys. Not only was this simple to do and the meat tender and delicious, but the gravy was some of the best gravy I have ever eaten. I give this recipe a resounding ten out of ten!
*Crock Pot Turkey Breast*Makes 10 servingsPrintable Recipe
Never a dry turkey if you cook it this way. Deliciously moist with a well flavoured gravy, and low in fat.
2 TBS butter1 medium brown onion, peeled and chopped1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped1 stalk celery with leaves, trimmed and chopped3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed45g plain flour (1/3 cup)450ml chicken stock (2 cups)225ml of water60ml apple juice (1/4 cup)1 TBS dried sage2 broken bay leaves5 pound turkey breast crown, bone in, skin onsalt and coarse black pepperparsley flakes
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add all of the vegetables. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the vegetables have begun to soften. Stir in the flour. Cook, stirring for several minutes. Slowly stir in 225ml (1 cup) of the chicken stock, until you have a smooth liquid. Stir in the sage and bay leaves. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker. Add the remaining stock, water and apple juice. Stir. Pat the turkey breast dry and season all over with salt, pepper and parsley. Place into the slow cooker, skin side up. Cover and cook on medium for 5 to 7 hours until the turkey tests done. Remove the turkey to a platter and tent lightly with foil. Let rest for 20 to 25 minutes. While the turkey is resting make the gravy.
Strain the juices from the slow cooker into a saucepan, discarding any solids. Skim any fat from the top. Bring to the boil and cook to reduce until it is the thickness you want. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.Remove and discard the skin from the turkey breast. Carve. Serve hot, sliced along with the gravy and any additional dishes you are serving.
I actually shook some flour with a bit of water in a jar and whisked it into the turkey juices to thicken the gravy because we like really thick gravy. About 2 TBS of flour in 80ml or 1/3 cup of cold water did the trick beautifully. I serves it with mashed white and mashed sweet potatoes, stuffing, peas and carrots and the traditional Brussels sprouts. Bon Appetit!
