Turkey Recipes | RecipeTin Eats https://www.recipetineats.com/category/turkey-recipes/ Fast Prep, Big Flavours Wed, 15 Nov 2023 07:47:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.4 https://www.recipetineats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/cropped-favicon@2x.png?w=32 Turkey Recipes | RecipeTin Eats https://www.recipetineats.com/category/turkey-recipes/ 32 32 171556125 Garlic Bread Leftover Turkey Pot Pie https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-bread-topped-leftover-turkey-pot-pie/ https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-bread-topped-leftover-turkey-pot-pie/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2020 07:30:00 +0000 https://www.recipetineats.com/?p=18250 Overhead photo of Leftover Turkey Pot Pie, fresh out of the ovenWe all know well that day-old turkey is quite dry. So smothering it in a creamy béchamel sauce for Leftover Turkey Pot Pie is an excellent way to breath new and delicious life into leftover meat! Adapted from my classic Chicken Pot Pie, this also makes use of leftover bread for a cheesy garlic bread topping. Dull... Get the Recipe

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We all know well that day-old turkey is quite dry. So smothering it in a creamy béchamel sauce for Leftover Turkey Pot Pie is an excellent way to breath new and delicious life into leftover meat! Adapted from my classic Chicken Pot Pie, this also makes use of leftover bread for a cheesy garlic bread topping.

Dull leftovers? Never around here!

Overhead photo of Leftover Turkey Pot Pie, fresh out of the oven

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Got leftover turkey?* Bits of bread lying around? Some scraps of veggies? Milk, butter and flour?

Then you can MAKE THIS Turkey Pot Pie! Because everything else is optional 🙂

OK, so a melty cheese topping precariously straddles the border of “optional” in my book, but having said that nobody every complains whenever normal cheese-less garlic bread makes an appearance so I doubt anyone would complain here either….

* Chicken, of course, is a perfectly valid alternative here if that’s what you have.

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie with garlic bread topping in a bowl, ready to be eaten

The idea for a crunchy buttery bread topping rather than puff pastry that Chicken Pot Pie is traditionally made with came about because the year I originally published this recipe I had a load of stale bread lying around and no puff pastry.

And I’m glad I did, because the garlic bread topping totally MAKES it!!!

What goes in Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Here’s what you need to make this. Take note: Any veg, any melting cheese!

Ingredients in Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
  • Cooked turkey or chicken – If you’re wondering what the difference actually is between the two meats (other than the fact that turkey can be 2x, 5x bigger!!) from a taste perspective, the answer is very little. Turkey meat has a slightly deeper flavour, but most people can’t tell the difference. I find chicken meat is slightly more tender, being that’s it’s a smaller bird. But with leftovers and especially redeployed in a way like this, one can barely tell the difference.

    In fact, the meat shown below in the container above is chicken, given that I didn’t make a new turkey recipe this year (due the current pandemic restrictions and environment as I explained in my Thanksgiving post).

  • Milk, butter, flour and stock powder – To make the creamy white sauce we use to smother everything in this pie.

  • Vegetables – I’ve used carrot, frozen peas and mushrooms because that’s what I had on the day when I first shared this recipe. You can use any vegetables you have that you think will taste nice in a creamy sauce. The spirit of this pie is using up leftovers, remember, so just about anything goes!

  • Garlic and onion – Essential flavour base for virtually every savoury dish around these parts!


Cheesy garlic bread topping

While the filling is delicious, I’m not going to lie to you – the topping steals the show. It’s essentially cheesy garlic bread. The top gets beautiful and golden and the underside soaks up the creamy sauce…. UGH! It’s so good!

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients for garlic bread topping of Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
  • Bread – Any bread is fine here. If you have a loaf or rolls, tear it into chunks. If you have pre-sliced bread, layer it overlapping so it covers the whole filling;

  • Garlic and butter – Fresh garlic is best, always. Jarred garlic is fine as a substitute, but it’s never the same – it has a sour taste and lacks that true fresh garlic pungency. A garlic press makes short work of mincing garlic (I use Zyliss, as listed in my Essential Kitchenware post!);

  • Parmesan – Just a little sprinkle for a boost of extra flavour, like we do for Chicken Parmesan, Baked Ziti. Entirely optional – but if you’ve got it, I recommend it!

  • Cheese – Any cheesee you have is fine here – anything that melts! But freshly-shredded is best. I wanted to use up mozzarella cheese slices I had on hand (an error in judgement in purchase) so that’s what you see here, but it’s always better to grate your own. It melts better; pre-sliced gets a bit of a skin on it, and pre-shredded stuff in packets just doesn’t melt as well as freshly shredded.

From picking up cheesy garlic bread topping of Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

How to make Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

The making part is a streamlined version of Chicken Pot Pie because we’re using leftover cooked turkey or chicken instead of making it from scratch.

How to make Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
  1. Garlic butter – Simply mix melted butter and crushed garlic (use a garlic crusher here to extract best flavour – see the Zyliss I use in my Essential Kitchenware post);

  2. Garlic bread topping – Toss chunks of bread with the garlic butter;

  3. Cook mushrooms first then remove, so we can get a nice golden brown colour on them = tastier. If you cook them later, they don’t brown up because the pot is too crowded;

  4. Flavour base and roux – Sauté garlic and onion in butter, then carrot, to make a flavour base. Then add the flour and stir it in to make a roux (thickener for the bechamel);

  5. Make creamy bechamel sauce – Pour half the milk in while stirring constantly. This will help ensure your sauce is lump-free as it will transform into a paste-like mixture that the flour mixes into more easily. Then stir in the rest of the milk and the “paste” will dissolve into the milk … giving us lump-free bechamel sauce! (However, if you do have some flour lumps, just grab a whisk and whisk it back and forth rapidly, it will eventually remove any lumps); and

  6. Thicken – Stir leisurely as it comes to heat (so it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pot), and as it gets hot and steamy it will thicken quite quickly. Cook it until the sauce is thick enough so you can draw a clean path through the sauce across the back of a wooden spoon.

Sauce done! Now it’s just a matter of adding the turkey and assembling!

How to make Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
  1. Make filling – Add turkey, frozen peas (no need to thaw) and mushrooms then toss well;

  2. Top with garlic bread – Spread the filling out so it’s flat, then top with the garlic bread chunks;

  3. Cheesy goodness – Sprinkle with parmesan then top with the melting cheese. I’ve used mozzarella slices today because I that’s what I had. They were pre-sliced which I don’t like; it doesn’t melt as well as slicing or shredding your own. But hey, never waste perfectly good ingredients!

  4. Bake! Bake half the time uncovered to get nice brown spots on the cheese, then the remaining time covered so the cheese doesn’t get any browner but it gives everything a chance to bubble together nicely.

Then pull it out of the oven and dig in!

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie in a skillet, fresh out of the oven

Mmmmm, that combination of creamy filling and that buttery, cheesy garlic bread topping… it’s to die for!

Close up of spoon scooping creamy filling of Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

I really hope you got a turkey big enough this year so you have enough leftovers to make this! My rule of thumb for gauging roast turkey portions is around 250g / 8oz raw turkey per person (shrinks by about 20% once cooked). Multiply that by the number of guests you are catering for.

But … then double it. That way, you will know for sure that you’ll have plenty of turkey leftover to make this Leftover Turkey Pot Pie. 😉 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
Print

Garlic Bread Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Leftover turkey is quite dry, given it's a lean meat. So smothering it in a creamy sauce for a Turkey Pot Pie is the ideal way to repurpose perfectly good leftovers! This is like a cross between Chicken Pot Pie and Cheesy Garlic Bread. While the filling is delicious, that buttery garlicky cheesy topping steals the show. I just love how it gets soaked with the creamy white sauce!!
Use whatever veggies you want. And of course, chicken is a straight up simple substitute for turkey if that's what you have.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Western
Keyword leftover turkey pot pie, leftover turkey recipe, turkey recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 5 -6
Calories 589cal
Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 150g / 5 oz mushrooms , sliced 1/2cm / 1/5" thick
  • 50g / 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion , finely chopped (brown, white, yellow)
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 carrot , peeled, chopped into 1cm/ 1/3" pieces
  • 4 tbsp flour (plain/all purpose)
  • 2 1/2 cups milk (any fat % fine)
  • 4 cups (600g) cooked chopped turkey or chicken
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
  • 1 tsp chicken or vegetable stock powder (or 1 cube. I use Vegeta powder)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Garlic Bread Topping

  • 50g / 4 tbsp salted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced using garlic press
  • 5 packed cups bread chunks ~2.5cm/1" cubes (Note 1)
  • 2 tbsp parmesan cheese , grated (optional)
  • 1 cup mozzarella or other melting cheese, shredded or sliced (or enough slices to cover most of top)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (all oven types)
  • Topping: Stir together melted butter and garlic. Place bread chunks in a bowl, drizzle over butter, toss. Set aside.
  • Brown mushrooms: Heat oil in an oven-proof skillet over high heat. (Note 3) Add mushrooms and cook until browned – about 4 minutes. Remove.
  • Sauté garlic & onion: Lower heat to medium high. Melt butter in same skillet. Add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add carrot then cook for 1 minute.
  • Add flour, cook for 1 minute. You'll have a pasty mix. Don't worry if it looks dry (depends how sweaty your onions get).
  • Make roux: While stirring, add half the milk and mix quickly to dissolve the paste into the liquid (this happens quite quickly). Add remaining liquid and stir. Add stock powder, salt and pepper, stir.
  • Thicken sauce: Cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring regularly. It should start steaming and bubbling a bit, and the sauce will thicken. Thickness test: coat back of wooden spoon, you should be able to draw a line across it (see video, Note 3)
  • Add turkey, peas and mushrooms, and mix into sauce.
  • Top with bread, spread to cover surface. Grate over parmesan if using, top with melting cheese.
  • Bake: Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until the cheese gets some brown spots. Tent foil over so it doesn't stick to the cheese, then bake for a further 10 minutes.
  • Serve: Sprinkle with additional parmesan if desired, then serve!

Notes

1. Bread – It’s better to use soft breads rather than artisan sourdough-type breads with really thick chewy crusts and a tight crumb. I just used an everyday bread loaf. Rolls, hamburger buns, sandwich bread – anything goes here.
It’s hard to measure the bread required because they all have different densitie. You just need enough to cover the surface of the pie, one layer. If using sliced bread, just cut them into 3cm / 1.5″ squares then layer them overlapping slightly, and drizzled with butter (too hard to toss).
2. Skillet – I use my Lodge 26cm/10.25″ cast iron skillet, it is perfect for this sort of job. See My Essential Kitchenwares for more information.
If you don’t have one in a similar size that’s oven proof, make this in a 2.5L/2.5 quart casserole dish (10 cups).
3. Don’t stress about sauce thickness, it’s easy to adjust. Once you stir the turkey etc in, whatever the consistency of the sauce is, that’s how it will be once out of the oven. It does not thicken much in the oven – cook time is short plus no air vents for evaporation to allow sauce to thicken. If the filling is too runny for your taste, just pop it back on the stove (with turkey etc) and cook until thickened to your taste.
You can also thicken the filling with CHEESE. 🙂
4. Storage and reheating – Keeps fine in the fridge for up to 5 days (we re-cooked the turkey remember -clock reset!) Reheat covered in oven (better) or the microwave. 
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings. I totally thought it was going to be way worse than this – score!

Nutrition

Serving: 359g | Calories: 589cal | Carbohydrates: 42.6g | Protein: 38.6g | Fat: 29.3g | Saturated Fat: 15.2g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 729mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 4.3g | Sugar: 9.2g | Vitamin A: 3150IU | Vitamin C: 9.1mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 11.9mg

Originally published November 2016. Updated with new photos and recipe video in November 2020.

Life of Dozer

Nothing has changed in the 4 years since I first shared this recipe – The gleam in those eyes as he dreams of doing a face plant in that pie….. Now (2020):

Dozer Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

…. and back then (2016).

dozer-turkey-pot-pie

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Garlic Herb Butter SLOW COOKER Turkey Breast https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-herb-slow-cooker-turkey-breast/ https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-herb-slow-cooker-turkey-breast/#comments Tue, 26 Nov 2019 10:33:34 +0000 https://www.recipetineats.com/?p=32364 Sliced Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with butter dripping downThis Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is a show stopper that’s bursting with buttery garlic-herb flavours, an outrageous super crispy skin and a Garlic Butter Gravy that’s absolutely to-die for! Slow cooking is without question the safest and easiest way to cook turkey breast without brining or marinating. The flesh is juicy, it’s completely hands off, and it’s... Get the Recipe

The post Garlic Herb Butter SLOW COOKER Turkey Breast appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

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This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is a show stopper that’s bursting with buttery garlic-herb flavours, an outrageous super crispy skin and a Garlic Butter Gravy that’s absolutely to-die for!

Slow cooking is without question the safest and easiest way to cook turkey breast without brining or marinating. The flesh is juicy, it’s completely hands off, and it’s a forgiving recipe. And it’s ideal to prep ahead!

Overhead photo of Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Slow Cooker turkey breast

This is the slow cooker version of last years’ Roasted Garlic Herb Butter Turkey Breast. The slow cooker option was in such high demand, I ended up creating it and cramming  the recipe in the notes, putting it in the running for the world’s longest recipe directions.

And as Christmas and Thanksgiving approaches for another year, I finally got my butt into gear and filmed the slow cooker version properly so I could share it with you.

So it’s here. Garlic Herb SLOW COOKER Turkey Breast. Just 12 months after it was originally requested!!😂

Sliced Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with butter dripping down

This is what you get with this recipe

✅ Easy, forgiving recipe made in the slow cooker, freeing up your oven for other things;

✅ Juicy flesh – no dry turkey breast around here! Proof -> see reader feedback on the classic Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, there’s plenty! This Garlic Herb Turkey Breast uses the same cooking technique;

✅ Garlic-Herb-Butter flavour – all that flavour slathered under the skin so it drips down and bastes the turkey while it’s cooking…..

✅ Crispy skin – you are going to be BLOWN AWAY how crispy the skin is! It’s way crispier than traditional roasted turkey – and it stays crispy. It takes mere minutes under the grill/broiler just before serving!

✅ Garlic Butter Gravy – As if all that’s not enough, we’re topping all that off with the most incredible gravy… The favour in that gravy is outrageous. OUTRAGEOUS! It’s buttery, garlicky, a bit herby, but mostly it’s the turkey juices. You will be amazed how much juice comes out of the turkey!

Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast dinner plate with creamy corn casserole, roasted mushrooms, and lemon garlic asparagus

Garlic Herb Butter for Slow Cooker turkey breast

The garlic-butter slather is the key flavour base for this recipe. Lots of butter, lots of garlic, plus herbs of choice – fresh or dried.

Fresh herbs are extra great so try to get at least one if not two fresh herbs if you can. I’ve used thyme, sage, parsley and rosemary – the dried version of all of these are great too.

Garlic Herb Butter

Slather everywhere!

Get that butter all over the turkey, in all the crevices and folds, but most of all, get it under the skin. This is where you get the most mileage out of the butter because it’s trapped between the skin and the flesh so while some drips down the turkey while it cooks, some of it also stays under the skin.

Just imagine all the good things happening during all those hours while it slow cooks!!

You’re going to cop a great eyeful of my unmistakable hands in the recipe video doing all the slathering action. No cheeky comments! 😂

Tip to loosen skin

Use an upside down tablespoon. Perfect shape to hug the curves and avoids piercing skin.

Preparation of Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Cooking turkey breast in slow cooker (crockpot)

I like to place the turkey breast on top of a halved onion and head of garlic. This serves two purposes:

1. Elevates the turkey breast so it doesn’t braise in its own juices (cooks faster, can dry it out); and

2. Infuses the liquid from the turkey with extra flavour which is used to make the amazing garlic butter gravy.

Slow cook for 6 hours on LOW, but to be on the safe side, check the internal temperature at 5 hours. Variables such as how chilled the centre of your turkey is, the strength of your slow cooker, thickness of the breast can all affect how long it takes.

Internal temperature of cooked turkey

75C / 165F using a meat thermometer inserted into the centre of the turkey breast.


A MEAT THERMOMETER IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Even a cheap one from Ebay or Kmart. It’s a very worthwhile investment – and will take the guesswork out of cooking.

It’s especially important for things like turkey breast which are lean and prone to drying out when overcooked.

How to make Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Crisp the skin – don’t skip this!

This is an essential step and it’s the crowning glory of this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast. Just pop the turkey under the grill/broiler for a mere 5 minutes, and watch with amazement how the pale, unappetising looking skin transforms into a deeply bronzed, ultra crispy skin…

DOESN’T THIS LOOK AMAZING??!! And don’t forget there’s GARLIC-HERB-BUTTER UNDER THE SKIN!!

*Sorry for shouting, just overly excited*

Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast after crisping under broiler / grill

I know I said the crispy skin is the crowning glory, but I forgot – there’s another one:

The turkey garlic butter gravy

All those flavours from the Garlic-Herb-Butter we slathered on the turkey, mingling with the juices from the turkey with the added flavour from the onion and garlic on the base of the slow cooker….

It’s a gravy unlike any other!!

How to make Gravy for juicy Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Slices of Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breaston a plate, ready to be served

What to serve with turkey

Turkey breast is more often than not a centrepiece for holiday feasting such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here are some traditional and some of my personal favourite side dish suggestions!

Thanksgiving sides for turkey

Christmas sides for turkey


DON’T STRESS.  This is a forgiving recipe!

Turkey breast has a reputation for being notoriously difficult to cook because it’s so lean, so it can go from perfectly juicy to dry in a flash in the oven. You don’t need to stress about precise timing in this recipe because slow cookers are far more forgiving than ovens because they cook at such a low temp – PLUS we’re adding (plenty!) of fat into this recipe with the butter.

One or two hours over, and the turkey breast will still be juicy.

But if you do accidentally overcook it slightly, don’t fret. Slice the turkey thinly and pass around plenty of that fabulous Garlic Butter Gravy, and I bet no one even notices!!! ~ Nagi x

PS For neatly categorised Thanksgiving recipes, head here!


More turkey recipes


WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

It is quite ridiculous how small my hands look compared to that GIANT turkey breast! 😂

Overhead photo of Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast
Print

Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

Recipe video above. Slather your turkey breast with garlic herb butter so it bastes with flavour and keeps the breast moist as it cooks in the slow cooker. Slow cooker is the easiest, safest way too cook turkey breast without brining or marinating! See here for the roasted version of this recipe. Also see the classic spice rubbed Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast.
Course Mains
Keyword Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, Turkey Breast
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 387cal
Author Nagi

Ingredients

  • 2.5 - 3 kg / 5-6 lb single turkey breast , skin on, bone in (Note 1), NOT BRINED
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 brown onion , halved
  • 1 head of garlic , halved horizontally
  • 3 sprigs rosemary, 8 sprigs thyme (optional)
  • Oil , for drizzling (for skin)

Garlic Herb Butter (Note 2):

  • 150 g / 10 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 large garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 tbsp EACH finely chopped fresh sage, rosemary leaves, thyme leaves and parsley , fresh

Garlic Butter Gravy:

  • Chicken broth/stock, for topping up (if required)
  • 1/3 cup / 50g flour
  • 1/2 tsp + dark soy sauce (or gravy colouring) (Note 3)

Instructions

  • Garlic Herb Butter: Mix ingredients together.
  • Loosen skin (video helpful): Pat breast dry. Use small knife to cut slit on one side to separate skin from flesh. Slide upside tablespoon between flesh and skin, all over turkey.
  • Slather: Slather about 2/3 of the butter under the skin, then the remaining all over the surface including underside. 
  • Season skin: Sprinkle surface with 1/2 tsp salt + pepper. (Can leave overnight - 2 days at this stage)
  • Put in Slow Cooker: Place garlic and onion in slow cooker (mine is 5L / 5 qt). Place turkey on top, skin side up. Top with thyme and rosemary sprigs. 
  • Slow Cook: Cook 6 hours on low, first checking at 4 hours to be safe, until internal temperature reads 75C/165F when inserted into the middle.
  • Rest: Transfer turkey to baking tray (reserve juices). Cover loosely with foil, rest for 20 minutes.
  • Crisp: Remove herb sprigs, drizzle turkey with oil (not butter, it burns / not as crispy). Place under a broiler/grill on high (~30cm/12" from heat source) for 5 to 10 minutes until skin is crispy and bronzed - keep an eye on it, it's quick.
  • Serve turkey with gravy on the side (below), or Cranberry Sauce.

Gravy:

  • Strain slow cooker juices into a bowl. Press juices out of onion and garlic. If you've got less than 2.5-3 cups (675-750ml) of liquid, top up with store bought broth/stock.
  • When liquid settles, spoon off about 1/4 cup fat/butter from surface.
  • Place in saucepan set over medium heat. When it bubbles, add flour and mix for 1 minute.
  • Add all slow cooker juices into saucepan. Stir until lump free (use whisk if necessary). Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens.
  • Add dark soy (if using), pepper and salt to taste. Pour into jug and serve with turkey.

Notes

1. TURKEY: Single breast, bone in, is the most popular turkey breast cut here in Australia. The cut pictured still has the leg in it. This recipe will work with any type of turkey breast - bone jutting out like pictured, cut off so you can't see it, with wing, without, or even a single breast with no bone.
This can also be with a whole / double bone in turkey breast (also called "buffe" or "crown", see here for pic). If your turkey is larger, use the scaler (hover mouse over Servings) to adjust the ingredients.
BRINED TURKEY: Frozen packaged turkey sold in the freezer section of supermarkets is often brined (if ingredients include salt, it's brined). This recipe will be too salty if you use brined turkey, so reduce the salt in the butter to 3/4 tsp.
THAW TURKEY: You must must MUST thaw turkey properly before cooking it. Thaw in the refrigerator in a large bowl/tray 24 hours for every 2 - 2.5kg / 4 - 5 kg. Or for a quick thaw, use cold tap water (not warm or hot) and allow 30 minutes for every 500g/1lb of turkey, changing the water every 30 minutes. Ensure the turkey is submerged. Do not microwave - results in dry turkey. And do not cook a partly frozen turkey!
2. HERBS: Use herbs of choice. If using dried herbs, reduce each to 1.5 tsp (so 6 tsp in total). Don't use just rosemary, it's too strong.
3. DARK SOY SAUCE is how I darken and season the gravy. It has more flavour than just plain salt. It does NOT make it taste Asiany! Can be skipped but gravy will be a pale colour. Alternative - buy a gravy darkener or a touch of Worcestershire.
4. COOK TIME & methods:
Cook Times in Slow Cooker - bone in, skin on turkey breast:
1 kg / 2 lb: 4 - 5 hours on low
2 - 3 kg / 4 - 6 lb: 5 - 6 hours on low
4  kg / 8 lb: 6 - 7 hours on low
5 kg / 10 lb: 7 -8   hours on low
* Check internal temp at the earliest time, until internal temperature reads 165F/75C when inserted into the middle.*
Cook time can be variable - affected by things like turkey thickness, strength of slow cooker, how chilled the centre is etc. 
Slow cookers are very forgiving so don't stress too much about cooking time, an hour or 2 over and it will still be moist.
Other cook methods: Recipe not suitable for slow cooking on HIGH, or pressure cooker. Instant Pot - use slow cooker function on low and follow recipe, do not use pressure cooker function.  See here for roasting.
5. GENERAL NOTES:
* Butter Sauce alternative to gravy: Pour strained slow cooker juices into a saucepan and reduce by about half. Also nice with a spritz of fresh lemon juice! Add more butter for richness.
* No water is required for this, you wil be amazed how much liquid is leached by the turkey (see video).
6. SERVING:
Amount per person:
Allow 300g / 10 oz UNCOOKED weight per person for bone in turkey.
Slice thinly from the fat end of the breast. If you know the turkey is 100% perfectly cooked to right internal temp, can also slice thickly.
Serve warm: Because breast is so lean, it needs to be warm when served for optimum juiciness. So it's best to slice as required. Otherwise, cut thickly (like pictured) then cover with cling wrap and warm gently just before serving. If the turkey is a bit overdone and not as juicy as desired, slice thinly and pass around plenty of gravy!
7. MAKE AHEAD / REHEATING:
Prep ahead: Can slather with butter then leave in fridge overnight to 2 days (in fact, this brines the turkey a bit which = extra juiciness!).
Cooked early: If the turkey is ready early, turn slow cooker off and leave it in there for a couple of hours (better than leaving on warm setting as if your slow cooker warm setting is too strong, can dry turkey out). Crisp skin just prior to serving.
Reheating: Turkey breast is best cooked fresh because it's a leaner meat. However, if it can't be avoided, slow cooked breast (pre crisping) can be reheated on low in the microwave, then crisp before serving.
8. Got turkey leftovers? Use it up in White Turkey Enchilada SoupGarlic Bread Leftover Turkey Pot Pie or Muffulettas!
9. Nutrition per serving, assuming 8 servings and that all the gravy is consumed.
Nutrition Facts
Garlic Herb Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Amount Per Serving
Calories 387 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Cholesterol 166mg55%
Sodium 1095mg48%
Potassium 596mg17%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Protein 52g104%
Vitamin A 490IU10%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 41mg4%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 387cal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 1095mg | Potassium: 596mg | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Originally published November 2018, writing cleaned up and re-edited video added November 2019. No change to recipe!

LIFE OF DOZER

Oh those tantalising smells…..

Dozer the golden retriever yearning for a burger

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Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast https://www.recipetineats.com/juicy-slow-cooker-turkey-breast/ https://www.recipetineats.com/juicy-slow-cooker-turkey-breast/#comments Fri, 22 Nov 2019 21:30:18 +0000 https://www.recipetineats.com/?p=6904 Overhead photo of Slow Cooker Turkey Breast on a white plate with some slices carved, drizzled with gravyThis Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is without a doubt, this is the easiest, safest and tastiest way to cook turkey breast without brining. It’s moist and juicy, takes 3 minutes to prepare, then just leave it to cook in your slow cooker (crock pot). Then use the juices to make a killer gravy! Even if you’re a first... Get the Recipe

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This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is without a doubt, this is the easiest, safest and tastiest way to cook turkey breast without brining. It’s moist and juicy, takes 3 minutes to prepare, then just leave it to cook in your slow cooker (crock pot). Then use the juices to make a killer gravy!

Even if you’re a first timer, you can have confidence in this turkey breast recipe – it’s been viewed over 3 million times and has hundreds of glowing reviews!❤️

Overhead photo of Slow Cooker Turkey Breast on a white plate with some slices carved, drizzled with gravy

Slow cooker turkey breast

Turkey breast is notoriously lean so the only way to guarantee it comes out juicy if you roast it in the oven is to brine it – dry or wet brine. If you don’t brine it, then even if you use a meat thermometer, it is extremely difficult to roast the turkey breast perfectly.

I created this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast after trying a handful of recipes for turkey breast and being disappointed by the bland looking skin, dry meat and mediocre gravy. So I tossed out everything I’d read and decided to come up with my own version using a slow cooker. This is by far the juiciest turkey breast I’ve ever had – without brining. And my friends agreed!

It’s almost magical how a recipe this simple can yield such extraordinary results. Moist turkey with incredible flavour and a gravy that’s off the charts!

Gravy being poured over Slow Cooker Turkey Breast slices

How long to cook turkey breast in the slow cooker

A 2 kg / 4 l2b turkey breast will take 5 to 6 hours on LOW in a slow cooker. Check the internal temperature at 5 hours. See recipe notes for cook times for other sizes.

How to make slow cooker turkey breast

I promised you easy – and easy it is! Here’s how it goes down:

  • Slather turkey with a simple magical rub;

  • Place in a slow cooker on a bed of onion and garlic (these flavour the juices that comes out of the turkey and forms the basis for the gravy + keeps turkey elevated out of liquid while slow cooking);

  • Slow cook for 5 to 6 hours;

  • Briefly broil/grill or bake to crisp the skin; then

  • Use slow cooker juices to make a killer gravy. It’s incredible because it’s essentially made with the best homemade stock – the turkey juices!

PS That’s a multi function cooker you see. I use the slow cooker function for this recipe.

How to make Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

⚖️ Automatic recipe scaler ⚖️

Click or tap on Servings on the recipe. Then slide until the turkey reaches the weight of your turkey. It will change all the ingredient quantities for you! Then refer to the recipe notes for the right cook time for your turkey.

Slow cooker turkey breast tips!

  • Type of turkey breast – bone in or boneless turkey breast is fine. Skin on is recommended because the fat under the skin melts while the turkey is cooking and it bastes the turkey (helps with flavour and moisture). Also skin is required to get that lovely browned seasoned crust you see in the photos.

  • Single or double breast? Either is fine. These photos show a single turkey breast. See here for what a double turkey breast looks like (on the bone, also called a turkey buffe or turkey crown)

  • What size? Turkey breast differ drastically in size – they can range from 1.5/3lb to over 5kg/10lb! The beauty of this recipe is that it will work for any turkey breast size – as long as it fits in your slow cooker! Note the different cook times in the recipe.

  • A great rub goes a long way with turkey breast! It not only adds flavour, it seasons the broth and it gives the turkey breast great colour!

  • How long to cook turkey breast in the slow cooker – A 2 kg / 4 lb turkey breast will take about 5 to 6 hours on LOW in a slow cooker. See recipe notes for cook times for other sizes.

  • How to tell when turkey breast is done – When the internal temperature is 165F / 75C. That’s optimum perfectly-cooked juiciness, allowing for a slight temperature increase while the turkey rests.

  • Elevate the turkey breast with a halved garlic and onion to ensure even cooking because otherwise the breast will be half submerged and poaching in liquid (you will be amazed how much liquid the breast leeches while cooking)

  • Crisp the skin under the broiler. The extra flavour you get is worth it – and it only takes a few minutes

  • Use slow cooker juices for GRAVY – the turkey juices are loaded with flavour and are the best broth ever to make an absolute killer gravy!

  • Slow Cooking is FORGIVING!  Because of the low temperature, there’s far less risk of drying out the turkey from overcooking. So even if the turkey is in the slow cooker for 1 or 2 hours longer than necessary, it will still be lovely. Plus – speaking really frankly – that gravy can save anything. ANYTHING!

Prefer ROASTED turkey breast? Use this Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Turkey Breast.

Overhead photo of Slow Cooker Turkey Breast on a white plate, with gravy on the side

What to serve with turkey

Turkey breast is more often than not a centrepiece for holiday feasting in many households around the world. So with this in mind, here are some side dish suggestions for Thanksgiving and Christmas menus!

And you might also find these helpful: Thanksgiving recipe index and Easy Thanksgiving Menu suggestions

Traditional Thanksgiving sides for turkey

Christmas side suggestions


A safe recipe – even for first timers

I know it can be nerve racking, trying a new recipe – especially you’re new to cooking, and it’s a centrepiece for Thanksgiving or Christmas!

But you can have Confidence in this Slow Cooker Turkey Breast recipe. It’s been viewed over 3 million times since I first published, there’s hundreds of fantastic reviews, it’s a simple recipe and there’s a recipe video below to guide you through it step by step.

And in all honesty – worst case? Your turkey goes a bit over and it’s not as juicy as you hoped. Of course, I’m doing everything in my power to help avoid this – including sending over virtual positive vibes.😂

But if it does – don’t fret! That Turkey Gravy is so insanely good, it will totally make up for it!  – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

SLOW COOKER: Many people have said that my slow cooker looks like a pressure cooker. They are actually correct, it is a slow cooker and pressure cooker in one (but no, it is not an Instant Pot). It is called a Breville Fast-Slow Cooker (it’s an Australian product). I use the slow cooker function for this recipe.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast - the safest and best way to make MOIST turkey breast without brining is with your crockpot! recipetineats.com
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Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

RECIPE VIDEO above. I've tried a handful of other methods over the years. This has produced the juiciest turkey breast by far, without brining the breast in advance. Plus slow cooking is very forgiving so you don't need to be spot on with the cooking time. SCALE RECIPE by moving slider on Servings to adjust for different turkey weights. Complete your feast - browse the new Thanksgiving Recipe Index
Course Poultry, Slow Cooker
Cuisine Christmas, Festive
Keyword Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, Turkey Breast
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 - 10 people
Calories 323cal
Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

  • 2 kg / 4 lb turkey breast, skin on, bone in or boneless (if using frozen, thaw it) (Note 1)
  • 1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
  • 1 onion (brown, yellow or white), unpeeled, cut in half
  • 5 sprigs of thyme (or 2 tsp dried thyme leaves)

Rub

  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 5 grinds of black pepper
  • 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp olive oil

Gravy

  • Chicken stock/broth (or water), for topping up liquid (see Gravy step 1)
  • 4 tbsp / 50g butter
  • 1/4 cup / 35g flour
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Place Rub ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine, it should be a wet paste.
  • Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels. Slather with the Rub, using most for the side and top.
  • Place the garlic, onion and thyme face down in the slow cooker. Place the turkey breast on top so it is elevated.
  • Slow Cook on LOW for 6 hours (do not use high) or until internal temperature reads 165F/75C when thermometer is inserted into the middle. Check internal temperature at 5 hours if you can. (To roast, follow this recipe). 
  • Remove turkey from the slow cooker (do not leave in slow cooker on Warm setting) and let it rest for 20 minutes before crisping the skin.

Crisp the Skin

  • Preheat gril/broiler to high.
  • Place an oven shelf 30cm / 1 foot from the heat source.
  • Remove turkey breast from the slow cooker into a heatproof serving dish.
  • Place on the oven shelf and broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is crispy. Keep an eye on it - it browns very quickly!
  • Serve immediately with gravy on the side.

Gravy

  • Strain the liquid into a measuring jug, squishing the garlic etc to extract all the flavour. If you are short of 2 cups, top up with chicken broth (I usually get 2 cups of liquid from a 4 lb / 2 kg turkey breast).
  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix to combine. Pour about 1/2 cup of liquid into the flour mixture and mix until it forms a paste. Slowly add remaining liquid, stirring as your go. Use a whisk if required to make the gravy smooth. Simmer until thickened - take it off before it is as thick as you want because it will continue to thicken.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with turkey.

Notes

1. Turkey breast can come in all sorts of sizes and cuts. A single boneless breast can be as small as 1 kg / 2 lb. A double bone in breast (also known as turkey "buffe" or "crown") can be as large as 6 kg / 12 lb. In Australia, turkey breast can also come with the leg still attached, which is what I have used in the past so you may see some photos floating around on my site with a drumstick attached to the breast. 🙂
This can be made with any cut of turkey breast - but it needs to have skin if you want the nice colour you see in the photos.
BRINED TURKEY: If you buy a frozen turkey breast from the supermarket that comes in a box, check to see if the the breast is already brined (i.e. marinated in salty water to make it more moist once cooked). Check the label / ask the butcher - if the ingredients include salt, your turkey is brined. Here in Australia, generally anything that is sold in boxes / vac packed in the frozen section of supermarkets (e.g. Steggles), it is brined.
If it has been brined, no problems, just cut the salt in half. But if it's been preseason with another sort of rub, I'd suggest either scraping the rub off before adding my rub.
2. Making ahead: Because turkey is so lean, it is far better made as close as possible to serving time. But if you need to make ahead, slow cook the turkey but do not brown the skin. Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature. Cover with cling wrap and microwave for 3 minutes on LOW (if high, you run the risk of drying out the edges of the turkey), then grill/broil per instructions to brown and crisp the skin. The gravy can also be made ahead then reheated in a saucepan or in the microwave.
3. COOK TIMES: Ready when the internal temp is 165F/75C. Slow cookers are very forgiving so don't stress too much about cooking time, an hour or 2 over and it will still be moist. The worst that might happen is that the meat falls apart a bit when you lift it out of the slow cooker, but still juicy! DO NOT try to save time by using HIGH! 
Bone in skin on turkey breast (I used this), start checking internal temp at the short cook time provided:
1 kg / 2 lb: 4 - 5 hours on low
2 - 3 kg / 4 - 6 lb: 5 - 6 hours on low
4  kg / 8 lb: 6 - 7 hours on low (see 8 June '17 report from reader Tony)
5 kg / 10 lb: 8 - 9 hours on low
4. No water is required for this, the turkey steams in its own juices. It won't dry out or burn but it is important to elevate the breast off the bottom with the onion and garlic!
5. My SLOW COOKER: Some people have questioned the slow cooker I am using, saying it looks like a press cooker. I am using a slow cooker called a "Breville Slow Fast Cooker" which is a slow cooker AND pressure cooker in one. This recipe is cooked using the slow cooker function. This recipe is not suited to a pressure cooker.
6. Got turkey leftovers? Use it up in White Turkey Enchilada SoupGarlic Bread Leftover Turkey Pot Pie or Muffulettas!
7. Nutrition per serving, including gravy.
Nutrition Facts
Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Amount Per Serving (163 g)
Calories 323 Calories from Fat 124
% Daily Value*
Fat 13.8g21%
Saturated Fat 5.2g33%
Polyunsaturated Fat 8.6g
Cholesterol 125mg42%
Sodium 521mg23%
Carbohydrates 2.6g1%
Protein 44.7g89%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 163g | Calories: 323cal | Carbohydrates: 2.6g | Protein: 44.7g | Fat: 13.8g | Saturated Fat: 5.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8.6g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 521mg

Originally published November 2016. Updated for some housekeeping November 2019 – no change to recipe.

Life of Dozer

This is what a turkey coma looks like.

Dozer the golden retriever dog in a turkey food coma

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy - the easiest and safest way to make juicy turkey breast without brining! recipetineats.com
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy - the easiest and safest way to make juicy turkey breast without brining! recipetineats.com

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Turkey Gravy recipe https://www.recipetineats.com/turkey-gravy/ https://www.recipetineats.com/turkey-gravy/#comments Fri, 16 Nov 2018 07:51:12 +0000 https://www.recipetineats.com/?p=32642 Gravy being poured over Juicy Roast TurkeyThe BEST Turkey Gravy recipe to complete your turkey feast! For your turkey, veggies, mashed potatoes and everything in between! Plus, my cheeky tip for how to darken gravy to make it a beautiful deep brown colour, as well as how to make gluten-free gravy. This turkey gravy recipe is for oven roasted turkey OR slow cooker... Get the Recipe

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The BEST Turkey Gravy recipe to complete your turkey feast! For your turkey, veggies, mashed potatoes and everything in between!

Plus, my cheeky tip for how to darken gravy to make it a beautiful deep brown colour, as well as how to make gluten-free gravy. This turkey gravy recipe is for oven roasted turkey OR slow cooker turkey!

Gravy being poured over Juicy Roast Turkey

Turkey gravy recipe

When it comes to turkey, there are those in the Cranberry Sauce camp, and those in the gravy camp. Me – I’ve got a foot in both camps.

There’s nothing quite like the combination of turkey with sweet-tart cranberry sauce. But on the other hand, gravy and I are very good friends. You’d be hard pressed to find a roast on this site that doesn’t come with a gravy recipe!!

I have a regular “formula” I use for all my gravies which I also apply to turkey gravy:

How to make Turkey Gravy

Use 1.5 tbsp pan drippings or butter plus 1.5 tbsp flour for every 1 cup of broth/stock. Simmer until thickened, season to taste. Strain if required then serve.

Oven Roasted VS Slow Cooker

The best way to make turkey gravy depends on how you cooked your turkey.

  1. Roasted turkey will have pan drippings which provides the flavour base for the turkey gravy. This method requires broth/stock to make gravy; and

  2. Slow cooker turkey does not have pan drippings. Instead, the juices left in the slow cooker after cooking the turkey is used as the stock/broth for the gravy. Here are slow cooker turkey recipes I’ve shared: Classic Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast.

Roasted turkey and slow cooker turkey with gravy

1. Turkey gravy recipe – for OVEN ROASTED Turkey

This is how I make gravy for roasted turkey. I almost always place garlic and onion in the base of the pan as this adds terrific extra flavour to the turkey gravy. I also usually include a bunch of herbs – whatever I’m using in the turkey also goes in the pan.

Next, it’s important to add some kind of liquid into the pan, otherwise you’ll end up with a burnt mess under the turkey. I use 1.5 to 2 cups of white wine or water. I do not use chicken or turkey broth because I use broth later when making the gravy. If you use it both in the pan and when making the gravy, the savoury flavour of the gravy is too concentrated.

Proceed to roast the turkey per the recipeOnce cooked, remove the turkey and the liquid and fat left in the pan is the flavour base for the gravy – this is called drippings.

I make the gravy in the roasting pan as this ensures that none of the flavour from the drippings is wasted. It’s ideal to use a double burner but even a single burner stove is fine (which is what I use in the recipe video).

We only need 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan drippings to make gravy. With fattier cuts of meat, like roast lamb and pork, you usually need to scoop off excess fat from the drippings otherwise the gravy is too greasy. You don’t need to do this with turkey because it’s not as fatty.

Leave the onion and garlic in the pan, we’re going to extract all the flavour out of it later when we strain the gravy.

How to make Turkey Gravy - for Roasted Turkey

Add flour and mix, then add chicken or turkey broth. Simmer to thicken, season to taste with pepper.

Once the gravy has thickened to your taste – remember that it will thicken as it cools – strain it into a bowl then pour into a jug for serving. Tip: Keep it warm in a thermos or similar! Saves having to reheat and also prevents skin forming on top.

How to make Turkey Gravy - for Roasted Turkey

How to make gluten free gravy

To make gravy gluten free, skip the flour and add a cornflour / cornstarch slurry. Use:

  • 2 tsp of cornflour mixed with 2 tsp water for every 1 tbsp of flour called for in a gravy recipe; or
  • 2 tsp of cornflour mixed with 2 tsp water for every 1 cup of liquid used in a gravy;

Add the cornflour slurry into the liquid then simmer until thickened to taste.


2. Turkey Gravy recipe – for SLOW COOKER turkey

Here are slow cooker turkey recipes I’ve shared: Classic Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast.

The steps depicted above for making gravy using pan drippings is the classic way to make gravy. Making gravy for slow cooker turkey is different because we do not have a pan of browned pan drippings to use as the starting point.

Instead, I either skim fat off the strained slow cooker liquids OR use butter as the starting point (if there’s not enough fat in the liquids).

Then mix in flour and use the slow cooker juices as the broth for the gravy.

How to make Turkey Gravy - for Slow Cooker Turkey

How to darken gravy

Because we don’t get caramelisation in slow cookers, Slow Cooker turkey gravy is pale unless you use a gravy darkener of some sort. The taste is great, it’s just a visual thing that bothers some people (like me!).

You can buy gravy darkeners, but my cheeky tip to darken gravy as well as add seasoning is to use dark soy sauce. I know what you’re thinking – “that’s so Asian!!” 😂 And sure, I thought of this because I know Asian condiments well.

But it’s 100% effective. It darkens the gravy as well as seasons it but it does not make it taste Asiany! Soy sauce nowadays is used as a means to add salt and flavour into many non-Asian recipes. It’s a better version of salt because it has more umami (savouriness) than salt.

Try it – you’ll be converted for life!

Alternative: Worcestershire sauce can also be used but approach with caution because the flavour can overwhelm. You won’t achieve the same dark brown colour (or if you do, the gravy flavour will be dominated by Worcestershire sauce).

How to make Turkey Gravy - for Slow Cooker Turkey

Here’s a comparison of the two gravies. On the left is the gravy for Juicy Roast Turkey made using the pan drippings. A natural deep brown colour.

And on the right is the gravy from the Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast I shared recently.

Both are delicious!

Roasted turkey and slow cooker turkey gravy

While the two methods are different, both yield an intensely savoury, can’t-stop-mopping-it-up delicious gravy that you’ll want to pour over everything!

Enjoy! – Nagi x

PS All my turkey recipes come with a gravy recipe, but in case you’re wanting to browse, here’s a list of them. 🙂

TURKEY RECIPES


Turkey Gravy recipe
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Video tutorial for how to make turkey gravy for ROASTED Turkey (see below for SLOW COOKER turkey):

Video tutorial for how to make turkey gravy for SLOW COOKER Turkey:

Gravy being poured over Juicy Roast Turkey
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Turkey Gravy – for ROASTED Turkey

Recipe video above. This is a recipe for how to make gravy for turkey that's been roasted so you have pan drippings to use as the base for gravy (ie the juices and oil in the base of the pan when the turkey is finished cooking).
See separate recipe below for SLOW COOKER turkey (different method).
This recipe assumes a WHOLE Roasted Turkey to 6 kg / 8 – 12lb. If yours is larger, scale recipe up (see Note 1 for quantity) If you roasted breast, you won't have much pan drippings (because it's pretty lean) so use the Slow Cooker turkey gravy recipe.
This gravy is outrageously delicious so make plenty! Freezes for 3 months.
Course Sauce
Keyword Turkey Gravy
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 cups (serves 12)
Author Nagi

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp drippings in turkey roasting pan (Note 2)
  • 6 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
  • 4 cups chicken broth / stock , low sodium
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Single burner is fine, but ideal if it fits across two. Leave garlic, onion etc and other flavourings things in the pan (Note 1)
  • When it starts sizzling/bubbling, add flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Gradually pour the liquid in, mixing constantly. Once it’s all in, it should be lump free. If not, use a whisk – whisk around the onion etc.
  • Simmer until it thickens to taste – gravy will thicken more as it cools. Adjust salt and pepper to taste right at the end.
  • Strain into a bowl, pressing the juices out of the onion, garlic etc. then discard them.
  • Pour gravy into jug and serve with turkey. Tip: To keep gravy warm, store in a thermos!

Notes

1. QUANTITY: I make 1/4 to 1/3 cup of gravy per person. Use the recipe scaler to scale the recipe up for down.
2. DRIPPINGS are the fat (and a bit of juices) in the pan after roasting meat. You need 1 1/2 tbsp drippings and 1 1/2 tbsp flour for every 1 cup of broth to make gravy. If you do not have 6 tbsp of drippings from a 6 kg / 8 – 12lb whole turkey, top up with melted butter. If your turkey was smaller or you want to make less gravy, use the recipe scaler (click servings and slide down).
I always roast my meats with onion and garlic in the pan because it caramelises and adds terrific flavour to the gravy. Leave them IN to make gravy. Remove turkey and loosely cover with foil to rest per the turkey recipe you are using. Meanwhile, make the gravy.
IMPORTANT: Ensure that the recipe you are using calls for at least 1.5 cups of liquid in the turkey roasting pan at the beginning of the roasting time (even just water). Otherwise, you’ll end up with a burnt mess under the turkey which cannot be used for gravy – makes it bitter.
3. GLUTEN FREE: Skip flour. Add 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch mixed with splash of water for every 1 cup of broth used (“cornflour slurry”)  For 4 cups broth, use 8 tsp of cornflour. Pour broth into pan, add slurry, mix. As it heats up, it will thicken.
4. TROUBLESHOOTING:
– Gravy is a pale colour:
means the drippings weren’t caramelised enough. Add a touch of dark soy sauce or a very small amount of Worcestershire sauce.
 – Too salty: Can happen if pan drippings were excessively salty (ie too much salt used in roast turkey recipe), if you use full salt broth instead of low sodium etc. To fix, melt 1.5 tbsp / 20g unsalted butter (or even oil), mix in 1.5 tbsp flour, cook 1 min, add 1 cup water. Mix until lump free, then add into gravy. Note: If you use my Juicy Roast Turkey recipe, the gravy will not be too salty!
– Too thin:
cook more to reduce down to thicken.
– Too thick:
Add water.
– My rules of thumb:

1.5 tbsp flour per 1 cup liquid
3 tbsp flour per 2 cups of liquid
4 tbsp = 2.5 cups liquid
5 tbsp = 4 cups liquid
5. Storage – gravy will keep for 5 days in the fridge or freezer for 3 months. It firms up like jelly, but will thin about when reheated.

 

Slices of Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast on a plate, ready to be served
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Turkey Gravy for SLOW COOKER Turkey

Recipe video above. Turkey gravy for turkey made in a slow cooker has to be made different to roasted turkey because we don't have pan drippings to work with (ie the juices in the bottom of the roasting pan once the turkey is cooked). Just as delicious, just different steps!
See above for gravy for ROAST turkey.
This recipe makes 2 cups of gravy. Allow 1/4 to 1/3 cups per person.
Course Sauce
Keyword Gravy for Turkey
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8
Author Nagi

Ingredients

Broth for Gravy:

  • All juices from slow cooker
  • Turkey or chicken broth/stock – for topping up (low sodium),

Gravy:

  • 2 cups Broth for Gravy
  • 50g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter OR skim fat off surface of slow cooker juices (Note 1)
  • 1/4 cup flour , plain/all purpose
  • 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce or store bought gravy colouring (Note 1)
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Broth for Gravy:

  • Strain all the juices from the slow cooker into a bowl. If you have less than 2 cups (500ml), top up with store bought broth (chicken or turkey). I have never had to do this.
  • If you have more, use all the slow cooker juices (just needs to reduce longer to thicken).

Turkey Gravy:

  • Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
  • Slow add broth, stirring constantly. Mix until lump free – switch to whisk if required.
  • Simmer for a few minutes until it thickens to desired consistency.
  • Add dark soy sauce (or gravy darkener) to achieve desired colour without affecting taste. Start with the amount per ingredients, then add more if you want to darken.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Pour into jug and serve. TIP: Keep gravy warm in a thermos until required.

Notes

1. SKIM FAT off slow cooker juices – you can only do this for recipes that use quite a lot of butter in the recipe (such as this Garlic Herb Butter Slow Cooker Turkey Breast) as turkey breast itself is too lean to produce enough fat to do this. 
2. DARK SOY SAUCE is how I darken and season the gravy. It has more flavour than just plain salt. It does NOT make it taste Asiany! Can be skipped but gravy will be a pale colour. Alternative – buy a gravy darkener or a touch of Worcestershire. Be careful with Worcestershire – has a strong flavour.
3. Storage – gravy will keep for 5 days in the fridge or freezer for 3 months. It firms up like jelly, but will thin about when reheated.

LIFE OF DOZER

This is how I typed up this post….

Dozer shoving face onto computer as Nagi types

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