How to Cook a Butterball Turkey Breast in a Crock-Pot
The average American gobbles up 16 pounds of turkey each year -- about double the amount people ate in the 1960s. The poultry's increase in popularity may be linked to its nutrition. Turkey -- especially the white breast meat -- is high in protein and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.
The average American gobbles up 16 pounds of turkey each year -- about double the amount people ate in the 1960s. The poultry's increase in popularity may be linked to its nutrition. Turkey -- especially the white breast meat -- is high in protein and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. While turkey breasts are typically roasted, a slow cooker is an easy, hands-off way to get moist, flavorful meat without tying up the oven. You can prepare a Butterball 3-pound boneless turkey breast or the company's 3- to 9-pound bone-in turkey breast in the slow cooker.
Remove the turkey breast from its outer packaging, leaving the string netting that covers a boneless breast in place. Use paper towels to pat the meat dry.
Spray the entire outside of the turkey breast with nonstick cooking spray, or brush it lightly with olive oil. Season all sides of the meat with salt, pepper and your choice of herbs and spices.
Place the turkey breast in the slow cooker, skin-side up. Pour in water, broth, wine or a combination -- 1/2 cup of liquid for a 3-pound turkey breast.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and make sure it's secure. Turn the cooker to the low setting, and allow the turkey breast to cook for four hours.
Insert a meat thermometer to check the turkey's progress. By this point, the internal temperature of the center and both ends of the turkey breast should reach about 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Replace the slow cooker's lid. Cook the turkey breast for one to two more hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the turkey breast from the cooker, and place it on a cutting board. Allow it to rest, tented lightly with foil, for about 15 minutes. Cut away the string netting, then slice and serve the turkey.
Tip
Store leftover cooked turkey breast in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two years.
You can strain and thicken the liquid from the slow cooker and use it to make gravy for the turkey breast.
Use slow-cooked turkey breast -- sliced, cubed or chopped -- as a quick addition to salads, casseroles, sandwiches and pasta dishes.
warning
Do not attempt to slow-cook a turkey breast that is still frozen or has not been completely thawed. Butterball cautions that a turkey breast which has not reached an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit after four hours of cooking is not safe to eat.