Brendans Crock Pot Turkey Recipes

SLOW COOKER HERBED TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Rinse turkey breast and pat dry with paper towels; sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Place 2 rosemary sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs, 1/4 cup chopped onion, and butter slices into turkey breast cavity.
• Place celery leaves, remaining white onion, and remaining rosemary and thyme sprigs into a large slow cooker. Lay turkey breast over vegetables and herbs with the top facing down. Pour white wine into cooker and cover.
• Cook on High until meat is tender and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast meat reads 170 degrees (75 degrees C), about 6 hours. Let turkey breast rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

CROCK POT TURKEY (A WHOLE TURKEY)

Steps:

• 1. REMEMBER: DO STEPS 2 OR 3 24 HOURS AHEAD OF TIME TO ENSURE GOOD FLAVOUR!!! AND REMEMBER TO START EARLY IN THE MORNING ON HIGH IF IT'S A BIG BIRD. CHECK THE TEMPERATURE PERIODICALLY WITH A MEAT THERMOMETER. 180'F IS YOUR GOAL TEMPERATURE. IF THIS IS DONE FASTER THEN ANTICIPATED JUST PUT ON LOW OR BUFFET SETTING IF YOU HAVE ONE.
• 2. Once you have washed and patted dry your turkey rub it all over with Olive Oil, then coat with your favourite dry rub. Salt and pepper the whole bird too.
• 3. If you prefer to use just herbs using sage, thyme and marjoram is recommened. I'd even throw in a little rosemary to the mix because I like it.
• 4. Once the bird has sat for a day in the fridge with the dry rub or herbs on it you're ready to start to cook the bird, first start with the veggies...
• 5. Cut them up in good size chunks other wise they might dissintegrate on you. Lightly toss the veggies in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put in the bottom of the crock pot.
• 6. Pour the stock into the crock pot, but use only a small amount, it's just for steam, not to boil the turkey. Place the turkey on top of the veggies and stock. If you have more veggies then can fit under the turkey slide them along side the turkey.
• 7. Basting isn't necessary, it should baste itself, but if you open the lid a lot it might not baste properly, so hand baste if you like to peek a lot. You can also baste it with some whole cream or egg white to crisp the skin.
• 8. When it hits 180'F it's done. When serving, be careful. Chances are the bird will be very tender and the meat will fall off the bones. You might want to take the wings, legs etc. off and display them on a nice platter. If you wish serve the cooked veggies along side in a nice dish. You can also add some greens around the edge of the platter under the turkey for presentation.
• 9. If you have any juice left in the bottom use it to make gravy, it will be delicious.
• 10. Enjoy!

BRINED AND ROASTED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Overnight Brine: Combine Morton®Kosher Salt and sugar in cool water in a large, clean stockpot until completely dissolved. Place the whole turkey in the brine until completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight, up to 14 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse inside and out under cool running water for several minutes to remove all traces of salt; pat dry with paper towel.
• 4-5 hour Brine: To brine your turkey in less time (4-5 hours), use 2 cups of Morton®Coarse Kosher Salt and two cups of sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.
• To Roast: Mix the softened butter with the pepper. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan. Rub the seasoned butter under the skin. Brush the skin with the melted butter. Pour the 1 cup liquid (wine, broth or water) over the pan bottom to prevent drippings from burning. Roast turkey at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes, baste and then rotate the roasting pan. Continue roasting until the skin turns golden brown, an additional 25 minutes; baste again. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F; continue to roast, basting and rotating the pan once about halfway through cooking, until the minimum internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oven. Let stand 20 minutes before carving.

BRINED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Mix cold water and salt in a large clean bucket or stockpot (noncorrosive); stir until salt is dissolved. Add turkey. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from brine; discard brine. Thoroughly rinse turkey under cool running water, gently rubbing outside and inside of turkey to release salt. Pat skin and both interior cavities dry with paper towels.
• Fasten neck skin to back of turkey with skewer. Fold wings across back of turkey so tips are touching. Toss onion, carrot, celery and thyme with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter; place in turkey cavity.
• Place turkey, breast side down, on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Brush entire back side of turkey with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Turn turkey over. Brush entire breast side of turkey with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone. (Do not add water or cover turkey.)
• Roast uncovered 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours, brushing twice with pan drippings during last 30 minutes of roasting.
• Turkey is done when thermometer reads 165°F and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted. If a meat thermometer is not used, begin testing for doneness after about 3 hours. When turkey is done, place on warm platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Let stand about 15 minutes for easiest carving.

SLOW COOKER TURKEY BREAST

Steps:

• Rinse the turkey breast and pat dry. Cut off any excess skin, but leave the skin covering the breast. Rub onion soup mix all over outside of the turkey and under the skin. Place in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on High for 1 hour, then set to Low, and cook for 7 hours.

ROASTED DRY-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Make the turkey: Combine 2/3 cup salt and crushed bay leaves in a small bowl. Rinse inside and outside of turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub 2 tablespoons salt mixture evenly inside turkey cavity, 2 tablespoons on each leg portion, 1 1/2 teaspoons on each wing, and 2 tablespoons on each breast. Place turkey in a large oven bag and seal tightly, removing any trapped air. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for 48 hours.
• Remove turkey from bag, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Combine 1 stick butter, the wine, and whole bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in lowest position. Rinse inside and outside of turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Tuck wings under turkey. Season cavity with salt and pepper, and loosely fill it with 4 cups stuffing. (To bake remaining stuffing, see Leek-Celery Root Stuffing). Tie legs together with kitchen string. Rub remaining 1/2 stick butter on turkey, and season with salt and pepper. Pour water into roasting pan.
• Place turkey, legs first, into oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then baste with butter-wine mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, and roast, basting with butter-wine mixture every 30 minutes, for 2 1/2 hours. (Add more water to roasting pan if necessary to prevent pan drippings from burning.) Rotate pan, and roast until skin is golden brown and thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) and center of stuffing register 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer 30 to 45 minutes more. (If turkey is done before the stuffing, remove turkey from oven, and spoon stuffing into a buttered baking dish, and continue to roast until golden and center registers 165 degrees.) Transfer turkey to a rimmed baking sheet, reserving pan juices and roasting pan, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
• Make the pan gravy: Pour reserved pan juices into a glass measuring cup or a gravy separator, and let stand until fat rises to the surface, about 10 minutes. Pour or spoon off fat.
• Place reserved roasting pan on 2 burners over medium heat. Add wine, and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping browned bits with a wooden spoon. Whisk flour and giblet stock in a large bowl until combined. Add defatted pan juices, whisking to combine, then pour into roasting pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half and thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat, and whisk in butter. Strain through a sieve, and discard solids. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• To carve the turkey: Place the turkey in front of you, breast side up, and use your hand to hold it steady. Cut through kitchen string, and discard. Remove drumsticks first by placing a knife against the thigh, cutting alongside body, and slicing through the skin to expose the joint. Apply pressure at the joint with the tip of the knife, then twist the knife, and cut through the joint to release the drumstick. Repeat on the other side. (For a video how-to, see How to Carve Turkey Like a Pro.)
• Use a long-handled spoon to scoop out the stuffing, and transfer it to a serving bowl. Slice the thigh meat from the bone.
• Place the knife horizontally at the bottom curve of the breast, and slice in toward the rib cage along the length of the breast to create a "guide cut." Then make a vertical slice from the top down alongside the rib cage to loosen the breast meat. Cut the breast vertically into 1/4-inch-thick slices, being careful to preserve some skin. Repeat on the other side. Insert the knife tip at wing joint closest to the turkey, and twist to release wing. Repeat on the other side.

BRENDAN'S CROCK POT TURKEY

Steps:

• Mix ingredients in a bowl (except for the butter) and rub on to washed , patted dry turkey breast.
• Put butter under the skin on the top of the turkey.
• Place the turkey breast in to the crock pot on low for 7 hours.