When we think of a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner, the image that immediately comes to mind is something like the iconic Norman Rockwell painting, Freedom From Want. It depicts a large group of people gathered around the dinner table while a humongous turkey is being presented as the centerpiece for the feast. Since I have a ginormous wonderful family, I can certainly relate to this idea!
But what if your wonderful family isn't so ginormous? What if you have maybe 3 or 4 people instead of 20 or 30? Yes, you'd still love to serve a terrific Turkey Dinner for Thanksgiving, but you've decided you're definitely not gonna cook a giant turkey. What are your options? Well, this recipe answers that question!
I first saw a version of this recipe in a tik tok video, and I gave it a try. LOVED it! But immediately thought I could make it better. After a few tries, I think THIS is the best one! It's SO easy to do, it only takes a few minutes to throw together, and since it's in a slow cooker, it frees up your oven for other dishes like casseroles or roasted veggies. And the gravy that it makes is absolutely delicious! Another great fact about this recipe is that you don't have to serve it just for thanksgiving. It's an easy simple weeknight meal! Also it's perfect for me, since most of the time I'm just cooking for myself. Turkey just happens to be my all time favorite dinner, and now I get to have it as often as I want! This recipe is just that easy.
So if you're looking for a Thanksgiving option, or if you just happen to love turkey as much as I do, give this one a try. It's definitely a keeper!
1 (3lb) Butterball boneless turkey breast, including gravy packet
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
Cracked black pepper to taste
Big splash of white wine
3 pats of butter
3 tbs flour
Defrost your frozen turkey breast in the fridge for a day or two. Since it's so small, it doesn't take a long time. When it's completely thawed, remove the packaging, but be sure to leave the netting that holds the turkey intact. I usually rinse the turkey of all the extra liquid from the packaging, and then pat it dry with a paper towel.
In a 3 quart slow cooker, combine all of the sauce ingredients, except the butter and flour. Be sure to include the packet of gravy that comes with the turkey breast. I usually use a whisk to break up the jellied cranberry sauce. Place the turkey breast in the slow cooker, and turn until coated. Place a few pats of butter on top. Cook your turkey for 6 hours on low.
Remove the turkey to a cutting board. Very carefully remove the netting using scissors or a sharp knife. Slice the turkey into nice thick glorious slices. Place on a serving platter.
Now make the gravy. Turn the slow cooker to high. In a small bowl or mason jar, make a slurry by mixing 3 tbs of flour with the same amount of COLD water. Pour the slurry into the slow cooker and stir well. Let it continue to cook for a few minutes. Your gravy will thicken perfectly. Pour gravy over your fanned turkey slices, or serve in a gravy boat.
Now dig in!
Tips:
You can easily use home made or whole berry cranberry sauce. It will all work!
Yes, I know, I know. Onion soup mix and cranberries.. who knew? But it definitely works, just like when I made Cranberry Chicken many years ago. In fact, you could use this same recipe with chicken too! Actually, come to think of it, if you have a large 7 quart slow cooker, you could easily use this recipe to make a 9 lb oven stuffer. I just might have to do that one of these days.
If you don't want to add the wine, add a splash of something else to add a little acid. Balsamic or cider vinegar, a squeeze of lemon, anything with a little tang to it. It will brighten the flavor and balance the sweetness.
There is no added salt included in this recipe because the onion soup mix already has that covered.
The cooking time is listed as 6 hours on low. I suppose you can do 3 hours on high, but I've never tried it. Some things just taste better when you cook them low and slow. Usually I just set it up at lunch time and then it's perfectly ready by dinnertime.
Serve this with more jellied cranberries, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, corn casserole, stuffing, and candied sweet potatoes. Pro tip: Pour gravy over everything!
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