Slow Cooker Turkey Crown Recipe (2024)

Do you love turkey, but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing it and ending up with a ton of turkey leftovers? Our Slow Cooker Turkey Crown is the perfect solution!

This recipe is simple and easy to follow and results in a moist and delicious turkey dinner with a few basic ingredients. You can even create a turkey gravy with the leftover stock.

Serve as part of your Christmas dinner with all the trimmings or for Thanksgiving dinner with mashed potatoes and your favourite vegetables for a hearty and satisfying meal!

Jump to what you need to know, or continue reading for more info.

If you are looking for a quicker result? Check out our air fryer turkey crown recipe.

Slow Cooker Turkey Crown Video

Check out the video for how to cook a turkey crown in the slow cooker.

What is a Turkey Crown?

A turkey crown is just the upper part of a whole turkey, mostly consisting of the breast meat with the breast bone still intact; some smaller turkey crown joints may come with wings. But it will always have the legs removed.

This slow cooker turkey breast recipe is perfect for smaller families who prefer nice slices of moist turkey breast meat instead of brown meat found on the legs and carcass.

Ingredients

You will need a few basic ingredients, including a turkey crown, onion, carrots, butter, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.

Turkey crown

You can buy fresh or frozen turkey crowns from most UK supermarkets, or butchers. Also known as bone in double turkey breast. It is not the same as a boneless turkey breast.

Make sure the turkey crown will fit in your slow cooker pot. Most large crock pots will fit up to a 3kg turkey crown.

Butter

Used under the skin of the turkey breasts to help keep the meat moist, and used over the turkey skin create a delicious golden colour. Olive oil could be used instead.

Garlic

A couple of cloves of garlic adds flavour to the slow-cooked turkey.

Herbs

We use dried thyme, but other dried herbs can be added to the butter such as sage or rosemary. Dried herbs are the best choice as fresh herbs will lose their flavour during the slow cooking time.

Onion and Carrots

These are used as a trivet to sit the turkey crown on during the slow cooking process.

Stock

The stock is used to create steam keeping the turkey meat moist during slow cooking but also helps to create a rich gravy after.

We like to use stock pots as they have the best flavour. Turkey, chicken or vegetable stock or broth can be used. If using cubes, ensure you have crumbled stock cube and dissolved in hot water before adding them to the pot.

Salt and Pepper

We recommend using a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season.

Gravy Ingredients

There are a few key ingredients to add to the leftover turkey juices to make a delicious gravy.

Flour

Use plain flour to thicken the leftover stock and make a thick gravy.

Browning

We use browning sauce to give the turkey gravy a deeper, more appetising colour.

Defrost time for Turkey Crown

If you buy a frozen turkey crown, ensure it is completely defrosted before cooking.

It will tell you on the packaging how long to defrost for, but here's a rough guide:

Equipment

You will need a slow cooker for this turkey recipe and some tin foil. A carving fork and a sharp knife to carve the turkey slices.

You will need a sieve and a gravy fat separating jug to strain the juices, and a large pan and whisk to make the gravy, and finally, a gravy boat.

Instructions

A slow cooker is a moist and delicious way to cook a turkey crown. We keep these instructions brief; the full breakdown, including pictures and measurements, can be found in the recipe card.

Jump to Slow Cooker Turkey Crown Recipe Card

Remove all the packaging and excess liquid from the turkey by patting it with a kitchen paper towel.

Next, use a smooth flat spoon to loosen the skin around the breast meat.

Mix softened butter, garlic, and dried herbs in a small bowl.

Rub half of the mixture under the skin of the turkey breasts and spread the rest all over the outside of the bird.

Place the carrots and onion in the bottom of your slow cooker pot and pour in the stock.

Place the turkey crown on top of the vegetables, breast side up add salt & pepper all over the skin. Put the lid on your slow cooker and turn on a low setting.

Cooking times

The slow cookers cooking time will vary depending on the size of your turkey crown. We always cook on low for the most succulent meat results.

How long to cook Turkey Crown in a slow cooker?

Can I cook slow cooker turkey on a high setting?

This slow cook method is better on a low setting, if you want to cook it quicker, we have an oven roast turkey crown recipe which suits the quicker cooking method without making the turkey dry.

How to check the turkey is cooked?

To check that the turkey crown is fully cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat. It should read at least 74 degrees centigrade (165 degrees Fahrenheit).

If you don't have a thermometer, pierce the breast meat with a skewer; the juices should run clear with no pink meat visible.

Whilst cooking turkey in the slow cooker results in tender and juicy meat, the skin is a bit pale and soggy, as seen in the above picture!

You have two options, if no one eats the skin, you can remove and discard it. Alternatively, brown it off in the oven broiler.

How to Crisp up Slow Cooker Turkey Skin

If you want to crisp up the turkey skin, you can pop the cooked turkey crown onto a baking sheet and cook on the middle oven shelf for 10 minutes at 180°C fan/ 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas Mark 6 for 10 minutes.

Rest

Once the turkey is cooked, remove turkey crown from the heat and cover loosely with foil and allow the juices to redistribute through the meat for at least 30 minutes before carving.

Carving

Slow cooking the turkey will result in tender and juicy meat that's perfect for slicing up and serving.

Use a carving knife and fork to remove the whole turkey breasts from the turkey crown bone.

Then slice the breast into your desired thickness slices.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with all the traditional thanksgiving sides or Christmas Dinner Trimmings; roasted potatoes, honey roast parsnips, sausage meat stuffing balls, giant pigs in blankets, carrots, Brussels sprouts, bread sauce or cranberry sauce. Oh, and don't forget the gravy!

If you have some leftover turkey, we have some great recipes for you soon.

Turkey Gravy

To make gravy, strain the remaining liquid through a sieve from the pot into a jug; the fat from the stock will rise to the top.

Scoop some of the top fat layer into a large pan. Discard any extra fat, so only the stock is left.

Gradually add the flour into the hot turkey fat, whilst using a whisk to constantly stir, creating a thick roux.

Now begin adding the stock from the jug, a little at a time into the pan, whisking until you have used all of the stock.

Add a drop of browning sauce if you want a darker gravy. The pale turkey gravy tastes fine but looks so much better with a deeper colour!

Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stiring until it has thickened to your liking.

Taste and add salt and pepper as required. Serve immediately or reheat later. Pour into a gravy boat or jug.

📖 Step by Step Recipe

If you like Slow cooker recipes, try our Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne, Slow Cooker Jacket Potatoes or our Slow Cooker Beef Brisket or Roast Beef in the slow cooker. Indulge in the festive season with our delightful Slow Cooker Christmas Pudding. This exquisite traditional British dessert is a must-try for your holiday celebrations.

Storage

Once cooled, Slow Cooker Turkey Crown can be stored in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for up to two months.

Freezing

If freezing, make sure to seal in a freezer bag or airtight container.

When ready to eat, allow the frozen meat to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating

Slow Cooker Turkey Crown can be reheated in the oven, microwave, or hob.

We prefer reheating in slices in the microwave coated with the gravy, as it helps to keep all of that moisture locked in.

FAQ's

Looking for more Christmas slow cooker recipes, try our slow cooker Christmas Pudding recipe.

More Turkey Recipes

If you're looking for more turkey recipes, why not try one of these?

We hope you love this turkey crown slow cooker recipe as much as we do, and remember, turkeys are available all year round, not just for Christmas or Thanksgiving!

Leftover Turkey Recipe Ideas

If you have turkey leftover don't let it go to waste, check out our tasty turkey curry or our turkey and ham pie.