This Slow Cooker Turkey Crown takes just 2 minutes to prepare and then let the slow cooker do all the work. Perfectly cooked turkey crown in the slow cooker - juicy, moist and full of flavour meat and it makes the BEST gravy too. Save room in the oven and have this hands off slow cooker turkey recipe instead.
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I bet your oven is full enough on Christmas Day or Thanksgiving, without trying to fit a massive turkey in there too! Make use of your slow cooker this Christmas by slow cooking a turkey crown (a double turkey breast on the bone).
It's a great option for when you don't have many mouths to feed too and it won't dry out like it can in the oven.
Still enough meat to feed 6-8 people (depending on the size of your slow cooker and turkey) and cooking it low and slow means you get the most incredible juicy, melt in your mouth turkey. Serve with all your favourite turkey trimmings for a feast!
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Ingredients and Variations
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Turkey Crown - We used a 2.5kg/5.5lb bone-in turkey crown and it JUST fit in our slow cooker. It gives enough meat for 8-10 people. You can adjust the size of the turkey crown you use, depending on how big your slow cooker is and how many people you are serving. If you are using a frozen turkey them make sure it is fully defrosted before it goes into the slow cooker.
- Onions - This is what the turkey crown sits on to stop it touching the bottom of the slow cooker. It also adds some juices that the turkey is basted with. You could add some chunks of carrot in there too.
- Oil - This helps the seasoning cling to the turkey crown and adds a richness to the juices that you baste the turkey with. You could use melted butter.
- Seasoning - We "cheated" here and used a roast chicken seasoning. It has a bit of garlic, paprika and dried herbs in it as well as plenty of salt and pepper. Feel free to use your own seasoning blend if you prefer. Using something with paprika in helps to give that golden colour to the slow cooker turkey crown too.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey Crown
- Step 1: Combine the oil and seasoning.
- Step 2: Add the halved onions to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Step 3: Place the turkey crown on top of the onions and pour over the seasoned oil mixture. Rub the oil into the skin.
- Step 4: Cook on high for 5 hours 30 minutes, basting twice during cooking.
Crisp the Turkey Up
Cooking turkey crown in the slow cooker doesn't give a crispy skin. If that is something you want, then you can transfer it to a baking tray and cook on the middle shelf at 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6 for 10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
This turkey crown recipe means a full roast dinner with all the trimmings, right?! We go all out when it comes to the side dishes, because although the slow cooker turkey is the star of the show, the sides can really make or break the meal.
Firstly you need some roast potatoes, so follow our Perfect Roast Potatoes recipe. When it comes to vegetable sides, try our Slow Cooker Red Cabbage, Broccoli Cheese, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, and Mustard and Honey Roasted Parsnips.
If you have never tried making your own stuffing before, then you have to try our Sage and Onion Stuffing Balls. It takes just 5 minute prep time and it is so much better than store bought. Then add some Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets too. You need a big spoonful of homemade Bread Sauce too.
Turkey Gravy
Cooking turkey in the slow cooker gives you the BEST gravy. Do not waste all the juices in the slow cooker from the turkey, onion and seasoning. This is the base of the most incredible gravy. Once the turkey has been removed to rest, you can get on with the gravy.
Firstly, remove the onion, then you need to add a thickening agent - you can use plain flour or corn flour. We used 40g of flour, which we mixed with 75ml of cold water to create a slurry. Then, we took 500ml of the juices from the slow cooker, and added it to a saucepan and brought it to the boil.
Then, on a low heat, whisk in the slurry, a little at a time, until the desired consistency. You might not need to use it all. Stir in some fresh herbs like chopped rosemary and thyme and season to taste. Alternatively you could just add the juices to our Easy Onion Gravy recipe.
Storage
Store: You can wrap up slices of slow cooked turkey crown and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure you don't leave the turkey out at room temperature for more then 2 hours.
Freeze: Slices of roast turkey breast actually freezes really well and it's a good way to make something in advance for Christmas. Wrap slices of turkey and put them in a freezer bag and they will keep for 2 months.
Defrost: To defrost the slow cooker turkey crown, put the slices on a plate in the fridge overnight until fully defrosted. We reheat them just by adding hot gravy to them.
Leftovers: If you have loads of leftovers, then we have plenty of leftover recipes so nothing goes to waste. Why not try our Leftover Turkey Soup, Leftover Turkey Curry, Turkey Pie, Leftover Turkey Pasta or Leftover Turkey Sandwich.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Remove your turkey crown from the fridge about an hour before you want to put it in the slow cooker.
- If you are using a frozen turkey, it is recommended to defrost for 10-12 hours per kilogram in a fridge at 4°C. Defrost it in the fridge and not at room temperature.
- Let your turkey rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows for all the juices to soak into the meat, rather than them run out when you cut into it.
- Don't forget to baste to meat, as it keeps meat moist by cooling the surface and slowing down the rate at which the meat cooks. The more gently the meat cooks, the juicier it will remain. Basting does mean opening the slow cooker and losing some heat, so don't do it more than twice.
- If you are using a bone-in turkey crown (like we have) then this does take longer than if it was boneless.
- You could also lay a few rashers of bacon over the turkey crown too for extra flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
You need to make sure that your slow cooker is big enough for your turkey crown. For a 2.5kg turkey crown, you will need a 6 litre slow cooker.
There really is no rule here. We use a Morphy Richards Slow Cooker and we love it. What I love most about it is that you can put the bowl insert on the hob too. I also love that it has a clear lid, as I am so impatient that I want to keep looking and seeing what it is doing. If you don't have a clear lid, then lifting it to see will release lots of the heat and add to the cooking time.
You need to make sure that your turkey is fully defrosted before it goes in the slow cooker. A 2.5kg turkey crown will take around 24 hours to defrost. You will need to turn the turkey crown over and check for ice crystals where the bones are. Also put a sharp knife through it to check it no longer feels frozen.
This will depend on the size of the turkey crown you are using. We used a 2.5kg turkey crown and it took about 5 and a half hours on high. So make sure you get it on early. If you have a much smaller turkey crown, like 1-1.5kg, then it will only take about 4 hours on high. If yours was much bigger, like 4kg then it would take 6-7 hours on high.
The best way to check that turkey is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. The safe internal temperature for cooked turkey is 74°C/165°F. It should be inserted into the thickest part of the breast, not touching any bone.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
If you've tried this crock pot turkey recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Turkey Crown
Ingredients
- 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) Turkey crown
- 2 Onions - large; quartered
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Chicken seasoning
Instructions
- Combine 2 tablespoon Olive oil and 2 tablespoon Chicken seasoning.
- Add 2 Onions (halved) to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Place 2.5 kg Turkey crown on top of the onions and pour over the seasoned oil mixture. Rub the oil into the skin.
- Cook on high for 5 hours 30 minutes, basting twice during cooking.
Recipe Tips
- Remove your turkey crown from the fridge about an hour before you want to put it in the slow cooker.
- If you want to give it a glossy and crispy skin (which you just won't get from doing it in the slow cooker), then brush it with some oil and put it in the oven at a high temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
- Let your turkey rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows for all the juices to soak in to the meat, rather than them run out when you cut into it.
- Don't forget to baste to meat, as it keeps meat moist by cooling the surface and slowing down the rate at which the meat cooks. The more gently the meat cooks, the juicier it will remain. Basting does mean opening the slow cooker and losing some heat, so don't do it more than twice.
- If you are using a bone-in turkey crown (like we have) then this does take longer than if it was boneless.
- If you prefer, you can use melted butter instead of oil.
- You could also lay a few rashers of bacon over the turkey crown too for extra flavour.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Priya Srinivasan says
Slow cooking does bring out great flavors in the dish! turkey crown looks fab! Wonderful share!
Toni says
Thank you so much for this recipe! It turned out really amazing!
Tayler says
This is the second time we've made this turkey and it was just as delicious the second time. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Tara says
Oh wow! This turkey looks fantastic. You had me at easy and hands off. Definitely perfect for the holidays.
Ned says
This is simply perfect! Juicy with simple ingredients. Thank you!
Tayler says
I made this turkey over the weekend and it turned out perfectly! So juicy and moist!
Nikki says
This is a fantastic way to make a turkey crown. I love the seasonings used and that you used the juices for the gravy.
Anjali says
Love this recipe!! We are able to make perfectly cooked turkey every time with it!
Vanessa says
Such a great way to keep the oven free for all the sides!
Alison Saalbach Corey says
Fabulous Recipe!!! Thank you for sharing!