Looking for a hassle-free way to cook a juicy, flavorful turkey this holiday season? Look no further than this Crockpot Turkey with Garlic Butter recipe! This easy-to-follow method guarantees a succulent bird without the stress of basting or monitoring an oven
Why Crockpot Turkey?
- Effortless Cooking: Simply prep the turkey, slather it with garlic butter, and let your slow cooker do the rest. No need to worry about basting or checking on the oven.
- Moist and Tender: The slow cooking process ensures a perfectly cooked turkey that’s juicy and tender throughout.
- Flavorful: The garlic butter infuses the turkey with incredible flavor, making it a crowd-pleaser for any holiday gathering.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons seasoning salt (Lawry’s recommended)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 lb whole turkey (about 3.5-4 kg)
- ½ cup water (optional)
- For the Gravy:
- ½ cup chicken, turkey, or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Additional seasonings as desired
Instructions:
- Prepare the Garlic Butter: In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, seasoning salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Season the Turkey: Loosen the skin of the turkey and spread the garlic butter under the skin and on top. If possible, let the turkey sit with the seasoning overnight for maximum flavor.
- Slow Cook the Turkey: Add the optional water to the bottom of your crockpot. Place the seasoned turkey in the crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast (should reach 170°F) and the thigh (should reach 180°F).
- Crisp the Skin (Optional): If desired, transfer the turkey to a roasting pan. Brush the remaining garlic butter over the skin and broil for 5-8 minutes, keeping a close eye, for a golden exterior.
- Make the Gravy: Strain the juices from the slow cooker into a small to medium pot. Whisk together the broth and cornstarch, then whisk into the drippings. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat until slightly thickened. Season to taste.
Tips:
- Estimating 1 lb of turkey per person will account for the weight of the carcass and still provide generous servings. You may find 8 lbs feeds quite a few more, but if you want to be safe or have leftovers, 1 lb per person is a good estimate.
- For a cream-based gravy, follow the instructions in this recipe: https://www.thereciperebel.com/instant-pot-pork-chops-with-gravy/, using the drippings instead of broth.
Enjoy your delicious and stress-free Crockpot Turkey with Garlic Butter!
Additional Resources:
- Crispy Skin Slow Cooker Turkey (& Homemade Gravy): https://cafedelites.com/crispy-skin-slow-cooker-turkey/
- Crockpot Turkey with Garlic Butter: https://www.thereciperebel.com/crockpot-turkey-with-garlic-butter/
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can I use a different size turkey? Yes, you can adjust the cooking time accordingly. For a smaller turkey, reduce the cooking time by 1-2 hours. For a larger turkey, increase the cooking time by 1-2 hours.
- Can I stuff the turkey? I wouldn’t recommend stuffing the turkey in a slow cooker. The slow cooking process can make the stuffing soggy.
- Can I make the gravy ahead of time? Yes, you can make the gravy ahead of time and reheat it when you’re ready to serve.
- Can I use this recipe for a turkey breast? Yes, you can use this recipe for a turkey breast. Adjust the cooking time accordingly. For a 2-3 lb turkey breast, cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
Crispy Skin Slow Cooker Turkey is THE MOST succulent Turkey, WITHOUT brining OR marinading! Rubbed with a buttery, garlicky herb mixture…and slow cooked until tender and juicy, this Turkey will have EVERYONE talking!
This Thanksgiving, fill your ovens with other essentials and delegate most of the work to your slow cooker—this turkey could not be ANY EASIER, JUCIER, or dare I say it—MOIST!
While I WISH that a slow cooker could magically produce a crispy, golden-browned skin like this one, your broiler will take care of that for the final 10–20 minutes this turkey needs to get all golden-browned. Slow cooking turkey GUARANTEES juicy and succulent meat! All up? 4-5 hours cooking time with your oven freed up for a good chunk of that time!.
A turkey typically requires six hours or longer of slow roasting in your oven, sometimes overnight, in order to be ready for the following day. Am I right?.
Most times you need to brine it for a good 24 hours before even roasting it. Additionally, if you brine it for too long, it will become overly salty, and if you brine it for too little time, you risk washing the natural flavors of the turkey into the water.
Ah the DILEMMA. You need a bucket, a long list of brine ingredients, plus time.
HOW TO MAKE Slow Cooker Turkey
- You will require a small (8–10 pound, or 4–5 kg) turkey. To make sure it fits into the slow cooker bowl, do this. This one was 8 pounds.
- Kindly don’t forget to split your herb butter in half and store the chilled half. The reserved butter will be used later, just before broiling, to give your turkey even more flavor and to brown the skin to a golden brown.
- For our slow-cooked turkey, I love to use thyme and rosemary, but you can also use sage leaves, oregano, parsley, or any other herbs YOU like!