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There are only eight days until the aroma of roasting turkeys are wafting from our ovens. My family could happily eat turkey year-round. Give me two pieces of whole wheat breads, a small schmear of mayo and some cranberry sauce... it's my favorite brown bag lunch to bring to work.
It always seems that leftover turkey breast (my favorite) is the first to disappear. I find myself longing for more turkey. Then, there are some fine folks whose families are all grown, and maybe moved far away. Or, sometimes, people choose to go out for dinner, or are dinner guests? There are not leftovers!
Well, American's Test Kitchen has a recipe in a cookbook I've been using a lot, as of late. It's called "America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker…
View Full Recipe at A Feast for the Eyes Food…
%20is%20the%20first%20to%20disappear.%20I%20find%20myself%20longing%20for%20more%20turkey.%20%20Then,%20there%20are%20some%20fine%20folks%20whose%20families%20are%20all%20grown,%20and%20maybe%20moved%20far%20away.%20Or,%20sometimes,%20people%20choose%20to%20go%20out%20for%20dinner,%20or%20are%20dinner%20guests?%20There%20are%20not%20leftovers!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWell,%20American's%20Test%20Kitchen%20has%20a%20recipe%20in%20a%20cookbook%20I've%20been%20using%20a%20lot,%20as%20of%20late.%20It's%20called%20%22America's%20Test%20Kitchen%20Slow%20Cooker%20Revolution%22.%20%20%20I%20love%20the%20idea%20of%20slow%20cooker%20turkey!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20picked%20up%20a%20fresh%20Turkey%20Half%20Breast%20at%20Trader%20Joe's,%20and%20decided%20to%20test%20their%20recipe%20for%20a%20slow%20cooker%20turkey%20breast,%20that%20makes%20it's%20own%20gravy.%20%20ATK's%20recipe%20is%20written%20for%20a%206-7%20pound%20turkey%20breast.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHowever,%20I%20decided%20that%20a%202%201/2%20pound%20turkey%20breast%20would%20be%20a%20great%20way%20to%20test%20drive%20this%20recipe.%20%20Season%20with%20salt%20&%20pepper.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20prep%20work%20didn't%20take%20long.%20I%20coarsely%20chopped%20one%20carrot,%20one%20medium%20onion%20and%20a%20stalk%20of%20celery,%20garlic%20cloves,%20and%20added%20it%20to%20a%20skillet%20with%20melted%20butter.%20%20They%20were%20cooked%20until%20lightly%20browned,%20then%20flour%20is%20added%20and%20cooked%20until%20golden%20brown.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENext,%20add%20chicken%20broth,%20water%20and%20some%20white%20wine%20(which%20is%20totally%20optional,%20but%20I%20love%20the%20flavor%20white%20wine%20imparts%20to%20turkey%20gravy).%20%20For%20aromatics,%20I%20added%20Bay%20leaves,%20%20and%20a%20couple%20springs%20of%20thyme.%20%20Add%20the%20liquid%20to%20the%20slow%20cooker,%20and%20nestle%20the%20turkey%20(skin%20side%20up)%20into%20the%20slow%20cooker.%20%20For%20a%202-1/2%20pound%20turkey%20breast,%20I%20cooked%20this%20on%20low%20for%20just%20under%203%20hours...until%20an%20instant%20read%20thermometer%20registered%20165F.%20%20Remove%20the%20turkey%20breast%20and%20tent%20with%20foil.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20strained%20the%20braising%20liquid,%20and%20let%20it%20settle%20for%20five%20minutes--%20that%20way,%20I%20could%20skim%20off%20any%20excess%20fat.%20Then,%20I%20let%20the%20liquid%20simmer%20for%20about%2015%20minutes.%20The%20gravy%20was%20a%20bit%20thin,%20and%20I%20tasted%20it%20for%20seasoning...since%20I%20used%20low-sodium%20chicken%20broth,%20I%20added%20a%20bit%20more%20salt%20and%20pepper.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20added%20a%20little%20gravy%20over%20the%20sliced%20turkey,%20covered%20it%20with%20foil%20and%20set%20it%20inside%20a%20warm%20oven.%20%20I%20decided%20to%20make%20a%20slurry%20of%20cornstarch%20(about%201%20tablespoon%20cornstarch%20to%203-4%20tablespoons%20water),%20whisked%20until%20there%20are%20no%20lumps...then%20slowly%20drizzled%20it%20into%20the%20gravy.%20%20It%20thickened%20up%20to%20the%20consistency%20my%20men%20prefer%20(so%20they%20can%20slather%20it%20over%20mashed%20potatoes).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETASTING%20NOTES:%20%20The%20turkey%20breast%20was%20really%20moist,%20and%20that's%20something%20any%20cook%20hopes%20will%20be%20the%20end%20result.%20%20We%20loved%20it,%20and%20this%20is%20how%20I'll%20prepare%20my%20turkey%20breasts%20from%20now%20on.%20It's%20so%20easy!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBecause%20there%20aren't%20any%20turkey%20drippings,%20the%20gravy%20is%20not%20going%20to%20have%20that%20beautiful%20dark%20color%20and%20deep%20flavor%20like%20my%20famous%20%22Make%20Ahead%20Turkey%20Gravy%22.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESince%20the%20turkey%20breast%20is%20braised%20in%20liquid,%20you%20won't%20get%20that%20glorious%20golden%20brown%20skin,%20like%20we%20get%20with%20our%20Grilled%20Turkey%20(which%20is%20also%20a%20great%20way%20to%20free%20up%20a%20single%20oven).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhat%20you%20will%20get%20is%20a%20no-fuss%20way%20of%20making%20turkey,%20that%20your%20family%20will%20go%20back%20for%20seconds.%20Guaranteed.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20a%20couple%20of%20side%20notes:%20%20When%20buying%20a%20turkey%20breast,%20read%20the%20label%20carefully.%20There%20is%20a%20well-known%20brand%20that%20brines%20their%20turkey%20breasts%20in%20a%20saline%20solution,%20along%20with%20other%20ingredients%20I%20cannot%20pronounce.%20%20Watch%20your%20salt%20seasoning,%20carefully!%20%20That's%20why%20I%20use%20low-salt%20chicken%20broth,%20and%20I%20will%20only%20buy%20a%20turkey%20breast%20that%20has%20not%20been%20brined%20or%20pre-seasoned.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI've%20heard%20that%20if%20your%20turkey%20breast%20is%20too%20big%20for%20the%20slow%20cooker%20lid%20to%20fit,%20you%20can%20wrap%20the%20slow%20cooker%20with%20aluminum%20foil--%20across%20and%20the%20in%20the%20other%20direction,%20and%20tuck%20it%20underneath.%20%20I've%20read%20comments%20that%20this%20has%20been%20successful.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHappy%20Thanksgiving!%3C/p%3E){kind=link}