Thursday, January 22, 2009

sharing the crock pot love.....



Many of you asked how I did my turkey breast in the crock pot......well, very carefully. Ha...I think that's not what you meant! I will reveal the secret to my crock pot turkey here in this very blog post. First I have to tell you......I do love my crock pot. I've been working with the same crock pot for nearly thirty years.......um, YES thirty years. Oh, of course it seems I must have started cooking in my crock pot at the tender age of nine.....


I got this crock pot for a wedding gift.

It has been a faithful friend, and one I will not get rid of.......but she's now going to be able to divide her crockery responsibilities with a new one. She will be glad for the semi-retirement stage. She'll have a few days off now!
Here's the new one I purchased night before last at Target...on sale this week for $24.97!

Oh, isn't it white???? I started to go with stainless, but not for another $15, thanks. White is good in my kitchen. So all this is to say, that my turkey breast cookery in the crockpot just moved up a notch. Since this one is more appropriately sized for a turkey breast, the lid will actually close fully now, rendering an EVEN MORE moist turkey breast than before. It's going to be GREAT! Yes, the other crock pot worked overtime to cook a turkey breast because it was a little bit crowded......and the lid wouldn't close all the way. We are in business NOW!

So these lovely ladies will be working together now.......sharing the crock pot responsibilities at the SI Casa....both are quite happy with this new arrangement!

If you, too, would like to add a new crock pot, or a first one, check out this week's Target flier......a black or a white one for only $24.95. The stainless one will set you back $39.95. Both are a steal really for the job that they do! Nothing like coming home from church with dinner smells wafting through the house, and a hot meal "table- ready"! Wahoo!

So to make my turkey breast in the crock pot, you take a turkey breast, defrosted or nearly completely defrosted, and sit her carefully into the crockpot. Slather her skin with olive oil.....a great moisturing treatment! Then sprinkle her with seasoning of your choice. I use a lot! I use salt, pepper, Tony Chachere's (that's CAJUN spices!) some garlic powder, and whatever else spills out of the spice cabinet. Oh, and I also put a piece of onion, or maybe a whole one in the turkey cavity. Be sure and remove that gravy packet if there is one.....not good in the crock pot! Ok, so she's moisturized with olive oil, sprinkled with herbs and spices, and then I turn the crock pot on for a few hours. Now what I have to say here, is that from this point, it is experimental. In my old crock pot, I would cook it for a few hours on a medium setting, about 350 degrees. In my new one, I'm thinking maybe six hours on low or four on high, but I'll have to report back on that to see if it's accurate. I've cooked it long enough that it was falling off the breast bone, so you don't have to cook it that long....but it was NEVER dried out. It is the moistest way to cook a turkey breast. And I do not add water or broth to the bottom, but if it makes you nervous to do so, go ahead and add a quarter cup or so in the bottom. It will make it's own juice, trust me. So feel free to ask any questions in the comments if I've left out any pertinent details......

oh, and I really DIDN'T start using my crock pot at the tender age of nine...that part IS JUST a bunch of crock!!! ;)

14 comments:

Controlling My Chaos said...

Love your crock pot. I got a new one for my last birthday, about that same size, and I love it. I also got the little mini baby one with it which is great for dips or chocolate fondue.

Pug1 said...

Hi Suzanne!!! love your post! What size turkey breast do you usually use? I would like to start using my crockpot more often but I do lack tasty recipes! If you have anymore plz post them! CHEERS! Michele

Anonymous said...

I think I have that same pot. The old faithful one! Your new one is pretty and all but it has alot of catching up to do. My old faithful has been through many chili's..baby showers...meatballs... oh Im getting hungry, hehe

Domestic Designer said...

I love my crock pot too! It is so easy and tastes like you have slaved over a hot stove for hours. Thanks for the turkey recipe. I am going to try it real soon! Maybe this weekend.

Darlene said...

I too LOVE my crock pot and still use one I got from my wedding 28 years ago! Your turkey sounds great! We are quite fond of throwing in frozen breast fillets with a can of cream of chicken soup and a packet of onion seasoning. My daughter will absolutely PIG out on it!

southerninspiration said...

I think the last turkey breast I cooked was about six pounds. I cooked two since I was serving it for Bunco, and could have had 12 to 15 women. Turns out I had lots of leftovers, and made some turkey veggie soup a few days later with the same leftover turkey breast in the same crockpot! It was yummy, too! Sure, I"ll be glad to post some more crockery recipes at another time.
Take care!

Bo said...

I am so happy you posted this! I really was wanting to ask you about it, but thought...
nah, she really doesn't want to be bothered...heehee...so here it is...yay! It sounds almost too easy & I love it already!!!
Thanks, ;-) Bo

Cathy said...

Love the new crock pot. Your turkey breast recipe sounds delicious.

Cathy

Sara's Sweet Surprise said...

I love using my slow cooker too. I purchased many for Christmas present and threw one in for myself. I taught a class on preparing meat bases,dividing it up to freeze. By adding a few other ingredients creating several entries. I've been asked to post a tutorial. I will as soon as I figure out the best way to execute the production.

Barb @ The Everyday Home said...

I love my crock pot too. There are some days we would starve if I had not started something in the ole' crock, cause there are some days after work when coming home and cooking just ain't gonna happen. I know this sounds strange - but one of my fave turkey breast recipes is to add a can of wholeberry cranberry sauce with a package of Lipton onion soup mix, mixed together and dumped right on top. Anyway - I need to put turkey breat on my grocery list. LOL

Stacey @ The Blessed Nest said...

I have that same white Crock pot!! It does spit a little around the top from time to time, I'll warn ya, but it holds a LOT, and I just love it!!! Great for larger meats and a big pot of chili too!! (Sometimes I'll use 2 crock-pots for larger groups -- done this quite often, so don't get rid of the smaller one yet!) I just made pork chops: Brown chops well and season with salt & pepper. Put in crock pot for 6-8 hrs on LOW with one can cream of mushroom soup. YUM! Serve with rice! We gobble this up everytime!

Sandy said...

Great to visit you! I too just got a new crockpot - i'm so happy! Fun post!

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

I love using my crockpot! But I've got to say that when I bought a new one a few years ago, I noticed it ran hotter than my old one. So it takes less time. The low setting is hotter than the low on my old one.

Manuela

♥ Boomer ♥ said...

Someone just told me that the best "baked potatoes" in the world come from a crock pot. Wrap them in tin foil as usual. Four hours later ~ perfection!