The Season of Big Breasts

Turkey BreastIt’s November. Big breasts are finally everywhere!  I’m talking about turkey breasts.  Yes, it really is a special time of year, not only because of Thanksgiving and the holiday season, but also because the markets around my neighborhood start to carry big boneless turkey breasts in the freezer section and they don’t have them any other time of year.  The ones my store has in their freezer are about 4.5 pounds. So, of course I stock up.

 

These big boneless turkey breasts are perfectly suited for cooking in the slow cooker with a few special details to make them extra delicious. The result is the best turkey cold cuts I’ve ever had in a sandwich.  Or a delightful turkey dinner any time of year. Warm turkey and top a crisp green salad with a tangy mustard vinaigrette dressing. A turkey wrap with hummus and quinoa salad as its condiments. The meat is juicy and flavorful and awesome.

 

(Big) Boneless turkey breast in the slow cooker

1 boneless turkey breast, 3.5 – 5 pounds

1 onion, chopped

1 cup jam or jelly. (sometimes I use apricot jam, or mango chutney, or one of those fruit compote things that’s in my pantry that I never know quite what to do with, or a combination of some kind of sweet jam and some hot pepper jelly)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and you can add up to two more tablespoons of grainy mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: chop up one apple, plum, peach, pear, stalk of celery, or nectarine and add it to the pot

Optional: if the turkey comes with a little gravy packet, you can add that too if you like but you don’t need to

 

Put everything in the pot of the slow cooker and cook for 4 to 5 hours on low. Remove turkey, cool, and slice according to your preference. If you like the meat sliced thin, it’s easier to do once it has been refrigerated. The sauce in the slow cooker is delicious with the meat, and it makes it extra moist and flavorful.