Asian Inspired Turkey Breast (in the Slow Cooker) Recipe
Hello! How has summer been treating you so far? We've been laying kind of low, with weekend trips scattered here and there, but mostly we're just enjoying being at home.
While I type, the big kids are watching an "America's Got Talent" marathon from the DVR and the baby (now eighteen months! eeps!) is cooking Lincoln Log soup in the play kitchen.
and the heater is running. because it's 66 degrees in the house and drizzling outside and I AM A GREAT BIG HUGE HONKING WUSS.
I promise I'll turn it off by 10am.
I think.
maybe.
I get emails about slow cooking during the summer time, and my answer is that yes, I do use my slowcooker(s) year round. It helps that it is F R E E Z I N G today, but even on hot days I prefer to use the crockpot than heat up the kitchen by using the stove or oven. I like that fish steams so nicely in foil packets without a fishy smell, and I'm getting pretty good at making lettuce wraps.
This is a great summer time recipe---- the turkey is seasoned with soy sauce, a bit of peanut butter, lime juice and some horseradish which creates a touch of surprise heat. The leftover turkey makes fantastic sandwich filling (I can't seem to get enough of that turkey-and-mayo combination).
The Ingredients.
serves 6
1 turkey breast (5-7 pounds)
1/3 cup soy sauce (I use La Choy or Tamari wheat free so it's gluten free)
1/3 cup sesame oil
1 tablespoon all natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish cream (or 1 teaspoon freshly grated)
3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
2 limes, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
The Directions.
Use the largest slow cooker you've got. I skinned my breast (because I have weird skin issues) and then placed it meat-side down into a 6.5-quart slow cooker. It was not quite big enough, but I made it work (more on that in a sec.).
In a small mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, peanut butter, horseradish, chopped garlic, lime 
juice, and salt. Whisk together until everything is incorporated. Pour the sauce all over the turkey breast, allowing the sauce to pool up in the ribcage cavity.
juice, and salt. Whisk together until everything is incorporated. Pour the sauce all over the turkey breast, allowing the sauce to pool up in the ribcage cavity.
Cover. If your lid doesn't fit on your pot completely (mine didn't), cover the top of your stoneware with layers of foil. Crimp the edges as tightly as you can and then place your lid on top. Cook on low for about 8 hours, or until meat is no longer pink when you cut into it and registers 170 degrees. If your turkey has a built-in thermometer it should pop up. 
Carefully remove the turkey from the pot and let sit for 10 minutes or so before slicing.
If desired (highly recommended!), pour the crock drippings into a small sauce pan and boil on the stove until the sauce has thickened and reduced (about 8 min or so? I didn't really time this part --- don't wander off --- stirring every so often). Serve with your favorite sides with the gravy drizzled over the top.
We had our meat with salad and roasted vegetables.
The Verdict.
I forget about turkey in the non-Winter Holiday months. It's low in fat, low in cholesterol, and tastes great. I need to make it more often--- especially since the leftovers are so awesome in sandwiches. My kids are growing up, and ate everything on their plates without complaint.
The baby (so far) eats anything and everything.
Including the hairy raisins she finds under the couch.
more turkey? no problem.
absolutely crazy turkey (you probably shouldn't actually make this)
also? I've been adopted! Wendy, from Celiacs in the House hosts an Adopt a Gluten Free Blogger roundup and Sunny from And Love it Too and Shea from Dixie Chick Cooks chose me! Both of these ladies are wonderful, and I urge you to take time perusing their sites.
Thank you ladies for having me and for hosting the contest!
have a wonderful day. stay warm.
:-)
HA!
I'm with you on the turkey/mayo combo in sandwiches. I love it and can't get enough! I have to share though, that one year I made a turkey just to have turkey sandwiches and noshed on that turkey almost exclusively for about a week. Then, one day I turned my head right when I lifted my arm and realized my arm pit smelled like turkey! The turkey smell was coming through my pores. Now it is true there are worse things to smell like but it weirded me out enough I've rationed my turkey sandwich consumption. :-)
ReplyDeleteYour kiddos sound like they are doing okay with their diets. :) A couple of things that helped us when our kids were growing up (the "baby" is 18 now and headed off to college next month!) - 1) they didn't have to eat everything on their plates but they did have to try everything, and 2) my son had read in a Weekly Reader (remember those?) that your taste buds are completely replaced every 7 years and the tastes that you like change with them. He was my pickiest eater but would say "ya know it's been a long time since I've had that. Maybe I like it now". It always amazed me how open-minded he was about that part of the process. Lest you think mealtime was easy with him he was also the child who, for years, would proclaim "Yuck! I don't want that!", loudly and often before he even knew what was for dinner.
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe! I really need to do more slow cooking
ReplyDelete~ The Tuckerbag ~
Honeysuckle turkey breasts are on-sale til Wednesday at my local Hy-Vee. I planned a trip over there this evening. I'm going to grab me some turkey and cook it up using this recipe come the weekend. Thanks - timing is perfect.
ReplyDeleteI love making turkey - it is the one meal that I know no one will complain about. I have two small ones left over in my freezer from Easter and now I know what I'm going to do with at least one of them!
ReplyDeleteHairy raisins!!!!!!!! hahaha. totally understand that.
ReplyDeleteLove looking at all your recipes! Bravo to you for taking on this task and sharing with us. I've cooked turkey breast many times in my slow cooker and had great results, so mainly today I'm just trying to figure out where in the heck you must live to have 66 degrees in your house this morning! Wow, I want to move there cuz I HATE hot, humid weather! LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this! I also always forget about turkey in the non-holiday months and it IS so good for you! Also I think I cook in my crockpot more in the summer than the winter just because I hate turning on the oven in the summer!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe looks delicious. I can't wait to try it. I have tried another recipe of yours which had peanut butter in it - it was a big hit around here. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of this. My sister lives right in the center of Utah where there are masses of turkey farms, so she's always bringing me turkey breasts.
ReplyDeleteThis does sound good and simple to make. We love turkey on Thanksgiving and all the sandwiches afterward, it would be nice to have turkey another time during the year. Going to try this over the weekend. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI was suprised to see peanut butter on the list! What fun!
ReplyDeleteYou always have such good flavors in your recipes!
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie!
ReplyDeleteWe aren't turkey eaters around here, but I'd love to give this recipe a go - I'm sure the kids will love it!
One question for you though, can I ommit the horseradish? Does it add too much heat for your littlest person?
Oh, and I love the new look site! Great job :)
Thanks xo
I made this, albeit with a turkey breast "roast" as I couldn't find any other turkey. The sauce was way too salty (and I like lots of salt). Perhaps because the roast had some brine? I also overcooked the roast, not realizing that a 48oz roast wouldn't take as long as a 5-7 lb breast. Oops.
ReplyDeleteI boiled the liquid at least twice as long as you suggested and it never thickened.
I bought extra hot horseradish (but not "cream") and after cooking there wasn't a bit of heat in this dish.
Kind of a disappointment. But the leftover turkey made a nice casserole for another dinner.
Hi Granny's Daughter,
ReplyDeleteoh no. I'm so sorry you had this experience.
Do you think it would be OK to use regular, already sweetened peanut butter on this?
ReplyDeleteI made this recipe today.
ReplyDeleteI only have one complaint...but it's a serious one :)
I don't have any bread in the house to go make a sandwich with the darn tootin' good leftovers!! This was awesome..thank you!
Does anyone else find it impossible to locate turkey breast? I live in the largest city in Nova Scotia, Canada (which is a small city, but my point is it isn't the boonies). I really want to try the turkey breast recipes, but so far, no turkey!
ReplyDeletelove all the recipes, I cook in a 6qt. crock for 2 people, freeze leftovers individually and all my boyfriend's coworkers are jealous of his lunches!
I've made this twice now, and neither time with turkey! It was great with pork country-style ribs, and also pretty good with beef. (Better with the pork, I would say.) Kind of on the salty side, so I think I'll leave out the extra salt next time. Maybe I'll try it with turkey one of these days!
ReplyDeletelol, you're such a rebel! ;-)
ReplyDelete