Name: Slow-Cooker Turkey Breast With Cherry-Orange Sauce
Total time: 6 h
Ingredients: 12 ounces frozen sweet cherries , thawed and chopped; 2 (2-inch) strips orange zest; 1 teaspoon instant tapioca; 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ⅛ teaspoon dried; Salt and pepper; 1 (6- to 7-pound) bone-in whole turkey breast , trimmed; 1/2 cup apple butter; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Why This Recipe Works

The bone-in turkey breast is prep free, and the gentle heat of the slow cooker produces juicy and tender meat every time. For a fresh accompaniment to our “roast” turkey, a cherry-orange sauce seemed like the perfect choice. To keep it simple, we started with frozen cherries, which we chopped, and then added orange zest and a little thyme for aroma. By the time the turkey was fully cooked, the cherries were tender and the juices of the turkey had melded with the aromatics to create a flavorful sauce. To give it a thicker consistency, we added a small amount of instant tapioca.

Before You Begin

Many supermarkets are now selling “hotel-cut” turkey breasts, which still have the wings and rib cage attached. If this is the only type of breast you can find, you will need to remove the wings and cut away the rib cage with kitchen shears before proceeding with the recipe. Check the turkey's temperature after 5 hours of cooking and continue to monitor until the breast registers 160 degrees. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe.

Instructions

1. Combine cherries, orange zest, tapioca, thyme, and ¼ teaspoon salt in slow cooker. Season turkey with salt and pepper and place skin side up into slow cooker. Cover and cook until breast registers 160 degrees, 5 to 6 hours on low.

Transfer turkey to carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.

Discard orange zest. Whisk apple butter, butter, and lemon juice into cherry mixture until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Carve turkey and discard skin. Serve with sauce.