Crock Pot Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce is a delicious slow cooker recipe perfect for a small crowd at the holidays. A small breast is cooked and infused with a homemade cranberry sauce for amazing flavors!
Crock Pot Turkey
Crock Pot Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce is the BEST turkey recipe you will every try! This turkey breast is brined for 24 hours and slow cooked for another 4-8 hours for a wonderfully flavorful and crazy juicy piece of meat, all cooked on top of a cranberry sauce that makes itself in the slow cooker. You can make a full spread in yoru slow cooker by pairing it with Crock Pot Cranberry Pecan Stuffing.
The cranberry sauce gets it richness and flavor from the turkey drippings as well as Chambord and orange juice for a unique sauce that pairs perfectly with the turkey.
Not only is this turkey delicious, but it is low-calorie, low-fat and low-carb for something you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying this Thanksgiving and Christmas. I promise you, if you give this recipe a try, you will never look at turkey the same way again!
I have long dreaded the dried out and bland turkey that is too often served at Thanksgiving, but no more! This brine and the slow cooking process allow the meat to retain it’s juices in addition to absorbing some of the great flavors of the brine and cranberry sauce.
Even after reheating the meat the next day, my husband was in awe at how great the turkey tasted. Please, I beg you, give this recipe a shot. While it may take a few extra steps, it is completely and totally worth it.
How to Brine a Turkey
The first important step in this cooking process is the brine for your turkey breast. Because we are using a smaller piece of meat, it isn’t as cumbersome as brining a full size turkey.
This small breast can fit in a 2 gallon ziplock bag along with the orange juice, wine, sugar, peppercorns, thyme, ginger and of course salt. Seal the bag well and place in in the refrigerator overnight.
This is an important step that will result in much juicer and more flavorful meat.
How to cook turkey in a Crock Pot with Cranberry Sauce
Whisk water and flour together until smooth and mix with frozen cranberries, ginger paste, orange zest, brown sugar, orange juice, water, flour, Chambord, black raspberry liqueur and salt.
Pour the mixture in a 5-8 quart Crock Pot. Set your turkey on top of the cranberries and cook for 4-8 hours on low until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°. Your cooking time will depend on the size of your turkey and temperature of your Crock Pot.
Be sure to keep a close eye on the turkey while it is cooking to ensure it doesn’t overcook, as that is the surest way to ruin any meat. Whether you use a pop-up timer or check the bird every 20-30 minutes with a traditional thermometer, turn off the Crock Pot and remove the turkey as soon as it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.
Turkey Breast in Crockpot
Another crucial step in maintaining a juicy turkey, is allowing it to rest after the cooking process. Give it a good 15-20 minutes to let the juices settle and your patience will reward you with a surprising moist bird.
I usually have to bat my parents away from the turkey because they think they need piping hot turkey carved right away. This large piece of meat keeps hot while letting the juices settle for quite awhile. So don’t fret Dad, I will call you to carve the bird when it is ready!
After you remove the turkey from the Crock Pot to allow the meat to rest, you can process the cranberry sauce. If you prefer your cranberries whole, feel free to enjoy the sauce as it is and just give it a good stir to incorporate all the bits and pieces from the turkey. If you are like myself, however, and like a smooth sauce to dunk your turkey in, you can blend it up.
I simply took my immersion blender to the cranberry and turkey juices in the Crock Pot and blended it until smooth for a wonderfully rich and flavorful sauce. My immersion blender is one of my all-time favorite kitchen tools. I
nstead of having to transfer hot liquids to a blender and make yet another dish (and usually a mess in my case!), you can do it all in whatever pot you are already working with. So, if you don’t have an immersion blender yet (because you really should get one), you can add the sauce to a blender or food processor to blend it up.
The perfect side dishes for your holiday meal!
- Broccoli Bacon Salad
- Balsamic Glazed Bacon Wrapped Squash
- Green Beans Almondine
- Spiralized Apple Cranberry Salad
- Airfryer Crispy Roasted Onion Potatoes
- Traeger Grilled Butternut Squash
Crock Pot Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
Brine
- 6 c. water
- 1 cups white wine
- 3 cups orange juice
- 2/3 c. table salt
- 2/3 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 cup ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
Turkey
- 5-8 lb Turkey Breast
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Cranberry Sauce
- 12- ounce bag frozen cranberries
- 1/4 c. ginger paste
- 1 Tbsp. orange zest
- 1 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 c. water
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 1/4 c. Chambord black raspberry liqueur
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Combine all of the brine ingredients in a 2 gallon bag or large non-reactive container. Stir well so all of the salt and sugar is dissolved. Add the turkey to the brine and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- Drain and rinse the turkey breast and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the turkey with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and spices.
- Whisk the water and flour together until smooth and add to the remaining cranberry sauce ingredients in a 5-8 quart Crock Pot. Set your turkey on top of the cranberries and cook for 4-8 hours on low until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°. Your cooking time will depend on the size of your turkey and temperature of your Crock Pot.
- NOTE: I cooked a 5lb turkey breast in a 5 quart Crock Pot, that tends to cook a little faster than other slow cookers, for 4 hours on low. An 8lb turkey in a cooler Crock Pot will taker closer to 7-8 hours.
- TIP: If you are stressed about getting your turkey done in time for the meal, feel free to start it an hour or two before you think you should. To reheat the meat for the meal, put the turkey, along with some chicken broth back in the Crock Pot 30-45 minutes before the meal to reheat it.
Video
Nutrition
Amy says
I can’t find frozen or fresh cranberries anywhere. How would I modify the directions to cook this with canned whole berry cranberries?
Danielle Green says
canned cranberry sauce is already sweetened, so I would reduce the sugar in the sauce significantly
Lina says
Hi, I really want to try this recipe but would love to know if I could replace the Chambord for something non alcoholic? Thank you so much!
Danielle Green says
The alcohol will cook off, but if you don’t want any alcoholic ingredients raspberry extract is the closest substitution. (2 teaspoons)
Alison LaFortune says
Looks perfect for a comfort food dish!
Julie says
I’m all for crock pot meals and this one is fantastic! Everyone loved it!
Megan says
This was the most delicious meal! I had never used a brine in the past and I can honestly say I won’t ever go back! Thanks for sharing!
Malinda Linnebur says
This was a delicious meal!! And I love that it can be made in the crockpot!! Thanks!
Martha Walters says
Finally had a chance to try the turkey in the crockpot when Greg and wife visited today. Turkey was nice and juicy. Record number of ingredients-25 I counted!! Keep up the good work Danielle. Love. Great Aunt Martha Walters
aaa says
All the turkey fat mixed in the cranberry sauce and ruined it.
Alyssa G. says
We had a small crowd for Thanksgiving this year, so I took a chance on this recipe. It was a hit and it definitely delivered on the juiciness. Even next day, the leftovers are still juicier than any other turkey I’ve had. The only problem I had with the recipe was I really didn’t like the cranberry sauce at all. I blended the cranberries with the drippings and it became an unappetizing pinkish brown color. I tasted it and it was more like a soupy, cranberry orange gravy. However, cooking the turkey with the cranberries did give it an excellent hint of sweetness. Next time I’ll probably take the cranberries out and try something else with the drippings. I’ll also use more and maybe try a different spice rub on the bird post-brine. All-in-all, even with some shortcomings, it was the best turkey I’ve had in a long time. I also followed someone else’s suggestion to make the pecan stuffing and that was a super great addition. I’ll be making both again.
Alyssa G. says
We had a small crowd for Thanksgiving this year, so I took a chance on this recipe. It was a hit and it definitely delivered on the juiciness. Even next day, the leftovers are still juicier than any other turkey I’ve had. The only problem I had with the recipe was I really didn’t like the cranberry sauce at all. I blended the cranberries with the drippings and it became an unappetizing pinkish brown color. I tasted it and it was more like a soupy, cranberry orange gravy. However, cooking the turkey with the cranberries did give it an excellent hint of sweetness. Next time I’ll probably take the cranberries out and try something else with the drippings. I’ll also use more and maybe try a different spice rub on the bird post-brine. All-in-all, even with some shortcomings, it was the best turkey I’ve had in a long time. I also followed someone else’s suggestion to make the pecan stuffing and that was a super great addition. I’ll be making both again.
Patricia says
Hi. Can I use fresh cranberries? Can you buy frozen cranberries? Thanks!
Danielle Green says
Absolutely, fresh or frozen are fine.
Katie says
Sorry for the last minute question!!! I decided to leave the cranberry sauce out so I can use the drippings from the crock pot for gravy. Question-can I just put all your cranberry sauce ingredients in a pan on the stove? Will that work?
Katie says
I’m excited to try this recipe this year! Question: in the brine when it calls for 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns, do you mean whole peppercorns, or ground pepper? Thanks for your help!
Danielle Green says
Whole peppercorns
Katie says
I’m excited to try this recipe this year! Question: in the brine when it calls for 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns, do you mean whole peppercorns, or ground pepper? Thanks for your help!
Sara says
Is the ginger paste measurement correct? 1/4 cup for the brine and 1/4 cup for the sauce seems like a lot for something so strong! Thanks for posting recipe, I’m going to make for Thanksgiving!!
Danielle Green says
Yes, that is accurate. If you aren’t a huge ginger fan, you could halve the amount in the cranberry sauce. Hope you enjoy it!