Special Turkey Breast

From Gluten Free Easily

Special Turkey Breast

One 4- to 6-lb turkey breast

¾ cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided—1/2 cup and ¼ cup; or 4 tbsp dried parsley, divided—3 tbsp and 1 tbsp (Note: My conversion to dry is not exactly equivalent to fresh, but it works best for measuring and doesn’t alter taste; in fact, if you are running short on parsley, just use whatever you have. I keep dried parsley on hand for this recipe at all times.)

½ cup vegetable oil, any kind (I use olive oil these days, but I’ve used all kinds successfully)

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp ground black pepper

1 cup apple cider vinegar (Note: Apple cider vinegar is gluten free, but beware of an apple cider-flavored vinegar that is not gluten free. Personally, I’ve only read about this product on no-no lists; I’ve never actually seen it in stores. Always read labels, of course.)

Remove any packaging carefully. (I’ve been surprised by gravy packets before and I’ve been grateful that I didn’t accidentally puncture them with my kitchen shears.) Rinse turkey breast. Remove any contents from cavity of breast. (If gizzards and liver are included, you can cook those or freeze for another use later.)

Place breast in large crockpot and pat dry.

In glass measuring cup (which holds 2 cups or larger), add oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and ½ cup of fresh parsley (or 3 tbsp dried parsley). Mix well and pour over turkey breast.

Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup of fresh (or 1 tbsp dried) parsley over breast.

Cook for 4 to 4 ½ hours on high or 8 to 8 ½ hours on low. If your turkey breast is larger than 6 lbs, you will need to cook longer. I cooked a 6 ½ pound turkey breast and it took about 9 hours. If I’m home, I often cook the breast for an hour on high and then switch to low for the remaining time. (An hour on high equates to about 2 on low.)

Shirley’s Additional Notes: I use a 6-qt oval crockpot. Bone-in turkey breasts work best for this recipe, but I’ve used boneless before and enjoyed them. If the turkey breast poundage is significantly less, just adjust amounts accordingly. If the turkey breast is larger, these ingredient amounts will probably still be sufficient. I used a 6 ½ pound turkey breast this time around and used the amounts as shown. Sea salt is my preference, but I was out of it. Fresh ground pepper is also wonderful, but it takes a while to grind 2 tbsp, so I went with already ground pepper. The salt will naturally settle to the bottom in the measuring cup, so stir even as you are pouring the oil mixture over the turkey breast. However, if some salt does settle and remains in the cup after you’ve poured the oil mixture over the turkey, just pour the remaining salt evenly over the breast (you may need to use a spatula). After your breast is cooked, spoon a small amount of the “juices” over the breast meat that you’re serving. It will keep the meat moist and flavorful. Likewise, remove some of the juices to save with the leftover meat to keep it moist and flavorful. This is a very moist, juicy breast, but if you don’t save any of the juices with the meat, the meat can dry out.