From Faith: I was excited; I thought I’d created something new, a way to give turkey a boost of flavor, yet preserving its… Thanksgivingness. But it turns out others have thought about wrapping a turkey with thin slices of Italian prosciutto. After searching what’s out there, I think we’ve found the best of the best, and you can make this recipe for a crowd by roasting your turkey in the oven, or by cooking a breast in a slow cooker for a small gathering. (See below.)
I asked senior contributor Chris Prosperi to adapt the slow cooker recipe here for oven roasting. He said he’d simply place the prosciutto slices under the skin after you’ve smeared on the seasoned butter. (But if you want the prosciutto to get extra crispy, Chris said lay the overlapping slices on top of the turkey breast skin and cover the bird with a piece of aluminum foil, removing it about an hour before the turkey’s done.) Roast the turkey as you normally would.
I’m especially fond of this slow cooker version, great for any weekend party. It’s from Amanda Hesser’s Food52, though I think she got it from another blogger, Burnt Offerings. Amanda tests everything well, and certainly knows what she’s doing as former food editor/writer at The New York Times Magazine, and author of many cookbooks.
- 1 turkey breast bone in, 4 pounds
- 1 cup apple cider good quality
- 1 onion yellow, sliced into thick rounds
- 1 Fuji apple or Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters
- 5 sage leaves fresh
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 stick butter softened
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 packet prosciutto slices 3 ounces
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Place a layer of onion slices in the bottom of a 5–6 quart slow cooker.
- Layer the apple, sage, and bay leaves on top of the onions, and pour the apple cider over all.
- Mix together the dry spices, salt, and pepper and incorporate the butter, making a spice paste.
- Rinse the turkey breast and pat dry. Using your fingers, separate the skin from the meat, without tearing the skin, and smear the seasoned butter under the skin all over the breast.
- Lay the prosciutto slices across the turkey breast, overlapping the slices.
- Place the turkey breast in the crock pot, breast side up, and cook it on low (8–10 hours), or on high (4–5 hours), until an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast reads 170° F.
- Remove the turkey breast from the crock pot to a plate or platter and tent with foil to rest for at least 15 minutes while you make the gravy.
- Pour the contents of the crock pot into a saucepan and remove the sage and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and reduce the volume by a third.
- Once the sauce has reduced, use an immersion blender and blend the onion and apple into the gravy. It should thicken nicely. You can also pour it into a blender, just be careful when blending hot liquid. Add the teaspoon of cider vinegar, taste, and adjust for seasoning. It might need some additional salt—you decide.
This sounded so delicious when Faith was describing it and I have been a fan of her show for years but do not make this dish, especially for your Thanksgiving guests. I am a pretty accomplished home cook and should have known better. First of all, trying to replicate the flavor of cooking any kind of poultry in a crock pot vs. roasting will be a disappointment. Crock pots are great for many things but not this application. So much flavor is lost by not getting the carmelization that roasting provides. The pancetta on top of the chicken looked anemic and quite frankly, gross, even when the meat was done. The flavor profile was flat, despite the herbs and other seasonings. This was a big disappointment and I am happy that I gave it a trial run before the holidays. This recipe will not be a repeat in my home.
I’m wondering if you think it would have been worthwhile to first roast the breast for 20-30 minutes to crisp the skin and bacon, and then transfer to the crock pot to continue cooking? With my large party coming I’m really eager to have a lot of turkey on hand, but I hate cooking those huge birds because they dry out due to the long cooking times. When I first heard this I was really hoping this would solve my problem. Eager to hear your thoughts Lisa. 🙂
Joe, I like your idea very much. There are a million slow cooker recipes that call for doing just what you describe, browning first, then putting it in the cooker. Just know that it will steam inside, so the skin won’t be super crispy. Give it a try. Visit us here online any time, okay? Cheers, Faith
What about roasting the breast AFTER it cooks in the crock pot so that way you can have a crispy skin? Just remember to adjust timing.
Lisa, I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy your recipe, though I hope you made soup or sandwiches with the meat. I’d also like to clear up any confusion that might have occurred. When I make my turkey covered with prosciutto or pancetta, I roast it in the oven to get the crispy exterior that you and I both love. As you know, and as we explained on the show, a slow cooker can’t duplicate that. But I will say that when Chris made the recipe you speak of in his slow cooker and served it, we all loved it. Still, we never want to let you down, so apologies that it wasn’t a good experience for you. Cheers, Faith
Made this today and it was better than any Thanksgiving turkey I’ve ever had. Thanks for the inspiration. Can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow. Fantastic!
MJ, we’re thrilled to hear that. It’s so moist, isn’t it? (We’re all used to having dry turkey at this time of year. Our talented Senior Contributor Chris Prosperi has more than a dozen slow cookers, so we love to have fun with them. He makes some divine things in his. Some day I will be half the cook he is. Cheers, Faith
I was so excited to hear your show this weekend about slow cooker and this turkey breast recipe. It sounds amazing. Faith you have a great way of describing the eating experience that just draws me in, I want to go home and cook everytime I listen to you.
I also wanted to let you know that you can get most of the ingredients in this recipe, including the turkey breasts, from local farms in CT. We can help, go to ctfarmfreshstore.com – we deliver to your door. Can’t wait to try this recipe!!!
Eat local, Eat healthy
Deb
Deb, how great to hear from you. I love that you’ve made a business connection between home cooks and farmers. For those who don’t know, Deb takes orders from consumers and delivers the foods from local farms to your door! Hope the slow cooker turkey was good. We devoured ours. Happy holidays, Deb, and cheers, Faith
I took a chance making this recipe for Thanksgiving last year. Faith, you made it sound wonderful! And, it was delicious and wonderful. Use Prosciutto di Parma to cover the breast. It was also very easy. I’m looking it up for my family to make again this year! Thank you!
Diane, happy to hear that and hoping you have a terrific Thanksgiving!
Cheers, Faith