CrockPot or Instant Pot Turkey Breast with Lower-Carb Gluten-Free Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 turkey breast with skin and bones
• 1 – 2 tsp. dried ground thyme
• 1/2 – 1 tsp. dried sage
• 1 T olive oil
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 4 ribs celery, cut into large pieces
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
• 2 cups chicken or turkey stock
• 1 1/2 T arrowroot starch for gravy, mixed into 1/4 cup cold water

Directions

1. For the slow cooker, cut away any excess skin and fat from the turkey breast, but leave the skin that sits right over the meat. If you’re using a meat thermometer, you can remove the pop-up timer.
2. Crush the dried thyme and dried sage together with a mortar and pestle, or start with already-ground spices. Coat the turkey breast all over with the thyme and sage.
3. Warm the olive oil in a heavy frying pan, then sear the turkey breast until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes each side. Transfer the browned turkey breast to the crockpot.
4. While the turkey is browning, chop the carrots, celery, and onion.
5. Pour the turkey or chicken stock into the same frying pan used for browning the turkey. Let it cook for a couple of minutes, loosening the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Pour that liquid over the turkey in the slow cooker, then add the carrots, onions, and celery.
7. Cook on high until the thickest part of the turkey reaches 165F/75C, about 3 hours. You can also cook it on low for a longer time, about 5-6 hours.
8. Move the turkey breast out of the slow cooker and let it rest while you make the gravy, tenting it with foil if you want to help hold in the heat. Lift out the vegetables and skim the broth with a fine-mesh skimmer, or pour everything through a fine strainer into a small saucepan. You should end up with 2-3 cups broth.
9. Bring the broth to a boil and simmer it down until the turkey flavor is concentrated, or add another teaspoon or two of Penzeys Turkey Soup Base for more depth. Taste as it reduces, and stop when the flavor is where you want it.
10. Lower the heat until the liquid is just barely simmering. Stir the arrowroot starch into cold water, then gently mix it into the simmering liquid and stop stirring as soon as it is incorporated. Do not over-whisk it or keep cooking after it thickens, or the gravy may lose its body. If you do not have arrowroot, you can use cornstarch mixed with water, but you will need about twice as much cornstarch for the same thickness, and it is slightly higher in carbs and takes longer to thicken.
11. Take out the bones, and remove the skin too if you like. Slice the turkey and serve it hot with the gravy.
12. For the Instant Pot, trim the turkey the same way, then use a large meat cleaver to cut the breast along the bone into two pieces.
13. Season the turkey with the spices, then brown it in a frying pan as described above. You can brown it in the Instant Pot instead, though a frying pan is a little easier for this step.
14. While the turkey breast is browning, cut up the carrots, celery, and onion. Put them in the Instant Pot after the browned turkey has been removed, if you used the Instant Pot for searing.
15. Set the browned turkey breast pieces over the vegetables in the Instant Pot. Add the stock to the frying pan and cook it as described above, then pour that flavorful liquid into the Instant Pot.
16. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL, HIGH PRESSURE, 25 minutes. This was for a relatively small turkey breast; if yours is closer to 5 pounds, add a couple more minutes.
17. When the cooking time ends, let the pressure come down with NATURAL RELEASE for at least 20 minutes, then release the remaining pressure.
18. Once the pressure is fully released, transfer the turkey breasts to a cutting board. Drain the stock through a colander set inside a large measuring cup to catch the liquid. If you want a completely smooth gravy, you can strain it again through a fine strainer.
19. Pour the cooking liquid back into the Instant Pot and cook on SAUTE or SIMMER until it has reduced to about 3 cups. Taste it for strength, and add a little more Penzey’s Turkey Soup Base if you want a deeper turkey flavor.
20. Mix the arrowroot powder, or your preferred thickener, with cold water to form a slurry. Whisk it into the hot liquid in the pot and cook until the gravy thickens, turning off the heat right away once it thickens if you are using arrowroot. See the note above if you are using cornstarch instead of arrowroot.
21. Remove the bones from the turkey, and take off the skin if you prefer. Slice the turkey and serve it hot with the gravy.