Slow cooker whole turkey is a fool-proof recipe for the holidays. Making a whole turkey in the crockpot produces tender, succulent turkey meat with minimal prep work. Free up your oven this holiday season!
Cooking a whole turkey can seem like an intimidating task. Many home cooks only roast turkeys for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. But with the right technique, you can easily slow cook a moist flavorful whole turkey any time of year.
In this complete guide, learn how to prepare the perfect slow cooker turkey. Find tips on choosing the right size bird, prep work, seasonings, cook times, and more Plus get delicious slow cooker whole turkey recipes to make for your next dinner or holiday meal
Benefits of Slow Cooking Turkey
Slow cooking brings out the most tender, juicy meat in a whole turkey. The low, steady heat helps break down the turkey’s proteins and connective tissues. This gives you succulent meat that pulls right off the bone.
Other perks of slow cooker turkey include:
-
Saves oven space: Free up your oven when cooking holiday meals. Slow cook the turkey in a crockpot while baking side dishes in the oven.
-
Keeps meat juicy: The moist environment of the slow cooker prevents turkey from drying out. No need to continuously baste.
-
Adds flavor: Seasonings and aromatics impart delicious flavor as the turkey cooks in its own juices.
-
Hands-off cooking: Just add ingredients to the slow cooker and let it do the work. Turkey cooks unattended for hours.
-
Easier cleanup: Slow cooker liners make cleanup a breeze. No messy roasting pan to scrub!
How to Choose a Turkey for the Slow Cooker
When selecting a whole turkey for the crockpot, smaller birds work best. Larger turkeys may not fit properly in the slow cooker.
Here are turkey size guidelines based on your slow cooker capacity:
- 3-4 quart slow cooker: turkey breast or 4-6 lb whole turkey
- 5-6 quart slow cooker: 6-8 lb whole turkey
- 7+ quart slow cooker: 8-10 lb whole turkey
Opt for a fresh or thawed turkey, as opposed to a frozen one. Make sure turkey is completely thawed before cooking. Place frozen birds in the refrigerator 2-3 days ahead to thaw.
For the most flavor, choose a free-range or organic turkey when possible. The moderate activity and diverse diets of these birds lead to firmer, tastier meat.
Preparing Turkey for the Slow Cooker
Proper prep is key to ensure your whole turkey cooks evenly and absorbs flavors. Here are some tips:
-
Remove giblets: Check inner cavity and remove bag of giblets and neck. Discard or use for gravy.
-
Pat dry: Thoroughly pat turkey dry with paper towels. This helps the skin get crispy.
-
Truss legs: Tie legs together with cooking twine to help hold shape.
-
Loosen skin: Carefully loosen skin from breast meat with fingers. This allows seasonings to penetrate beneath skin.
-
Season under skin: Rub herb butter, oil, and seasonings directly onto meat under loosened skin.
-
Season all over: Coat entire surface of turkey with oil, spices, and aromatics. Don’t forget the underside!
-
Stuff cavity: Stuff with halved lemons, onions, garlic, fresh herbs for extra flavor.
How to Season Turkey for the Slow Cooker
Use this basic seasoning template to infuse your whole turkey with flavor:
-
Oil: Coat turkey with olive oil, avocado oil, or melted butter. This helps the seasonings stick.
-
Aromatics: Stuff cavity with quartered onions, halved lemons, garlic cloves, fresh thyme, rosemary, sage.
-
Herbs: Rub sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram under skin and over exterior.
-
Spices: Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder.
-
Citrus: Add slices of orange, lemon, or lime in the cavity or under skin. Brightens flavor.
-
Savoriness: Coat with savory ingredients like mustard, soy sauce, miso paste, anchovy paste.
-
Sweetness: Rub with maple syrup, honey, brown sugar to balance flavors.
Go bold with the seasonings since the turkey cooks for hours in the slow cooker. The flavors will mellow and penetrate deeply into the meat.
How Long to Cook Whole Turkey in a Slow Cooker
Cooking time depends on a few factors, including turkey size, temperature setting, and your slow cooker model.
Use these cook times as a general guideline:
- Small turkey breast (4-5 lbs): 4-5 hours on LOW
- 6-8 lb turkey: 6-8 hours on LOW
- 10-12 lb turkey: 8-10 hours on LOW
- 14-15 lb turkey: 9-11 hours on LOW
For food safety, always cook until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F. The juices should run clear with no pink color.
If your slow cooker runs hot, check the turkey periodically and reduce heat to prevent overcooking. For crispier skin, finish under the broiler for a few minutes.
7 Delicious Ways to Flavor Slow Cooker Turkey
Take your turkey’s flavor up a notch with these creative seasoning combinations:
1. Lemony Herb – Stuff cavity with lemon wedges, rosemary, and sage. Rub thyme butter under skin.
2. Mediterranean – Coat turkey with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, basil, fennel, garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Tex-Mex – Rub turkey with chili powder, cumin, garlic, cayenne, coriander, smoked paprika. Squeeze lime juice on top.
4. Indian Spiced – Massage turkey with garam masala, turmeric, coriander, ginger, garlic, mustard oil, yogurt.
5. Asian Inspired – Stuff with ginger, scallions, garlic. Brush soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce on exterior.
6. Italian Herbed – Stuff with rosemary, parsley, slice garlic. Coat with olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes.
7. Caribbean Jerk – Make jerk marinade with allspice, thyme, garlic, brown sugar, chili peppers. Inject into turkey.
Slow Cooker Whole Turkey FAQs
Get answers to some common questions about preparing turkey in a slow cooker:
Is it safe to slow cook a turkey?
Yes, turkey is safe when cooked properly in a slow cooker. Use a food thermometer to verify the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Maintain temperatures over 140°F and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Should you cook turkey on high or low?
Cook turkey on the low setting for best results. The gentle heat helps keep turkey extra moist and tender. High heat can cause the edges to overcook.
How long does it take to cook turkey per pound?
Estimate 15-20 minutes per pound on the low setting. A 12 lb turkey cooks for 9-10 hours on low. Cook times vary based on exact slow cooker model.
Can you slow cook turkey from frozen?
No, only cook fully thawed turkey in the slow cooker. Frozen birds won’t cook evenly and can harbor bacteria. Defrost turkey in the fridge 2-3 days before cooking.
What temperature should turkey be after 4 hours?
After 4 hours on low, turkey should reach an internal temperature around 145°F-155°F in the thickest part of breast. Then finish cooking until 165°F.
Slow Cooker Whole Turkey Recipes
Ready to make tender, juicy turkey in your crockpot? Try these top-rated easy recipes:
~ Slow Cooker Whole Turkey with Garlic Herb Butter
Coat turkey cavity and under skin with thyme-sage-rosemary-garlic herb butter. Stuff with onions, celery, carrots. Cook on low 8-10 hours until 165°F.
~ Apple Brined Slow Cooker Turkey
Soak turkey in apple cider, spices brine before cooking. Stuff with apples, orange slices, cinnamon. Cook in slow cooker on low 7-9 hours.
~ Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy
Season bone-in turkey breast with poultry seasoning, garlic, pepper, paprika. Add broth to slow cooker. Cook 4-6 hours then make gravy.
~ Chipotle Lime Slow Cooker Turkey
Inject turkey breast with chipotle adobo sauce. Rub on cumin, chili powder, garlic, lime zest. Add lime juice and chicken broth to slow cooker.
~ Slow Cooker Whole Turkey with Vegetables
Place turkey over carrots, onion, celery, garlic in slow cooker. Brush with oil and seasonings. Cook until tender. Use juices for gravy.
Enjoy Perfectly Cooked Slow Cooker
How To Cook A Whole Turkey In The Slow Cooker
Cooking a whole turkey is pretty fool-proof when you use a slow cooker!
- Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Remove innards from the turkey. Rinse and pat the turkey dry.
- Loosen the skin of the turkey breast. Place the ghee/butter under the skin of the turkey. Rub the oil all over turkey.
- In a small bowl, mix together the homemade seasoning spices. Rub the oil all over the turkey then season the turkey generously all over on all sides.
- Cook HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8.
When it comes to picking the size of the turkey for your holiday dinner, the general rule of thumb is that you will need approximately one pound of turkey per adult. Having said that, if you’re using a slow cooker, the rules kind of go out the window. Find a whole turkey that fits in your slow cooker. I used an extra-large 8-quart slow cooker and a 12 pound turkey that I had to shift around to get the lid to fit over properly. I could not have fit a larger turkey in the slow cooker. In general, a standard 6-quart slow cooker should fit a whole turkey up to 8 pounds. But keep in mind that all turkeys are shaped differently. What fits in an oval-shaped slow cooker might not fit in the same quart-size rectangular-shaped slow cooker or vice versa. If you find that your turkey doesn’t quite fit in your appliance, you can always cut it up into pieces. Or, rather than cook a whole turkey, you may need to get a turkey breast instead. Turkey breasts are readily available in smaller sizes.
You cannot cook a whole turkey from frozen in the slow cooker. If you buy a frozen turkey, you will need to completely thaw it before cooking. I don’t know about you but all the turkeys I have ever cooked have had to be thawed in my refrigerator first. To thaw your turkey, place it in a large roasting pan in the refrigerator (in its original packaging) for 24 hours per every five pounds of turkey. My 10 pound turkey took 2 days in the frig to thaw.
To keep things simple, I modified the homemade rotisserie seasonings from my Slow Cooker Whole Rotisserie Chicken recipe and used it here. Of course you can always use your preferred seasoning for this whole turkey recipe. But if you’re looking for homemade rotisserie seasoning, mine is in the recipe box. This is enough for a 8-10 pound turkey without having to make any adjustments to the measurements. Anything larger you might want to use more seasonings. Again, if you have a go-seasoning and/or butter blend that you like to use on your turkey, by all means use it.
To broil or not broil? That is the question. If you want your turkey to have crispy skin, then you will need remove it from the slow cooker and place it in your oven under the broiler for a few minutes. This is an optional step. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. If you’re not worried about the skin, skip it. But if you are, carefully remove the turkey from the slow cooker when it’s done cooking. Use tongs, it will be very hot and very tender. So tender that you shouldn’t be surprised if the turkey falls apart on you as you lift it up. Place the turkey on a large baking sheet and BROIL it in your oven for 3-5 minutes or until the skin is crisp to your liking.
- If your lid is slightly ajar when it start cooking due to the size of the turkey, this is okay. The turkey will reduce in size slightly as it cooks.
- There is no need to add any liquid to the slow cooker. I understand that makes some people uncomfortable so if you want to add broth you can. It will not ruin the dish but you will have a lot or liquid when it’s done cooking.
- Store leftover turkey in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- I used a large 8-quart slow cooker for this recipe.
Ingredients For Crockpot Whole Turkey
- Whole Turkey
- Butter
- Seasoning: I used my homemade seasoning that includes salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and oregano.