What is Sous Vide Turkey and Why You Should Try It

Sous vide turkey is a revolutionary new way of cooking turkey that results in incredibly moist, tender meat and crisp, flavorful skin. If you’ve struggled with dry, overcooked turkey in the past, sous vide is here to save your holidays!

What is Sous Vide Cooking?

Sous vide simply means “under vacuum” in French It refers to the process of vacuum sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to an exact temperature in a water bath. This technique gives you precise control over the finished texture of the turkey

With traditional roasting methods, it’s difficult to cook turkey breast meat evenly without drying it out. The white breast meat ideally needs to reach around 145°F while the dark leg meat should get up to 165°F for food safety. Trying to properly finish both in one go in the oven leads to compromises.

Sous vide lets you nail the perfect temperature for moist tender meat every time. The vacuum sealed bags also retain all the delicious juices and moisture during the cook.

Benefits of Sous Vide Turkey

Here are some of the biggest benefits of sous vide turkey:

• Juicy and tender meat – Sous vide ensures the turkey breast is cooked perfectly moist, not dried out. Temperatures under 145°F are possible.

• Consistent doneness – No more dry ends or undercooked parts. Sous vide cooks the meat evenly from edge to edge.

• Frees up your oven – With the turkey in the sous vide bath, the oven is free for sides and pies.

• Holds food safely hot – Sous vide turkey can be kept warm in the water bath for hours before serving.

• Easier crispy skin – The skin is cooked separately in the oven for max crispness.

• Lower temperature = more flavor – Cooking at a lower temp keeps more moisture and flavor.

• It’s foolproof – Much harder to overcook sous vide turkey compared to roasting.

How to Cook Sous Vide Turkey

Cooking sous vide turkey involves just a few simple steps:

• Season – Generously season the turkey breast all over with salt, pepper, and any other spices.

• Bag – Seal the turkey breast in a vacuum bag, removing as much air as possible.

• Submerge – Cook the bagged turkey in a sous vide water bath at 140-145°F for 2-4 hours.

• Torch or sear – For crisp skin, remove and torch or sear the skin side with oil in a hot pan.

• Serve – Slice the tender turkey and serve it with the crispy sous vide turkey skin on the side.

The skin can be cooked low and slow on a baking sheet in the oven until super crispy. Alternatively, deep fry the skin for extra crunch.

Making a rich turkey gravy is also easier with sous vide, as you can use the bone and trimmings to fortify the gravy stock.

Sous Vide Whole Turkey

While it is possible to cook a whole turkey sous vide, the breast and leg meat ideally need different temperatures and cook times.

For best results, it’s recommended to break down the bird into parts. The legs can then be confit cooked, while the breast gets the sous vide treatment.

If cooking a whole bird, spatchcocking or removing the backbone can help the meat cook more evenly. It’s also a good idea to brine the turkey first for added moisture and flavor.

Here are the basic steps for sous vide whole turkey:

• Make a brine and submerge the turkey to brine overnight.

• Remove from brine and bag the whole turkey.

• Cook at ~150°F for 18-24 hours.

• Remove from bag and roast at 375°F until the skin browns and crisps up.

Sous Vide Turkey Times and Temps

Here are some recommended time and temperatures for sous vide turkey breast:

• 130°F for 2-4 hours – Very tender and juicy but with a rosy medium-rare color

• 135-140°F for 2-4 hours – Juicy white meat with a more traditional appearance

• 145°F for 2-3 hours – Moist meat with a texture closer to roasted

• 150°F+ for 1-2 hours – Firm, sliceable texture, less juice

The final temperature you choose is a matter of preference. Sous vide gives you flexibility to fine tune the texture you desire.

For food safety, the USDA recommends holding the turkey for at least 1 hour at 135°F or higher before serving.

Crispy Sous Vide Turkey Skin

Achieving crackling crisp turkey skin to go with your tender sous vide breast is easy. Here are some good options:

• Oven roasting – Roast the skin flat on a sheet pan at 400°F until browned and brittle.

• Deep frying – Fry the skin in 375°F oil for 1-2 minutes until blistered and crispy.

• Blow torch – Use a cooking torch to blister and bubble the surface.

• Pan searing – Sear the skin side in a hot skillet with oil to crisp it up.

Cooking the skin separately from the sous vide turkey meat lets you get both perfect moisture and crunchy texture.

Is Sous Vide Turkey Worth It?

If you’ve struggled to properly roast or deep fry turkey, sous vide can help you nail perfect results every time. It takes a lot of the guesswork and stress out of cooking turkey for Thanksgiving or other occasions.

The ability to cook the breast meat exactly how you want it makes sous vide a game changer. While it does require an extra piece of kitchen equipment, it delivers moist, flavorful meat worth the investment.

This Thanksgiving, give sous vide a try for your best turkey yet!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is so special about sous vide cooking?

The temperature control allows for the food to be cooked for extended periods without overcooking. This tenderizes the meat by breaking down fibers like in a braise, but the temp never exceeds your set point.

What does sous vide do to meat?

Foods are vacuum sealed and cooked in a precise, low-temperature water bath. This ensures perfect doneness in proteins like steak and chicken, while also creating a tender texture and retaining moisture.

What does the “vide” mean in sous vide?

In French, the term translates to “under vacuum,” which makes sense since foods are sealed in vacuum bags before going into the water bath.

What is the difference between sous vide and regular cooking?

Sous vide allows vegetables to be cooked below boiling so they are properly cooked without losing firmness and crispness. The window for perfect tenderness with other methods is surprisingly small and difficult to attain.

How long can turkey stay in a sous vide bath?

Turkey can stay in a sous vide bath safely at proper temperatures for many hours. However, for best texture it is not recommended to cook beyond the suggested time ranges of 2-4 hours.

Can you sous vide an already cooked turkey?

Yes, you can sous vide an already cooked or leftover turkey to reheat it. Set the bath to 135-140°F and heat the turkey portions until warmed through, about 1-2 hours.

Sous vide turkey is revolutionizing home-cooked and holiday turkeys. This precise cooking method makes it easy to achieve moist, tender meat and crisp flavorful skin every time. If you’re looking to up your turkey game, give sous vide a try this year!