Thanksgiving will never be the same with this Sous Vide Whole Turkey, which guarantees juicy, tender meat that is cooked to perfection every time! The skin will crisp up beautifully with a quick trip to the oven, giving the meat the ideal combination of crispy outside and moist inside.
I am aware that roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas can be intimidating every year! There’s always the worry that the dark meat will be underdone and the breast overdone. No one wants unevenly cooked, potentially dry meat!.
This simple sous vide method is ideal if you are apprehensive about cooking a turkey the traditional way. A sous vide turkey is slow cooked at a consistent temperature. That means that the turkey will come out perfectly thanks to even cooking!.
Upon initially deciding to attempt this, every recipe I came across instructed me to cook the turkey in individual portions or to shred it into a spatchcock. Furthermore, even though I’m sure each recipe is excellent, serving a whole turkey on the Thanksgiving table just isn’t the same, is it?
Several years ago, I took a chance and tried cooking a 16-pound sous vide turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. I figured if it was a disaster, we could all eat the sides. However, our family felt that it was the best turkey they had ever had, so it wasn’t at all a disaster. And cooking a whole turkey meant we could still carve it at the table, like always.
The fact that this turkey is fully cooked in the sous vide and only needs to be crisped on the outside is one of its best features. This means you can customize it perfectly to your preference. You can achieve a uniform golden brown color throughout the turkey with less time in the oven if you want it to be just slightly browned. We like our turkey skin crispy, as you can see from my photos, and this skin was so crispy as we were carving that you could hear it crackling!
You are in for a real treat if you have never cooked sous vide before! The sous vide technique entails cooking food in a water bath while it is sealed in a vacuum-sealed bag. The device, known as an immersion circulator, gradually cooks the food in the bag by heating the water to a precise temperature.
You can buy an immersion circulator easily online if you don’t already have one. They are pretty simple to use, and you can attach them to different kinds of containers.
As with anything else, there are pros and cons to using a sous vide to cook anything. Using a sous vide results in soft, tender food. This works well for a lot of things, like those delectable sous vide egg bites that Starbucks sells! Sometimes though, you want food that has a crispy texture. To give you the best of both worlds, this sous vide whole turkey is first prepared using the sous vide technique and then roasted in the oven!
Thanksgiving is never been better thanks to this sous vide whole turkey, which guarantees consistently cooked, juicy, and tender meat!
Are you tired of dry and unevenly cooked turkeys? Do you dream of a Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey that’s juicy tender and perfectly cooked every time? If so, then sous vide is your new best friend!
This Sous Vide Whole Turkey recipe takes the guesswork out of cooking a whole turkey ensuring a moist and flavorful bird that will impress your family and friends. Plus it frees up your oven for other dishes, making your holiday meal prep even easier.
Why Sous Vide?
Sous vide cooking involves immersing food in a precisely temperature-controlled water bath. This gentle cooking method ensures that the turkey cooks evenly throughout resulting in a succulent and tender bird.
The Secret to Perfectly Cooked Turkey
One of the biggest challenges of cooking a whole turkey is ensuring that the dark meat (legs and thighs) cooks through without overcooking the white meat (breast). Sous vide solves this problem by cooking the entire turkey at a consistent temperature, allowing the dark meat to reach a safe temperature while keeping the white meat moist and juicy.
The Best of Both Worlds: Sous Vide and Oven Finish
While sous vide ensures perfectly cooked turkey, it doesn’t create the crispy skin that many people love. To achieve that golden-brown, crispy skin, we’ll finish the turkey in the oven. This final step gives you the best of both worlds: perfectly cooked meat with a delicious, crispy exterior.
Choosing Your Turkey and Equipment
For this recipe, you’ll need a whole turkey (12-16 pounds) and a few basic pieces of equipment:
- Immersion circulator: This device heats and circulates the water bath, maintaining a precise temperature.
- Large zip-lock bag: A 2-gallon bag should work for most turkeys.
- Large pot or cooler: This will hold the water bath.
- Roasting pan: This is used for finishing the turkey in the oven.
Step-by-Step Sous Vide Turkey Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 12-16 pound whole turkey, thawed
- 1 quart apple cider
- 3 cups chicken broth
- Handful of fresh rosemary
- Handful of fresh thyme
- Handful of fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions:
- Prepare the Turkey: Remove any giblets from the turkey cavity.
- Season and Bag the Turkey: Place the turkey in a large sous vide-safe bag. Add the apple cider, chicken broth, herbs, peppercorns, and salt. Ensure the liquid fully covers the turkey and fills the cavity.
- Set Up the Water Bath: Place the turkey bag in a large pot or cooler filled with hot water. Ensure the bag is fully submerged. Set your immersion circulator to 150ºF / 65.6ºC.
- Cook the Turkey: Cook the turkey for 24 hours, checking the water level and adding more hot water as needed.
- Finishing Touch: Remove the turkey from the water bath and pat it dry. Roast the turkey in a preheated oven at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy.
- Rest and Carve: Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Pro Tip: You can prep the turkey ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before roasting.
FAQs
Q: Is it safe to cook turkey at 150°F?
A: Yes, it is safe to cook turkey at 150°F for 24 hours. This extended cooking time at a lower temperature ensures that the turkey reaches a safe internal temperature while remaining juicy and tender.
Q: Can I use a different liquid for the sous vide bath?
A: Yes, you can use different liquids, such as vegetable broth, white wine, or even plain water.
Q: Can I use a different seasoning blend?
A: Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with different herbs and spices to create your own unique flavor profile.
Q: What should I do with leftover turkey?
A: Leftover turkey can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or oven until heated through.
Sous vide is a fantastic way to cook a whole turkey, guaranteeing a perfectly cooked bird with juicy, tender meat and crispy skin. This recipe provides a step-by-step guide to achieve this culinary masterpiece, making your holiday meal prep a breeze. So ditch the stress and embrace the deliciousness of sous vide turkey this year!
How to Sous Vide a Whole Turkey
To start, you will want to place the whole turkey inside a 2-gallon ziplock bag. This will work great for a 14-pound turkey. You can also opt for a 3-gallon Ziploc Big Bag Size L if your turkey is larger!.
Pour in apple cider, chicken broth, herbs, peppercorns, and salt into the bag. Make sure the turkey is completely immersed in liquid by adding more water or chicken stock if necessary. This is very important! We can explain why with my favorite subject – kitchen chemistry!.
Once the liquid, turkey and herbs are inside the bag, carefully transfer it to a water bath container. You can use a large 5 gallon pot if you have one, or use a large cooler. Because it is made to reduce heat transfer and can accommodate a large turkey with ease, the cooler performs well.
Add hot water into the pot or cooler until the turkey is submerged. Cover the pot or cooler with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to reduce evaporation.
Last, you will want to set your immersion circulator to 150°F (or 65. 6C) and cook for 24 hours. Make sure the bag is completely submerged by checking on the turkey multiple times, and if more hot water is needed to accommodate evaporation, add it.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Sous Vide Turkey
- Fill the Bag with Liquid: Pour liquid into the cavity and bag all the way to the top to accommodate the turkey’s air chamber. Along with the liquid, add your favorite herbs, spices, and aromatics to the bag.
- Watch Water Levels: Throughout the course of the 24-hour coking period, keep an eye on the water level in the water bath. To keep the water level constant, add hot water as needed.
- Sear the turkey last: Although sous vide guarantees optimal cooking, the bird lacks golden color and crispy skin. Before serving, finish the turkey by searing it in a hot oven or on a grill. Don’t forget to pat the skin dry before searing!.
- Prepare the Turkey in Advance: This is an excellent way to prepare your turkey in advance and even move it to a different place. Following the instructions for sous vide, put the turkey on a roasting pan and refrigerate it for up to two days. To crisp the skin and heat the turkey thoroughly on the day you intend to serve it, roast it in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Turkey Leftovers: Keep any leftovers in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container. Warm in an oven set to 350°F or reheat in the microwave until thoroughly heated.