I taught my son-in-law, to carve a turkey, on his first Thanksgiving, as part of our family. He was a quick learner. The following Thanksgiving, he carved the turkey, at my mother-in-law’s house. She was impressed. We agreed to delegate the turkey carving duty to Tyler. Fast forward a few years, and he has become a Sous Vide Turkey expert.
If you want the juiciest, most flavorful turkey for Thanksgiving; you’re going to have to sous vide it. I’m thankful, my son has perfected this recipe. It takes a lot off my plate; when he makes the turkey.
Sous Vide is a method of cooking. The food is placed in a bag, and submerged in warm water. This method takes some time. Allow 24 hours, for the sous vide portion, of the recipe.
TYLER’S SOUS VIDE TURKEY
TURKEY:
1 Whole turkey, quartered
1/2 Cup olive oil, to pan fry or broil
1/4 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup salt
1/2 Ounce fresh rosemary, divided
1/2 Ounce fresh sage, divided
1/2 Ounce fresh thyme, divided
EQUIPMENT:
4 gallon sized freezer bags, FoodSaver Bags are preferred
Sous Vide Cooker
Sous Vide Container
Sous Vide Rack or Weights, to keep turkey submerged
*Allow 24 hours, once turkey goes into the sous vide cooker. If you eat Thanksgiving dinner at
1 pm; put the thighs into the sous vide at 12:00 pm, the day before. This allows time to finish on the broiler. Your timeline should look like this:
12:00 pm - heat sous vide to 149 degrees - add turkey legs
12:00 am - reduce sous vide to 131 degrees - add turkey breasts with legs
12:00 pm - next day - turkey is done - finish under broiler
TO QUARTER TURKEY:
Prepare turkey on a half sheet baking tray. Remove innards from turkey; and reserve to make stock. Turn turkey, breast side down. To flatten the turkey, the spine is removed. Score a line on each side of spine. This will act as a cutting guide. Use poultry shears, clean pruning shears, or kitchen scissors; to cut through the scored lines. Start cutting from the legs, up to the neck. When you get to the end; cut skin, with a knife, to release the spine. Save all bones and skin, to make stock. Flip turkey, breast side up. Using both palms, press firmly on the breasts, to flatten the turkey. At this point the turkey is spatchcocked. For the purpose of sous vide, the turkey is quartered. To remove the thigh and legs; wiggle the inner thigh area, to loosen the thigh. Cut along the lower breast. Score to expose the thigh joint. Bend the thigh, to expose the joint. Cut through the joint to release. Once both thighs are cut; flip the turkey breast side down. Gently slide your fingers under the ribs, and bend upward. Cut with poultry shears. Use a knife, to cut alongside the breastbone. Flip breastbone up. Use a knife to release breastbone. Once the breastbone has been removed, you can pull the wishbone. Cut breast in half, down the line of the breastbone. Trim fat from turkey sections. Wash turkey in cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Return to clean baking tray.
DIRECTIONS:
Coat turkey in olive oil. Pan fry, over medium high heat; to get coloring on skin. Or brown, under broiler. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine sugar and salt. Generously sprinkle salt and sugar mixture over turkey. Place each turkey section into a freezer bag. Add a few sprigs of fresh herbs, to each bag. Dried herbs can be used, if fresh herbs aren’t available. Seal bags, so they are airtight. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, place the filled freezer bag in the water, of the sous vide cooker, to remove air. Carefully seal the freezer bag. To set water amount, of sous vide cooker: Place all bags in the sous vide container. Attach sous vide cooker, unplugged. Fill to the maximum water line. Remove turkey. Place turkey breasts in refrigerator, they will be added later. Find a spot for the sous vide cooker, where it won’t be disturbed for 24 hours. I place mine, on a table, on the back patio. Legs cook for 24 hours. Breasts cook for 12 hours. *Start the sous vide the day before Thanksgiving at 12:00 pm, noon. The turkey will be done, Thanksgiving Day, at noon. Place turkey thigh bags in sous vide. Use the rack, or weights, to make sure bags are fully submerged. Set sous vide temperature to 149 degrees, for 12 hours. 12 hours later, 12:00 am, or midnight; reduce the sous vide temperature to 131 degrees, for 12 hours. Add turkey breasts, to the sous vide; keeping turkey legs, in sous vide. Add water to sous vide cooker, if needed. Make sure all bags are fully submerged. The turkey is done the following day. At 12:00 pm, noon. To finish: place sous vide turkey on a baking rack, under the broiler for a few minutes, to brown and crisp skin. Let set 10 minutes before slicing.
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