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Sous Vide Turkey – The Way to Get a Perfectly Moist Turkey Every Time

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If you’ve been paying attention to food trends lately, you’ve very likely heard of sous-vide, even if you’re not completely sure what it is. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to try the sous vide cooking method.

That’s because undeniably, poultry is where sous-vide shines. Unlike red meat, which can be eaten with a gradient of done-ness so the outside is gray and the inside is pink, with poultry, you need to cook it through. With a larger cut, like turkey breast, it’s impossible to cook the inside without overcooking the outside. Sous vide allows the entire piece of turkey to cook at the same time, so it’s completely, perfectly done. It‘s amazingly flavorful and never, ever dry!

Don’t let the name intimidate you. Sous-vide (soo-veed) means ‘under vacuum,’ a reference to the way food is packed before you cook it using this method. The equipment used to cook the food is called an immersion circulator, so you’d properly say, “I’m cooking this delicious turkey sous-vide,” not “I’m cooking this delicious turkey in the sous-vide.” But I digress. Why are people going crazy for sous-vide cooking? And should you jump on the bandwagon?

The premise behind sous-vide is actually simple. In traditional cooking methods such as dry heat (baking, roasting, broiling, frying, searing) or moist heat (boiling, braising, poaching, simmering), the goal is to get the center of the food cooked to the temperature that you want it to be.

Unlike grilling, here’s how sous-vide works:

Season your food (or even add a marinade or sauce) and place it in the bag you’ll be cooking in. You can invest in a vacuum sealer or just use Ziploc® bags (Brand name bags seems to leak less).

To vacuum seal with a zip top bag, place the item in the bag, then keep the zip top open and lower the bag into the water immersion circulator. Allow the water to press the bag closed, and lower it in until just below the zipper, so all the air is now pressed out. Then, zip the top and remove the bag from the water bath.

Bring the water in the circulator to the temperature that you want your food to be, and then place the bag back in the water bath with the immersion circulator. Cook it for a predetermined time, then remove from the bag and pat dry. The sous-vide cooker circulates water around the pot. The circulation prevents hot and cool spots from forming in the water to ensure even temperature throughout your food. Your food never overcooks. It’s just how you like it, every time.

Note that there are several types and brands of precision immersion cookers ranging in price from about $119 – $169. Many can be controlled remotely via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Kosher.com will review several brands, prices and other accessories in future episodes.

If you already own an immersion circulator or plan to purchase one in time for Turkey day, try this great recipe from Michal Frischman for Kosher.com.

Sous Vide Lemon Herb Turkey

Sous Vide Lemon Herb Turkey

SOUS VIDE LEMON HERB TURKEY

1 2-pound (1-kilogram) boneless, skinless turkey breast, sometimes known as turkey London broil (see note)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon fresh
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspooon salt
2 tablespoons flour

Mix the honey, lemon juice, herbs, salt, and pepper. Place the turkey in a heavy-duty ziplock bag or in a vacuum sealer bag. Add marinade to the bag. For a ziplock, submerge the bag in a bowl of water until just below the opening of the bag so the air is squeezed out, then seal the bag. For a vacuum sealer, set the machine to wet seal.

Place the turkey in a sous-vide set to 143°F (62°C). Cook for four hours or up to eight hours.

When ready to serve, heat oil and flour in a small saucepan. Stir well and cook for one minute. Add the juices from inside the turkey bag and whisk until no clumps remain. Slice the turkey thinly and serve with gravy on the side.

Note: You can follow the same time and temperature for any size turkey you would like to use.

Variation: To cook in the oven, keep the skin on and bone in. Bake at 375°F (180°C) for about an hour or until the thickest part of the turkey breast reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C). Remove and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes

About Kosher.com
Kosher.com is the premier site for kosher cooking and conversation and the place to go for all things kosher food. Less than a year old but a rising star on the kosher food scene, it has thousands of top-quality kosher recipes, articles, tips, and entertaining shows. The site is the ultimate platform for the most diverse collection of kosher recipes.

Check out the kosher.com ongoing cooking series, where they will address choosing the right times and temperatures in sous-vide cooking for a range of different foods, and much more.

You can also rely on recipes for sous-vide at www.kosher.com, at many other online resources, and on the app your immersion circulator is linked to. Over time, you will likely want to experiment and come up with recipes on your own.

Stay tuned for the entire sous-vide series only at Kosher.com. They will have you cooking like a professional chef in no time!

And, you won’t want to miss this Sous Vide Video (http://www.kosher.com/shows/video/155/two-easy-ways-to-start-cooking-next-level-ribeye) –  Watch Chef Gabe on Episode 6 of ‘Under the Hood’, only on Kosher.com. Chef Gabe takes two cuts of ribeye to the next level with his seasoning and cooking techniques. Watch as he sous vides then sears the eye of the ribeye, or Spencer Steak, and then perfectly sears a ribeye crescent. These two ribeye ideas are sure to make your next steak a winner.


Leftover Turkey on Rye Sandwiches

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6 slices rye bread, toasted
turkey, thinly sliced
1 large avocado, peeled and sliced
1 cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
Sargento’s Provolone Cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on the avocado slices as soon as they’re exposed to the light of day. (brown avocado is just gross) Slather Hellman’s on 3 pieces of toasted rye bread and top with turkey, provolone, and avocado. Top with the other 3 slices of bread.

Serve with leftover Green Bean Casserole!

You can, of course, add dark leafy greens to your sandwich – but, personally, the flavor blend of Hellman’s, provolone, and avocado is so special – I hate for anything else to vie for my taste buds’ attention.

Another Leftover Turkey Idea:
Combine turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce in pita pockets. Delicious!

Thanksgiving Leftovers, Meet Bobby Flay

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My family and I always have this discussion before Thanksgiving:

Me: I’m going to buy a turkey…

Them: Ewwww… get a ham instead..

Me (through clinched teeth): I’ll get both.

I’m a traditional kind of gal.  I want turkey on Thanksgiving and ham where it belongs – on Christmas and Easter.  But the majority of my family members simply don’t care that much for turkey. Go figure.

H-O-W-E-V-E-R, with the help of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and Bobby Flay – I think I have them right where I want them.  Once they see this recipe, they’ll INSIST on turkey, for the leftovers, alone.

Ah, sweet success.

The recipe, below is from the collection of Bobby Flay recipes on Hellmann’s website. Each is, as you’d expect extraordinary.  To watch Bobby Flay make these Reubens, head over to the website for the video: Bobby Flay Makes a Turkey Reuben… and Saves Joi’s Traditional Thanksgiving.

Bobby Flay Turkey Reuben With Thousand Island Coleslaw

1/2 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickle
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cups coleslaw mix
8 slices rye bread
8 slices Swiss cheese
1 lb. sliced cooked turkey

  1. Combine 1/4 cup Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, pickle, ketchup, vinegar and mustard with wire whisk in medium bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Stir in coleslaw mix; set aside.
  2. Top 4 bread slices with cheese, turkey, coleslaw mixture, then remaining bread slice. Evenly spread outside of sandwiches with remaining 1/4 cup Mayonnaise. Cook sandwiches, in batches, in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning once, 8 minutes or until golden brown.

Cooking 101: How to Brine a Turkey

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When it comes to making and serving turkey – your reputation as a cook is riding higher than ever!  If it’s tasteless, dried out, and lacks any resemblance of moistness, you’re toast!  However, if you serve up a nice, juicy, flavorful turkey – you’re everyone’s hero.  If you wouldn’t mind achieving this sort of hero status and want to serve a turkey that’ll have them raving all year long, try soaking your turkey in a brine solution overnight.

Brining a turkey is probably the simplest and easiest way to add flavor to any holiday meal. Here are the basic tools and utensils you’ll need to brine a turkey:

  • large 10+ quart cooking pot
  • chest cooler bigger and deeper than your turkey
  • large wooden spoon

And here are the ingredients you’ll need to brine your turkey:

  • 2 cups kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp peppercorns
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 bag of ice
  • 1 6-12 lb turkey
  • 6 cloves fresh garlic peeled

How to brine a turkey

Make sure you make your brine mixture 2 days before you’ll actually be cooking your turkey!

First of all, fill up your large cooking pot with at least 2 gallons (8 litres) of cold, fresh water and put it on the stove on the highest setting. Now pour in your kosher salt and brown sugar. A general rule of thumb is to add one cup of each per gallon of water used.

Next throw in your bay leaves, peppercorns and garlic cloves. Then bring the whole thing to a boil while stirring occasionally. Boil the brine mixture for about a half hour to make sure the pepper, bay leaves and garlic have had a chance to infuse the liquid nicely.

Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a couple of hours before putting it in the refrigerator overnight.

The next night before you go to bed, wash off your turkey under the faucett and remove anything from the inside, like the neck and giblets. Put your turkey in the cooler and pour in your brine mixture, making sure that the entire turkey is covered with liquid. Then pour in the bag of ice and place the cooler in a cool place like your garage or basement. Leave it in the brine solution for about 9 or 10 hours and no more or it could be damaged beyond repair.

Then take the turkey out of the brine mixture and dry it completely with paper towels, inside and out. Place it into your roastpan and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to put it into the oven.

Be sure to clean and disinfect all the tools and utensils immediately after using them and don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw meat of any kind, especially poultry.

Of course, there are many variations you can use when cooking just about anything. As a rule though, one cup of kosher salt and a cup of sugar per gallon (4 litres) of water is best. The other ingredients of the brine mixture are optional and can be experimented with depending on what your tastes are.

Video: How to brine a turkey – the video below was done by someone who isn’t associated with me or this site in any way. But what skills! Gotta love the skills.

A Roundup of Thanksgiving Essentials for the Kitchen

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The beautiful holidays are right here on us and I couldn’t be happier. Everything just seems more wonderful and magical than ever around this time of year. Thanksgiving was my father’s favorite holiday and I must say it holds a special place in my heart as well.

In this post are some things that will help every great cook (and not so great cooks!) around this wonderful holiday.

Betty Crocker's Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook

I know I preach and teach Betty Crocker a great deal when it comes to cookbooks, but there’s a really good reason. The name Betty Crocker will never let you down. It’s one of my “Big 3” when it comes to cookbooks: Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and Food Network. If a cookbook comes out that’s related to one of these 3, I’ll buy it first and ask questions later. Oh, skip that, I won’t even ask questions.

The Betty Crocker’s Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook is a cookbook that no serious cook should be without. Don’t even think about going ahead with Thanksgiving without this book! Whether you’re looking to make a traditional Thanksgiving like “mom” always made, plan on putting your own spin on Thanksgiving, or (like most of us) plan on a happy balance of the two: this is the cookbook you must have to pull it all off without a hitch.

When it comes to cooking your turkey, the following items will serve you well… so that you can do the same with your guests.

Camerons 7-qt. Multi-Purpose Roaster

The
Camerons 7-qt. Multi-Purpose Roaster does more than just cook up the most moist and delicious turkey you could hope for. It will also roast several chickens or a roast with vegetables. But there’s more! This multi-cooker also comes with a lift-out poacher for gently cooking fish. Well-fitted handles on both roaster and lid provide stability when lifting. A domed lid traps steam for succulent results and doubles as its own pan for making gravy, holding four quarts.

All-Clad 14x11x2-in. Nonstick LTD Roasting Pan with Rack

The All-Clad 14x11x2-in. Nonstick LTD Roasting Pan with Rack is another wonderful way to ensure a delicious Thanksgiving. This Petite Roti Pan is ideal for all your smaller roasts, chicken pieces or cornish hens and seafood filets. This roaster will hold a 9-11 lb. bird in its nonstick rack. The high sides allow heat to penetrate food thoroughly as it surrounds, and the nonstick surface makes it easy to remove and serve food and to deglaze the pan. The sturdy rack elevates your food and lifts out easily by using the handles.

All-Clad LTD cookware is crafted from three permanently bonded layers of metal. A layer of pure aluminum rests between a charcoal black anodized aluminum exterior with an 18/10 stainless steel cooking surface. Sleek and functional, each piece is heavy weight and provides exceptional cooking performance by evenly distributing and retaining heat. Features long stay cool handles and well-fitted stainless steel lids.

Polder Preprogrammed Digital Thermometer

Finally, don’t forget your thermometer! The Polder Preprogrammed Digital Thermometer
is as perfect as they come.

From Cooking.com:
Insert the cooking probe of this Thermometer into your meat, and monitor the inner temperature as it cooks in the oven. A digital readout displays the cooking temperature as the meat cooks and an alarm sounds when the desired temperature is met. There’s a setting for beef, lamb, veal, pork, turkey and chicken with a well done, medium and medium rare choice. There is also an option to manually program the desired temperature (from 32 to 392 degrees Fahrenheit). The probe and wire measure 3 feet, and the monitor lays flat or tilts up for an easier read. The thermometer has an On-Off switch and is powered by one AAA battery. Not intended for use with BBQ.

See Cooking.com for all your Thanksgving and Christmas baking supplies, cookbooks, etc. For those of us who love cooking, it’s our Toys R Us. When you go to their website, leave no page unseen, no link unclicked.