The Perfect Temperature for Sous Vide Turkey Breast

As Thanksgiving approaches, many home cooks are looking for foolproof ways to prepare a juicy, tender turkey breast. Sous vide cooking has become an increasingly popular method for cooking turkey breast, as it allows precise control over the final temperature. But with so many temperatures recommended, it can be confusing to know which one results in the best texture. In this article, I’ll go over the science behind sous vide turkey breast and recommend the ideal temperature based on extensive testing.

Why Cook Turkey Breast Sous Vide?

Sous vide utilizes precise temperature control to cook food evenly from edge to edge. This differs from traditional oven roasting where the turkey breast is exposed to hot dry air, resulting in a large temperature gradient within the meat. The edges of the breast overcook while the center is often underdone.

Cooking sous vide allows you to select a precise final temperature best suited for juicy, tender meat. Once the center of the turkey breast reaches your target temperature, it’s essentially pasteurized throughout. There’s no guesswork involved.

Sous vide also makes it easy to cook at much lower temperatures than possible in a standard oven. This is key for maximum moisture, as temperature correlates strongly with moisture loss.

Choosing the Right Temperature for Texture and Safety

So what temperature should you cook sous vide turkey breast to? Here are some guidelines:

Minimum Safe Temperature Chicken and turkey need to reach an internal temperature of 165°F for instant pasteurization However, when cooking sous vide, pasteurization is time and temperature dependent For example, 145°F for 10.5 minutes is just as safe as 165°F for a few seconds. So in sous vide, it’s possible to safely cook poultry to much lower temperatures as long as you hold it at that temp long enough to kill pathogens.

Juiciness and Moisture: In my testing, I found 140-145°F to be the juiciest temperature range for sous vide turkey breast. Temperatures above 150°F rapidly caused more moisture loss.

Traditional Texture: If you prefer a more “roasted” style texture like you’d expect with a standard oven turkey, cook the breast to around 150-155°F. This firms the texture slightly.

Pinkness: Turkey breast cooked below 140°F will retain some pink/red color even when fully pasteurized. Temperatures between 140-145°F will be pale pink or white throughout.

Recommended Time and Temperatures

Based on extensive testing, I recommend 145°F for 2.5 hours for the best balance of safety, moisture, and traditional texture. But here are some other time/temp options along with the results:

• 130°F for 4 hours – Very pink, incredibly moist, and soft
• 136°F for 3 hours – Light pink, extremely juicy, and tender
• 145°F for 2.5 hours – White meat with excellent moisture (my recommendation)
• 150°F for 2 hours – White, slightly firmer, very moist
• 155°F for 1.5 hours – White, traditional roasted turkey texture

Keep in mind that pasteurization time starts once the turkey breast has fully come up to the target temperature This can take over an hour depending on thickness. It’s best to monitor temperature periodically with an instant read thermometer until the target is reached

Preparing Turkey Breast for Sous Vide

For the most even cooking, form two breast halves into a cylinder:

• Carefully remove the skin and set aside for crisping later
• Stack two breast halves together, aligning the tapered ends
• Tie butcher’s twine around the breasts every 1 inch
• Generously season all over with salt and pepper

This forms the breast into a relatively even shape which minimizes differences in thickness. The salt also helps the two halves bind together.

Finishing With Crispy Skin

One of the best parts of roast turkey is the crispy skin. To achieve this with sous vide turkey breast, simply roast the skin separately in the oven. Here’s how:

• Spread the turkey skin flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment
• Top with another parchment sheet and press flat
• Roast at 400°F for 30-45 minutes until deep brown and crispy

This results in shatteringly crispy turkey skin with intense roasted flavor. Break it into pieces to serve alongside sliced turkey breast.

Make Delicious Turkey Gravy

Don’t discard the bones and cartilage from the turkey breast! Use them to make rich turkey gravy:

• Roughly chop the bones and cartilage
• Brown the pieces well in a pan along with aromatics like onion and celery
• Deglaze with chicken stock and simmer for 1 hour
• Strain the stock and use as the base for gravy

This infuses tons of deep turkey flavor into the gravy for the perfect accompaniment.

Takeaways on Sous Vide Turkey Breast

• Sous vide allows cooking turkey breast to lower temps for moisture while still being safe
• The ideal temperature is around 145°F for 2.5 hours
• Form breast halves into an even cylinder for best results
• Cook skin separately for crispy roasted flavor
• Use bones and scraps to make delicious turkey gravy

With these simple methods, you’ll enjoy the juiciest, most tender and flavorful turkey breast ever with minimal effort. Sous vide turkey takes all the guesswork and stress out of cooking this holiday centerpiece. Give it a try this Thanksgiving for your best bird yet!