The Ultimate Guide to Sous Vide Turkey Breast

Sous vide turkey breast is hands down the best way to cook turkey breast. It results in turkey that is incredibly moist, tender, and flavorful – far better than oven roasted turkey breast.

If you’ve never had sous vide turkey before, you are in for a real treat! Once you discover how perfect sous vide turkey comes out, you’ll never want to cook it any other way again.

In this comprehensive guide I’ll cover everything you need to know to cook sous vide turkey breast successfully including

• Benefits of Sous Vide Turkey Breast
• Choosing the Right Temperature
• How Long to Cook Sous Vide Turkey Breast
• Food Safety Concerns
• Finishing for Crispy Skin
• Serving Suggestions
• Tips for Maximizing Flavor
• Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Sous Vide Turkey Breast Recipes

So whether you are cooking turkey breast for Thanksgiving, meal prepping healthy lunches, or just want a quick weeknight dinner, this guide will help you make the best sous vide turkey breast ever!

Benefits of Cooking Turkey Breast Sous Vide

Here are some of the biggest benefits of using the sous vide method for cooking turkey breast

• Incredibly moist and tender meat – Sous vide cooking at relatively low temperatures like 140-150°F results in turkey that is much moister and more tender compared to high heat roasting. The turkey comes out succulent and almost melts in your mouth!

• Juicy throughout – Unlike oven roasting where the outer layers of meat dry out, sous vide turkey breast is evenly moist and juicy from edge to edge.

• Foolproof results – Sous vide takes all the guesswork out of getting the turkey breast perfectly cooked. There’s no worrying about over or undercooking!

• Holds well after cooking – Turkey breast cooked sous vide holds up great for meal prepping. Simply chill it after cooking, then reheat it later in the week while maintaining moisture and texture.

• Infuses flavor – Seasonings and aromatics in the bag have hours to fully penetrate and infuse into the turkey breast.

• Cooks evenly – No thick or thin ends to worry about. The gentle sous vide circulating water bath cooks the turkey breast evenly from all sides.

Choosing the Right Sous Vide Turkey Breast Temperature

The sous vide temperature you cook the turkey breast at determines the final texture and juiciness. Here are some common sous vide turkey breast temperatures and what to expect:

• 136-140°F (58-60°C) – Extremely juicy with a soft, gelatinous texture. Ideal if you like very tender, almost raw poultry.

• 141-145°F (61-63°C) – Juicy with a smooth, silky texture. Most people’s favorite doneness for tender but cooked turkey breast.

• 146-150°F (63-66°C) – Firm yet still moist, similar to properly cooked traditional turkey breast. Best for those who prefer well done poultry.

• 150-155°F (66-68°C) – Drier, dense texture with a more pronounced chicken-like flavor. Use only if you like very well done turkey.

For sous vide beginners, I recommend starting at 145°F (63°C) which produces a nice medium doneness turkey breast with great moisture and texture. But feel free to experiment with different temperatures to find your personal preference. The great thing about sous vide is it allows you to fine tune doneness very precisely.

How Long to Cook Sous Vide Turkey Breast

The cooking time for sous vide turkey breast depends on the thickness and your desired level of tenderness. Here are some general guidelines:

• 1-2 inches thick – Cook for 2 to 4 hours
• 3 inches thick – Cook for 4 to 6 hours
• 4 inches thick – Cook for 6 to 8 hours

To pasteurize the turkey for food safety, you need to cook at the times listed below based on thickness and temperature:

Keep in mind that longer cook times will result in increasingly tender turkey breast. I like to go 6-8 hours for super tender meat but 2-4 hours gives great results too.

Food Safety with Sous Vide Turkey

To cook sous vide turkey breast safely:

• Cook at 136°F (58°C) or higher to pasteurize
• Use the cooking times listed above based on thickness
• Pre-sear poultry before bagging to help kill surface bacteria
• Chill and refrigerate leftovers promptly

As long as these guidelines are followed, sous vide turkey cooked for the recommended time and temperature is just as safe as traditional methods. However, since turkey is particularly prone to harboring salmonella and other bacteria, it’s better to err on the side of caution when sous viding it.

How to Get Crispy Turkey Skin After Sous Vide

One downside of sous vide turkey breast is that the skin doesn’t get crispy in the bag. But here are some ways to make the skin crispy after cooking sous vide:

• Broil or pan fry – Broil the turkey skin-side up or pan fry skin-side down to crisp it.

• Bake – Bake the turkey breast skin-side up at 400°F until the skin is browned and crispy.

• Torch – Use a cooking torch to quickly crisp and brown the skin.

• Remove skin before – Take off the skin before sous vide, then crisp it separately.

• Crisp later – Cook the whole breast sous vide, chill it, then remove and crisp the skin.

Serving Suggestions for Sous Vide Turkey Breast

Here are some tasty ways to serve your cooked sous vide turkey breast:

• Slice and eat plain, seasoned only with salt and pepper
• Add to sandwiches, wraps, pitas, or flatbreads
• Dice or shred for salads, soups, casseroles, and stir fries
• Pair with traditional Thanksgiving sides like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce
• Make turkey breast tacos or burrito bowls with veggies and rice
• Slice and serve over fresh greens for a salad
• Cube the turkey for kabobs or skewers

Tips for Maximizing Sous Vide Turkey Breast Flavor

To make your sous vide turkey breast even more delicious, keep these flavor tips in mind:

• Brine the turkey before cooking to infuse moisture and seasoning. A basic brine of salt, sugar, and aromatics works great.

• Season aggressively. The extended cook time allows for very bold seasoning that fully penetrates the meat.

• Add aromatics like whole garlic cloves, fresh herbs, citrus slices, peppers, etc.

• Use seasoning blends like poultry seasoning, jerk seasoning, BBQ rubs, etc.

• Inject marinades with a sauce syringe for added moisture and flavor.

• Sear/torch thoroughly after cooking to add a flavorful browned crust.

• Make a pan sauce with the sous vide juices to serve over the turkey.

Common Sous Vide Turkey Breast Mistakes to Avoid

Here are some common mistakes and how to prevent them:

• Overcooking – Use shorter cook times and lower temperatures like 140-145°F to prevent drying out.

• Underseasoning – Turkey benefits from aggressive seasoning. Don’t be shy with spices and herbs!

• Poor sealing – Use a vacuum sealer or properly displace air from bags. Exposure to air causes off flavors.

• No aromatics – Add things like garlic, citrus, or fresh herbs to infuse big flavor.

• Insufficient searing – A hot hard sear is key for nicely browned, flavorful exterior.

• No chilling – Chill within 1 hour after cooking if not eating right away to prevent bacteria growth.

Sous Vide Turkey Breast Recipes

To get you started, here are some stellar sous vide turkey breast recipes to try:

• Sous Vide Turkey Breast with Gravy – Crispy skin and rich gravy makes this a winner.

• [Jerk Turkey Breast](