Sous Vide Turkey Thigh Confit with Citrus-Mustard Sauce
By Lan LamPublished on September 28, 2020
Time
17½ hours, plus 4 days salting
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
3 large onions (4¾ cups)12 sprigs fresh thyme 2 ½ tablespoons table salt for curing4 ½ teaspoons sugar 1 ½ teaspoons pepper 4 pounds bone-in turkey thighs 1 cup duck fat, chicken fat, or vegetable oil, divided for confit½ teaspoon granulated garlic, divided2 bay leaves, divided½ cup orange marmalade 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard ¾ teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice¼ teaspoon table salt ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Before You Begin
Start this recipe at least five days or up to 12 days before serving (almost all the time is hands-off). We double-bag the turkey thighs to protect against seam failure, so you will need four 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bags. If preferred, use a vacuum sealer and skip the double-bagging. This recipe calls for the same ingredients as Turkey Thigh Confit with Citrus-Mustard Sauce, with two exceptions: You need only 1 cup of fat or oil and ½ teaspoon of granulated garlic instead of a head of garlic. Because of food safety concerns, do not use fresh garlic in this recipe.
Instructions
- Process onions, thyme sprigs, 2½ tablespoons salt, sugar, and pepper in food processor until finely chopped, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Spread one-third of mixture evenly in bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Arrange turkey thighs, skin side up, in single layer in dish. Spread remaining onion mixture evenly over thighs. Wrap dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 days (whatever is most convenient).
- Using sous vide circulator, bring 4 inches (about 6 quarts) water to 158 degrees in 12-quart stockpot or similar-size heatproof container. Remove thighs from onion mixture and rinse well (if you don't have a garbage disposal, do not allow onion pieces to go down drain). Pat thighs dry with paper towels. Fold back top of 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Place 2 thighs skin side up in single layer in bag. Add ½ cup fat, ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic, and 1 bay leaf. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Gently lower into prepared water bath until thighs are fully submerged, allowing air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Open 1 corner of zipper, release air bubbles, and reseal bag. Repeat bagging and resealing with second zipper-lock bag and remaining thighs, ½ cup fat, ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic, and bay leaf.
- Seal each bag in separate 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Gently lower 1 bag into prepared water bath until thighs are fully submerged, then clip top corner of bag to side of container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Open 1 corner of zipper of outer bag, release air bubbles, and reseal bag. Repeat with second bag. Cover container with plastic wrap and cook for at least 16 hours or up to 20 hours. Remove bags from water bath and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate, still double-bagged, for up to 6 days.
- Using sous vide circulator, bring 4 inches (about 6 quarts) water to 140 degrees in 12-quart stockpot or similar-size heatproof container. Fully submerge each bag in water bath, cover container with plastic, and cook for at least 1½ hours.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. While oven heats, crumple 20-inch length of aluminum foil into loose ball. Uncrumple foil, place in rimmed baking sheet, and top with wire rack. Using tongs, gently transfer thighs, skin side up, to prepared wire rack, being careful not to tear delicate skin. Set aside. Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl. Working in batches, pour liquid into fat separator, letting liquid settle for 5 minutes before separating fat from turkey stock. (Alternatively, use bulb baster to extract turkey stock from beneath fat.) Transfer 4 teaspoons turkey stock to small bowl; add marmalade; and microwave until mixture is fluid, about 30 seconds. Stir in mustard, lime zest and juice, salt, and cayenne. Transfer to serving bowl.
- Transfer thighs to oven and roast until well browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer thighs to cutting board, skin side up, and let rest until just cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
- Flip 1 thigh skin side down. Using tip of paring knife, cut along sides of thighbone, exposing bone. Carefully remove bone and any stray bits of cartilage. Flip thigh skin side up. Using sharp chef's knife, slice thigh crosswise ¾ inch thick. Transfer to serving platter, skin side up. Repeat with remaining thighs. Serve, passing sauce separately.
to cure
to cook
to serve
Time
17½ hours, plus 4 days saltingYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
3 large onions (4¾ cups)
12 sprigs fresh thyme
2 ½ tablespoons table salt for curing
4 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
4 pounds bone-in turkey thighs
1 cup duck fat, chicken fat, or vegetable oil, divided for confit
½ teaspoon granulated garlic, divided
2 bay leaves, divided
½ cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
¾ teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
3 large onions (4¾ cups)
12 sprigs fresh thyme
2 ½ tablespoons table salt for curing
4 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
4 pounds bone-in turkey thighs
1 cup duck fat, chicken fat, or vegetable oil, divided for confit
½ teaspoon granulated garlic, divided
2 bay leaves, divided
½ cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
¾ teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
3 large onions (4¾ cups)
12 sprigs fresh thyme
2 ½ tablespoons table salt for curing
4 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
4 pounds bone-in turkey thighs
1 cup duck fat, chicken fat, or vegetable oil, divided for confit
½ teaspoon granulated garlic, divided
2 bay leaves, divided
½ cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
¾ teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Confit is well suited to sous vide cooking: You need only 1 cup of fat or oil instead of the 6 cups required for the oven method; it allows you to precisely control the cooking temperature; and as with traditional confit, the timing is flexible.
Before You Begin
Start this recipe at least five days or up to 12 days before serving (almost all the time is hands-off). We double-bag the turkey thighs to protect against seam failure, so you will need four 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bags. If preferred, use a vacuum sealer and skip the double-bagging. This recipe calls for the same ingredients as Turkey Thigh Confit with Citrus-Mustard Sauce, with two exceptions: You need only 1 cup of fat or oil and ½ teaspoon of granulated garlic instead of a head of garlic. Because of food safety concerns, do not use fresh garlic in this recipe.
Instructions
- Process onions, thyme sprigs, 2½ tablespoons salt, sugar, and pepper in food processor until finely chopped, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Spread one-third of mixture evenly in bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Arrange turkey thighs, skin side up, in single layer in dish. Spread remaining onion mixture evenly over thighs. Wrap dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 days (whatever is most convenient).
- Using sous vide circulator, bring 4 inches (about 6 quarts) water to 158 degrees in 12-quart stockpot or similar-size heatproof container. Remove thighs from onion mixture and rinse well (if you don't have a garbage disposal, do not allow onion pieces to go down drain). Pat thighs dry with paper towels. Fold back top of 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Place 2 thighs skin side up in single layer in bag. Add ½ cup fat, ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic, and 1 bay leaf. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Gently lower into prepared water bath until thighs are fully submerged, allowing air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Open 1 corner of zipper, release air bubbles, and reseal bag. Repeat bagging and resealing with second zipper-lock bag and remaining thighs, ½ cup fat, ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic, and bay leaf.
- Seal each bag in separate 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Gently lower 1 bag into prepared water bath until thighs are fully submerged, then clip top corner of bag to side of container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Open 1 corner of zipper of outer bag, release air bubbles, and reseal bag. Repeat with second bag. Cover container with plastic wrap and cook for at least 16 hours or up to 20 hours. Remove bags from water bath and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate, still double-bagged, for up to 6 days.
- Using sous vide circulator, bring 4 inches (about 6 quarts) water to 140 degrees in 12-quart stockpot or similar-size heatproof container. Fully submerge each bag in water bath, cover container with plastic, and cook for at least 1½ hours.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. While oven heats, crumple 20-inch length of aluminum foil into loose ball. Uncrumple foil, place in rimmed baking sheet, and top with wire rack. Using tongs, gently transfer thighs, skin side up, to prepared wire rack, being careful not to tear delicate skin. Set aside. Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl. Working in batches, pour liquid into fat separator, letting liquid settle for 5 minutes before separating fat from turkey stock. (Alternatively, use bulb baster to extract turkey stock from beneath fat.) Transfer 4 teaspoons turkey stock to small bowl; add marmalade; and microwave until mixture is fluid, about 30 seconds. Stir in mustard, lime zest and juice, salt, and cayenne. Transfer to serving bowl.
- Transfer thighs to oven and roast until well browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer thighs to cutting board, skin side up, and let rest until just cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
- Flip 1 thigh skin side down. Using tip of paring knife, cut along sides of thighbone, exposing bone. Carefully remove bone and any stray bits of cartilage. Flip thigh skin side up. Using sharp chef's knife, slice thigh crosswise ¾ inch thick. Transfer to serving platter, skin side up. Repeat with remaining thighs. Serve, passing sauce separately.
to cure
to cook
to serve
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