Cooking Frozen Bone-In Turkey Breast with Steam
Emily Farris
September 14, 2023
If you’re reading this, it might be the day before Thanksgiving. Maybe you don’t have a turkey and you’re freaking out a little. Well, whether you’re having last-minute Thanksgiving at home or your grocery store is completely sold out of fresh turkeys, the Anova Precision Oven is here to save Thanksgiving Day.
With a combination of convection heat and steam, it’s possible to take a turkey breast from freezer to feast in less than three hours. Now, is this going to be the most amazing turkey you’ve ever cooked in your life? Probably not. Will it have the most flawless skin of any turkey on the block? Unlikely. Will you and your dinner companions be in awe of the amazing feat you managed to pull off with the help of your new favorite appliance? Absolutely. And truth be told, it will still be juicy, tender, and delicious — likely better than many people’s Thanksgiving turkeys.
Notes: The prep time in this recipe includes a 30-minute rest time. You can also recreate this recipe using your favorite barbecue rub or other seasonings in place of sage any time of the year. It’s important to use a deep pan because the turkey will release a lot of liquid as it cooks.
Serves
6
Prep Time
00:50
Cook Time
02:30
0
545
Ingredients
1 (8- to 10-lb)
bone-in frozen turkey breast
8 Tbsp (1 stick)
unsalted butter
8 cloves
garlic, chopped
1 bunch
sage (about 16 leaves), chopped (see note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Steps
1. Preheat the Oven and Prep Turkey
Rack
Place the turkey breast on a wire rack set in a deep roasting pan (see note).
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: Off
Temp: 335°F
Heat: Rear
2. Defrost
Rack
Transfer to the oven and cook for 1 hour and 5 minutes to defrost.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: Off
Temp: 335°F
Heat: Rear
01:05 Timer
3. Make Sage Butter
With about 5 minutes left on the timer, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. When the butter is melted, add the chopped garlic and sage then immediately remove the pan from the heat.
4. Adjust Oven for Roasting
Rack
Remove the turkey breast from the oven before adjusting the settings.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 80%
Temp: 335°F
Heat: Rear
5. Prep Turkey
Carefully remove the turkey breast from the roasting pan. Drain the liquids from the pan and remove any giblets or other parts that were inside the cavity.
Return the turkey breast to the pan. If you don’t have a concave rack, you may need to secure and balance it with metal skewers — without legs it will tip over. You can also form a support with aluminum foil.
6. Season Turkey
Generously season the inside and underside of the turkey with salt and pepper.
Brush the breast and sides with sage butter then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Insert the probe into the thickest part of the breast, taking care to avoid bones.
7. Roast
Rack
Transfer to the oven, attach the probe, and cook until the probe reaches its target temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (The cook time depends on the size of the breast and internal temperature headed into the second cooking stage.)
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 80%
Temp: 335°F
Heat: Rear
165°F Probe Target
8. Brush and Rest
Brush the turkey with more sage butter right when it comes out of the oven. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
9. Carve and Serve
Carve the turkey breast from the bone, slice, and serve.
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