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These Sous Vide Turkey Thighs are here to make your holiday meals easy and delicious! They’re slowly cooked with apple and sage, and served with a rich and flavorful gravy. So good!
If your holiday gathering is usually a small-scale affair, turkey thighs are the way to go. With turkey thighs, you don’t have to worry about cooking a big turkey and you don’t have to worry about leftovers (although I do enjoy all the things you can do with leftover turkey)!
For years, we have loved these buttery roasted turkey thighs. They’re seasoned with honey and spicy harissa and are so incredibly delicious.
But this year, we’re all about these sous vide turkey thighs! They turn out perfectly tender and juicy (like these sous vide turkey legs or this sous vide turkey breast), and the gravy is so easy to make, yet so tasty.
If you try these turkey thighs with gravy, I highly recommend serving them with garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed green beans, cornbread pudding and/or traditional stuffing. It’s just delicious!
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- Say goodbye to dry turkey. The sous vide slowly cooks the turkey thighs in a controlled water bath. The temperature is set, so you don’t need to worry about overcooking your turkey.
- There’s no need to use the oven. While you’ll need to use the stovetop to brown the thighs, your oven is free to prepare side dishes or bake dessert (like these pecan pie bars)!
- It’s perfect for small gatherings. The recipe makes enough for 4 servings, so you and your guests can enjoy a turkey dinner without cooking the entire bird!
- The gravy. Seriously, it’s so good and so easy. You just need to make a basic roux and add the bag drippings. All of the flavor from the sage, apple and duck fat that cooked with the turkey goes into the gravy. You may just want to eat it with a spoon!
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What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator (i.e. the sous vide machine). This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.
Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.
To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking and the benefits of sous vide cooking."
What is the Water Displacement Method?
The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).
Use a clip (I use sous vide magnets) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.
Tools Used
You will also want to check out these posts on the best sous vide containers and the best sous vide bags for more information!
Other sous vide recipes
Ingredients
The following are some of the key ingredients for the turkey thighs. For the full list of ingredients and quantities, please see the recipe card below.
You’ll need 3 pounds of turkey thighs for this recipe, or about 2 thighs. For the best results, I highly recommend using turkey thighs with the skin on as it adds extra flavor to the turkey and the gravy.
The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of duck fat, which is locked into the sealable bag with the turkey thighs. It adds moisture to the turkey as it cooks, as well as a ton of flavor. You can also substitute bacon fat or butter.
The turkey is seasoned with 1 tablespoon of fresh sage, 4 cloves of garlic and ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika.
One chopped apple is also added to the sealable bag, which not only adds a sweet flavor but provides a little extra moisture for the turkey thighs as they cook.
Step by step instructions
Heat a sous vide water bath to 150F degrees.
Season the thighs with salt and pepper.
Place the thighs, skin side down, in a cast iron pan and heat on low until they start to sizzle. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until skin has browned.
Remove from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
Once cool enough to handle, place the turkey thighs in a vacuum sealable bag (or ziplock freezer bag if using the water displacement method) along with the duck fat, sage, garlic, apple and paprika.
Vacuum seal the bag and cook for 12 hours in a 150F degree sous vide water bath.
Remove the bag from the sous vide cooker. Open the bag and remove the turkey thighs.
Strain the bag juice and reserve for the gravy.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the thighs, skin side down. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the skin is golden and starts to crisp.
Remove and serve with turkey gravy (below).
How to make the turkey gravy
Heat the butter and flour in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk until a light roux forms, about 1 minute. (If you’re new to making a roux, here’s a guide on how to make a roux).
SLOWLY whisk in the bag juice, ensuring you whisk constantly to avoid lumps from forming.
Once the juice is whisked in, remove from heat and serve over the turkey. *Add additional pepper to the gravy if you like it peppery.
Expert tips
- Removing air from the sealable bag is essential for food safety as it keeps bacteria out of the bag.
- The turkey thighs need to stay submerged in the water bath in order to cook safely and properly. If they start to float, you can open the bag to let the excess air out, then reseal it. (This works for a vacuum sealed bag or a ziploc bag).
- You can also prevent floating by using a sous vide sinker weight or weighing the bag down with something heavy like a wet towel.
- If you use other cuts of turkey for this recipe like legs or breasts, just remember that they all have different cooking times and you may need to adjust the temperature of your water bath.
- Instead of duck fat, you can use butter or bacon fat.
- To ensure a crispy skin, don't move the thighs around while they’re browning in the skillet.
- Be careful not to brown the turkey thighs for too long as they may start to dry out. Just 3-5 minutes should get the skin nice and crispy.
Common questions
You should set the temperature of your water bath to 150F degrees. At this temperature, the turkey thighs will be tender and juicy after 12 hours.
If you leave the turkey thighs in the water bath for an extra hour or two, don’t worry. The longer you cook the turkey, the softer the meat will be. Luckily, the sous vide is not like the oven. Leaving the turkey thighs cooking for a little longer will not dry them out.
Since we’re browning the turkey thighs before adding them to the sous vide water bath, I suggest letting your frozen turkey thighs defrost in the refrigerator first.
Yes! Both are important to get flavorful turkey thighs. Browning them first will add flavor as the turkey thighs cook in the water bath. This flavor will transfer to the gravy as the bag juices are used for the gravy. Browning the turkey thighs after will get the skins crispy again. (They get soggy after 12 hours of cooking in the water bath).
Make ahead instructions
You can cook the turkey thighs in advance and store them in the fridge for an even easier holiday meal.
Once the turkey thighs are cooked in the water bath, place them in an ice bath for 10-15 minutes, or until completely cooled. The ice bath will bring their temperature down quickly. Keep the thighs in the vacuum sealed bag and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
When you’re ready to eat, place the bag of turkey thighs in a water bath set to 150F degrees for about 10-15 minutes, until warmed through. Then follow the recipe for browning the thighs and making the gravy.
Make it a meal
If you plan to serve these sous vide turkey thighs for Thanksgiving, here are a few recipes to round out your meal:
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Sous Vide Green Beans
- Homemade Bread Stuffing or Wild Rice Stuffing
- Instant Pot Acorn Squash or Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes
- Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Pumpkin Pie Bars
If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Sous Vide Turkey Thighs
Ingredients
- 3 pounds turkey thighs 2 thighs
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons duck fat substitute bacon fat or butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 apple roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Turkey Gravy:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- bag juice strained
Instructions
- Heat a sous vide water bath to 150F degrees.
- Season the thighs with salt and pepper.
- Place the thighs, skin side down, in a cast iron pan and heat on low until they start to sizzle. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until skin has browned.
- Remove from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
- Once cool enough to handle, place the turkey thighs in a vacuum sealable bag (or ziplock freezer bag of using the water displacement method described above) along with the duck fat, sage, garlic, apple and paprika.
- Vacuum seal the bag and cook in a 150F degree sous vide water bath for 12 hours.
- Remove the bag from the sous vide cooker. Open the bag and remove the turkey thighs.
- Strain the bag juice and reserve for the gravy.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the thighs, skin side down. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the skin is golden and starts to crisp.
- Remove and serve with turkey gravy (below).
Turkey Gravy:
- Heat the butter and flour in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk until a light roux forms, about 1 minute.
- SLOWLY whisk in the bag juice, ensuring you whisk constantly to avoid lumps from forming.
- Once the juice is whisked in, remove from heat and serve over the turkey. (Add additional pepper to the gravy if you like it peppery.)
Expert Tips:
- Removing air from the sealable bag is essential for food safety as it keeps bacteria out of the bag.
- The turkey thighs need to stay submerged in the water bath in order to cook safely and properly. If they start to float, you can open the bag to let the excess air out, then reseal it. (This works for a vacuum sealed bag or a ziploc bag).
- You can also prevent floating by using a sous vide sinker weight or weighing the bag down with something heavy like a wet towel.
- If you use other cuts of turkey for this recipe like legs or breasts, just remember that they all have different cooking times and you may need to adjust the temperature of your water bath.
- Instead of duck fat, you can use butter or bacon fat.
- To ensure a crispy skin, don't move the thighs around while they’re browning in the skillet.
- Be careful not to brown the turkey thighs for too long as they may start to dry out. Just 3-5 minutes should get the skin nice and crispy.
Nutrition
Toni says
Such a delightful meal! Everyone at my house loved it!
Danielle says
That makes my day!
Jessica Formicola says
I am so beyond ready for all things turkey! These sous vide turkey thighs look incredible and I can't wait to try them!
Danielle says
Yay it's almost time!
Jess says
I love the option of something smaller for Turkey day and it is different than the typical turkey breast you see. Such a great idea!
Danielle says
It's nice to have smaller options for those smaller gatherings.
Katherine says
Such a great idea to make these turkey thighs in a sous vide!
Danielle says
Thanks!
Jessica Stroup says
What a great recipe! The whole family loved this one.
Danielle says
So glad to hear that!