Jacques Pépin's Steamed and Roasted Turkey Recipe (2024)

Recipe from "Jacques Pépin Celebrates"

Adapted by The New York Times

Jacques Pépin's Steamed and Roasted Turkey Recipe (1)

Total Time
3 hours 15 minutes (including 45 minutes for steaming and 2 hours for roasting)
Rating
5(225)
Notes
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Ingredients

Yield:About 15 servings

    For the Turkey

    • 116- to 18-pound turkey, preferably fresh and organic, with neck, gizzard, heart and liver, knobby ends of drumsticks cut off so you can remove sinews later (you can ask your butcher to do this)
    • cups diced (½-inch) carrots
    • 2cups diced (½-inch) onions

    For the Glaze

    • ½cup apple cider
    • 2tablespoons cider vinegar
    • 1teaspoon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
    • ½teaspoon salt

    For the Sauce

    • 1cup white wine
    • 2teaspoons potato starch or cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
    • Salt and black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (15 servings)

730 calories; 19 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 105 grams protein; 1339 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Jacques Pépin's Steamed and Roasted Turkey Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    For the turkey: Cut off the ends of the drumsticks if your butcher hasn't already. Make a cut about 1-inch deep and 1½ inches long at the joint connecting the drumstick and thigh of each leg and at the joint connecting each of the wings and the breast.

  2. Step

    2

    Place a small wire rack (or crumpled foil) in the bottom of a large stockpot (or other large pot like a canning or lobster pot) and add 6 cups of water. Place the turkey (minus the neck, gizzard, heart and liver) in the pot, and bring the water to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and steam the turkey for about 30 minutes.

  3. For the glaze: In a small bowl, mix together the cider, vinegar, Tabasco and salt. Set aside.

  4. Step

    4

    Remove the pot with the turkey from the heat and heat the oven to 375 degrees. When the turkey is cool enough to handle, remove it from the pot (reserving the stock created from the steaming) and place it breast side up in a roasting pan. Put the pan in the heated oven, and cook the turkey for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the carrots and onions around it, and stir to coat them with any fat in the pan. Brush the turkey with the glaze, and continue to cook it in the oven for 1½ hours longer, brushing it with the glaze occasionally. If the top of the bird begins to brown too much, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

  5. Step

    5

    While the turkey is roasting, pour the reserved stock into a bowl and let it rest until most of the fat rises to the surface, about 10 minutes. Skim off and discard as much fat as possible. Transfer the stock to a saucepan and add the turkey neck, gizzard and heart. (As a special treat, sauté the liver in a little butter, add salt and pepper and snack on it with a cold glass of white wine.) Bring the stock to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, partly covered, until reduced to 4 cups, about 1 hour. Remove the neck, gizzard and heart from the stock, pick the meat from the neck and coarsely chop the meat along with the gizzard and heart. (You should have about 2 cups of meat.) Return the chopped mixture to the stock.

  6. Step

    6

    Remove the turkey from the oven when the breast and the leg register an internal temperature of about 160 degrees. Transfer to an ovenproof serving platter and, using small pliers and a fork, pull the sinews (which are visible at the drumstick tips) from the drumsticks through the tines of the fork, so you do not pull out chunks of meat along with the sinews. Discard the sinews. Keep the turkey warm, uncovered, in a 160-degree oven.

  7. Step

    7

    For the sauce: Add the stock and giblets to the vegetables in the roasting pan and mix well with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom. Transfer the contents to a saucepan and let rest for 5 minutes. Skim off as much fat from the surface as possible. Place the pan over medium-low heat, add the wine and potato-starch mixture and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until it thickens. Simmer for 1 minute and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm sauceboat and serve.

Ratings

5

out of 5

225

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Maryann

I have used this recipe for about 4 years and it is the most moist turkey every time. I have tried others and come back to this. It's very simple and has never failed. I have begun using just a turkey breast and have the same wonderful results.

Mark

Giving this a go this year, but with a much smaller, free-range bird (about 8 lbs). Any estimates of how much the steaming time would need to be altered?

Roger

I used to work in BAMBERGER'S TEAROOM...We served turkey club sandwiches, opened faced hot turkey sandwiches and turkey and stuffing for dinner..both with homemade gravy. With the leftovers, we made delicious turkey salad (for tea time for the tired shoppers). All the turkeys were poached, after the legs were separated....in a huge stock pot, which eventually made homemade soup. As each piece was cooked, the piece was removed and cooled. Breast, legs and thighs were moist and delicious.

J

This will be the third year in a row I've used this recipe for our thanksgiving turkey. It's delicious and really easy. I steam the turkey a day ahead and then keep it in the fridge overnight, mainly to have less stuff to do thanksgiving day but perhaps it also helps with crispy skin. The gravy is good as well, i usually mash the veggies and giblets in the roasting pan for a slightly less chunky gravy.

Daniel

Excellent recipe. This is the best recipe I have found: always moist and delicious. If you have a smaller bird—say, a 12-14 pound one, you will have to watch that it does not become overdone. I frequently find that the bird is done (internal temperature at 160) within in an HOUR after the first 30 minute steam. I also find that potato starch doesn't always work well to thicken the gravy. If that happens, I get out the flour and mix it old style with cold water.

Terry Campbell

I have made this dish 4-5 times and ,in fact, I'm preparing it right now. It is the simplest turkey recipe I have ever used, and the only one that always turns out perfectly.

Adam

Aluminum is the third-most abundant element on earth. It's often in the dust when we breathe, and certainly in most of our plant foods. Even if boiling it out of a piece of metal were an effective way to get a lot of it into water, the human body has little trouble processing and disposing of it.

Sandra Edmunds

I can't wait to try this. I could almost see him with Julia Childs on TV making this and I could hear her saying "As a special treat, sauté the liver in a little butter, add salt and pepper and snack on it with a cold glass of white wine."

Mimi cooks

I have a steam oven that combines hot air with steam. Safer, more even, juicy and roasted. Thank you Swiss engineers for making this dish possible in one baking dish with no mess to clean up

Margaux Laskey, Staff Editor

We haven't tested it that way, but we don't foresee an issue.

K

I've used this method twice and have concluded that it's more or less foolproof. I do a different glaze and gravy, but the cooking technique for the turkey itself yields a remarkably quick, moist, and delicious result.

athomedoc

How do you make it in a steam oven - does anyone have a method that works well? Do you use a Miele combi-steam oven? Please do enlighten me...Thanks!

Leon Jester

No, sir, you're not. I have problems both with using aluminium as to what may be extracted, and how it affects flavours. Aside from that, wadding up enough aluminium foil to be effective is a huge waste. Were I not able to find a stainless steel rack, I'd make one out of two layers of 4/4 maple an inch wide, held together at cross points with stainless steel screws.As to pouring off fat, any Southern cook knows one uses the fat to make the roux for the gravy.

Terry

My grandmother used to boil the bird before roasting it, 50 or so years ago. (I expect that in her younger days the birds were much tougher.) I thought this was kind of unsophisticated, but no!!

Skip

Prepared 14lb turkey in a big pasta insert pot with a tight foil tent. Clever using steam water as a base stock. Like the deep red/brown color the glaze gave to the skin.Issues: I may introduce some aromatics next time. I also prefer a smooth gravy, so I used a sieve to remove the chunks. The gravy refused to thicken using 2x of the cornstarch slurry, so I made a roux with a bit of butter and flour, which never fails.

Seacee

My husband passed away this time last year. He did all the cooking so roasting a turkey was something new, but I used this recipe, and my turkey breast came out lovely! I had to fiddle a bit, and I guess because it was a breast and not a whole bird, I didn’t get the drippings I had hope for, but this is the recipe I will be using from now on! Thank you Jacques!

Stephen Swaney

I used these cooking instruction with a dry brined Spatchco*cked 15 lb Turkey. I steamed it on an induction cooktop that allowed me to steam the Turkey in a large roasting pan placed on 2 small induction burners that had been "joined" to act as one large burner. This worked to perfectly to steam the Turkey, fact the turkey was cooked to 160 degrees after only 60 minutes of steaming. I then put the Turkey in a 27" Convection Oven that had been preheated to 425 Degrees to crisp the skin to gold.

Becky

Cooked a 13 lb turkey with this method and was not impressed. Breast was still dry. But probably need to caveat that I don’t own a restaurant-size stock pot so our turkey was peaking out a bit from the lid. You would really need a massive stockpot to do this with the Turkey size they suggested. Going back next year to the dry brined turkey - we missed the crispy, salty skin this year.

Benleo56

I love Pepin's roast chicken, but this was quite a failure. Followed recipe religiously. Was just Meh. Gravy also Meh. I will revert to brining. Was so looking forward to this given how wonderful the chicken is.

Best Turkey Recipe Ever!!

I’ve made our Turkey like this for the last four years and it is so moist so delicious!! It’s literally the only way to cook a Turkey!

Judy Bee

How much water for steaming? Should it touch the bird?

Fulan

I don't know why this recipe doesn't get more love! It is not featured in "Thanksgiving turkey recipes," but it is the most reliable, quickest, and tastiest way to cook a turkey on the day. Nothing is underdone, because it is steamed; it is moist and juicy because it is steamed. The skin is crisp and flavorful because it is roasted. Give it a try. Our Thanksgiving collective has used this method now for a decade or more. Never fails!!

Lorenza

I, too, am wondering about a dry salt rub for the bird after steaming, during the overnight in the fridge as in Russ Parson’s method.

Jayne

what is the timing for a turkey breast

Steven

I made this for this year’s Thanksgiving. While I appreciated the speed and ease of the cooking process, I found the turkey to be fairly flavorless. Perhaps because the glaze is only on the skin, there’s no seasoning for the meat, and the gravy as it were was ok at best. And like another reader commented, the potato starch did nothing to make the broth into gravy so I just made a flour roux.

Courtney

I’ve followed this method with just a turkey breast and it’s the most delicious turkey breast meat. We host too many people to use this method every year (our pots cannot accommodate the size bird that we need!), but I use the glaze every year - it really gives the turkey that beautiful Norman Rockwell appearance.

Matt

Does this start with a brined turkey?

William Wroblicka

No, the turkey is not brined beforehand.

kris

Any advice for a alt glaze that might be more palatable for kids/TG traditionalists? I love the idea of this one, but concerned too spicy for some? Thanks.

Sandra Edmunds

I can't wait to try this. I could almost see him with Julia Childs on TV making this and I could hear her saying "As a special treat, sauté the liver in a little butter, add salt and pepper and snack on it with a cold glass of white wine."

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Jacques Pépin's Steamed and Roasted Turkey Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay keep the turkey moist? ›

Ramsay's key for a guaranteed delicious and juicy turkey is a parsley and garlic butter that gets generously slathered both under the skin and on top of the turkey. While the turkey is cooking, you'll want to baste the bird with the melted butter pan juices to ensure a crispy skin while cooking.

Does cooking a turkey upside down keep it moist? ›

An upside-down turkey may seem to go against normal conventions of roasting breast-side up, but this method lets all the juices drip down into the breast meat, keeping it moist and tender.

How do you keep a fully cooked turkey moist? ›

To keep the turkey moist, add a little broth or water and cover. Cover your food and rotate it for even heating.

How does Martha Stewart cook a turkey? ›

Roast 1 hour, then baste every 30 minutes with pan liquids, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 125°F, about 3 hours. Remove foil; raise oven heat to 400°F. Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until thigh reaches 180°F, 45 to 60 minutes more.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook his turkey? ›

Roast the turkey in the hot oven for 10–15 minutes. Take the tray out of the oven, baste the bird with the pan juices and lay the bacon rashers over the breast to keep it moist. Baste again. Lower the setting to 180°C/Gas 4 and cook for about 2 1⁄2 hours (calculating at 30 minutes per kg), basting occasionally.

What temperature should a Gordon Ramsay turkey be cooked to? ›

This is Gordon's rough guide to help you plan your day. For Gordon's classic roast turkey recipe with lemon, parsley and garlic, he roasts the unstuffed 5kg (11lb) turkey at 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7 for 10-15 minutes, then the oven is reduced to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and the turkey is cooked for 2.5 hours.

Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350? ›

Oven-Roasted Turkey

We recommend starting the turkey in a 425 degree oven for 30-45 minutes before tenting the pan with foil and lowering the temperature to 350 degrees until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the bird.

What are 2 ways to keep turkey from drying out? ›

5 Ways to Prevent Your Turkey from Drying Out
  1. Cook Pieces Instead of a Whole Turkey. ...
  2. If Cooking a Whole Turkey, Buy Frozen. ...
  3. Ditch the Plastic Pop-Up Timer; Use an Instant-Read Thermometer Instead. ...
  4. Elevate the Legs. ...
  5. Let the Turkey Rest.
Nov 1, 2022

Why cook turkey breast side down? ›

Breast Side Down. The main difference between how my mother makes her turkey and everyone else is to cook it breast side down. By cooking the turkey this way, the juices from the cooking turkey fall into the breast while the turkey cooks, resulting in the most succulent breast imaginable.

How long should turkey sit out before cooking? ›

Your turkey will cook more evenly and faster if you start it out at room temperature so remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. If you plan to stuff your turkey, wait until you're ready to put it in the oven before putting the stuffing in the turkey.

What to do if your turkey is done too early? ›

If it's done around an hour early, let it rest uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then cover your turkey with some foil and a thick towel or blanket to keep it warm. By letting it first rest you release the initial heat. That way it won't overcook once it's covered.

Can I cook my turkey 2 days before Thanksgiving? ›

Roasting your turkey ahead will save you the time spent testing and carving, allowing you to spend more time with your guests. It's easy: Simply cook it a day or two in advance, let it cool completely, then carve the bird into large pieces—breasts, wings, thighs and drumsticks.

How does Trisha Yearwood cook her turkey? ›

Bake for exactly 1 hour and turn off the oven. Do not open the oven door! Leave the turkey in the oven until the oven completely cools; this may take 4 to 6 hours. Reserve the pan juices and refrigerate the turkey if it will not be served soon after roasting.

How does Bobby Flay cook a turkey? ›

Put the turkey on top of the vegetables, put in the oven and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Reduce the heat to 350 and continue roasting, basting with the warm chicken stock every 15 minutes until basting with some of the chicken stock every 15 minutes, about 2 to 2 ¼ hours longer.

How long does Gordon Ramsay cook a turkey for? ›

This Gordon Ramsay turkey recipe is easy to follow and the meat is moist thanks to a flavoured butter that is rubbed under the skin. This Gordon Ramsay turkey takes 2 hours and 30 minutes to cook based on a 5kg bird. There's no need to worry about bland, dry meat with this recipe.

How long does Gordon Ramsay rest his turkey? ›

Here is a turkey recipe from his site: As you can see, for a 5–5.5kg turkey he recommends cooking it for 10–15 minutes at 220C followed by about 2 1/2 hours at 180C, followed by resting for 'at least 45 minutes'.

Should you bake a turkey covered or uncovered? ›

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.

Does salt help keep a turkey moist? ›

Since there's no water, salting doesn't increase the amount of water in the turkey to start, but the salt diffuses into the muscle tissue and breaks down some of its proteins, which helps it retain more water during cooking and seasons this seasonal treat.

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