In a recent Prime Cuts Wild Game Edition episode, host and award-winning chef David Bancroft teamed up with Bone Collector star Michael Waddell to demonstrate two ways for preparing wild turkey. While Michael’s jalapeño-dill turkey nuggets (complete with “his and hers” dipping sauces) were a surefire crowd pleaser, David’s grilled, sous vide wild turkey was in a class of its own.
Why use Sous Vide for Wild-Game Cooking?
Sous-vide cooking is the process of sealing food in an airtight container—usually a vacuum-sealed bag—and then cooking it in temperature-controlled water. Professional chefs in nearly all of the best restaurants across the Americas and Europe have used this technique to maximize the flavor and texture of their food preparations. Now, thanks to the advent of low-cost circulators, home cooks can explore the possibilities of this method, too.
The sous-vide cooking technique is especially useful for wild-game recipes because it cooks evenly all the way through, meaning the meat is cooked to the same temperature from the edge to center. When using this method, you’ll notice that your wild game is significantly more juicy and flavorful because the meat braises in its own juices, and is infused with the flavors seasoned in the bag.
In this recipe, David uses a sous-vide cooker to poach a wild-turkey breast to 145 degrees before searing it on the grill. The result is a perfectly cooked and juicy turkey breast—prepared backyard style!
Once your wild-turkey breast is grilled to perfection, try serving it with “his and hers” dipping sauces featured in Michael Waddell’s jalapeno-dill turkey nuggets recipe.