The property of interest in your fat vs. water experiment is not heat capacity, it's thermal conductivity. The water transfers its energy to your finger faster than oil so you feel the pain faster.
Had the same thought but... I only have a cursory knowledge of the physics involved. I was questioning my understanding (because I don't automatically assume the video I'm watching is wrong) so I'm glad to learn I'm not mistaken 😂
Agreed that it is not heat capacity. But I think a better parameter than either is the heat transfer coefficient (deals with convection and boundary layer properties) of the oil vs the water. Thermal conductivity of fluids is better applied when they are used as insulators, such as air in a double-paned window. Source: Mechanical Engineer who deals with heat transfer.
Dan oh Dan, sir, you have given new life to cooking turkey! Who would have thought that confit would be the avenue we travel to get to a new and easy way to change up our tradition humble turkey. I've been deboning my turkey for a decade now. Easy carving and the bones make a killer stock for gravy and soup, but now with this new twist on an old delicious meal, we keep the bones in to extract flavor and keep it in the meat while cooking comfit. Brilliant, just brilliant! This holiday season I see duck fat and confit in my future. Thanks for the science lesson also, perfect. It all makes sense!
definitely trying it this year! seems perfect for a small number of people, without worrying as much about quantity and will be super easy for leftovers!
Made this last year and it will be the only way I do Thanksgiving turkey forevermore! Besides the excellent flavor,texture and juiciness,being able to make so much ahead is a huge plus. I used lard and chicken fat,removed the concentrated liquid from the bottom of the pot for gravy and froze the fat ,all ready for this year. Thank you for your entertaining education!
@@bettymackey379 Found them at a little bit more of an upscale grocery store. They were super affordable and already prepackaged. (Central Market in case you’re a Texan) 😄
Dan is so adorable it’s hard to pay attention to the video but when I do his videos are really interesting and informative. Props to Dan and his team. And the merch is super clever. Especially GOAT. 2 meanings!
i'm convinced and inspired. I was going to sous vide my turkey this year but i'm glad i found your video. Confited will give me a similar outcome without involving plastic bags or circulators.
You are an awesome reference and I love your little side comments Dan! I learn so much every time I watch your videos. "What if you made your chicken stock with vegetable oil, which sounds really gross, ..."
That garlic confit was amazing. And it lasted a good long while in the fridge and I had garlic for all my recipes. Tasty time saver! The turkey looks lovely as well. And I just might need that Chevre shirt. Very fun!
If I wear it to work, many of the young people will wonder what chevre is. If I wear it around people my age, they might wonder "goat" stands for. Either way, I have fun. (And it is the G.O.A.T. so yummy)
I made this turkey! But I did not make it for Thanksgiving I did it with a turkey breast and used that breast to make lunchmeat for my daughter (she is very picky) she loved it! This makes fantastic lunchmeat if your life skills are good enough to cut the meat thinly. Thanks Dan
@Ted Stonbely so there's actually a sous vide version that was developed and on the website. It's 1 cup fat split between 2 bags with half of the turkey in each. Then 158 for 16 to 20 hours
love that sodium citrate shirt!!! it's a miracle hero ingredient in my kitchen. I make more than just queso with it, but of course that's where I started. it's great for almost any cheese sauce, though.
Second this. To serve picky eaters, I would like a recipe that confits the whole bird. Thighs, legs, and breasts, oh my! Way too many people refuse to eat the dark meat. Sad, since it is the most flavorful part of the turkey.
I love dark meat, no matter the bird. I have chicken thighs in the freezer and sometimes it's best just sauteed skin side down to start, flipping until it's around 170-180F, with not much more than salt, pepper and maybe the juice of a lemon if I have one on hand. :-) There are other ways to have that same thigh, but it's a way. :-)
I have been wanting to try this for some time. After watching this video, I decided to just do it. I did a whole cut up chicken in lard. I just seasoned the pieces with a simple dry brine and let then set in the fridge overnight. I kept a couple of comparison pieces out and deep fried them. Oh my dear word! I could kick myself! Why have I never done this before? Well, truthfully, because it's a bit more trouble, but my Thanksgiving's turkey is going to be a winner this year. Thank you 😊
How did the white meat turn out? Finding a small whole turkey is easier than finding just the thighs, and some people prefer the white meat. I was wondering why he didn't show making a confit of the whole turkey (or half of one). TIA
@@christinekaye6393 I was very impressed. There wasn't a single tough bite. I let it bake 6 hours and I could have taken the dark meat out at 5 hours. When I do turkey, I'm going to put the dark and light meat in different baking dishes. I'll test towards the 5 hour mark and see if turkey needs to go longer.
@@christinekaye6393 He did praise both meats. This video is teaser for the recipe on Cooks Illustrated. I believe there is a paywal. I have been getting their printed annual version as book for years. And where is this year’s?🤭
Been trying g to find a good way to cook some thighs for 4 people this Thanksgiving. None of us like white meat. This will be the technique and recipe I use! I’m going to add garlic and some onion chunks to the fat because garlic and onion confit sounds AMAZING! Thanks!!
I tend to eat turkey to get back a little, I was helping my cousin collect chicken eggs in her barn where she had turkeys also. One of the turkeys didn't like me picking up the eggs and chased me all over the barn for what felt like forever. So now I go for Turkey on the big holidays
Serious question: Can the theory of this cooking method be applied to sous vide? For instance, placing a turkey or chicken breast in a bag full of fat and then using the water bath of the sous vide to hold it at 190°. Would you get the same result as using an oven where the air touching a pot transfers heart into the fat and then the meat? Or would water more efficiently heat the oil and thereby change the result? Also, does that salt cure work for chicken or would the recipe need to be adjusted?
When originally published in cook's, they gave both versions (this one and sous vide) side by side. The sous vide even had the benefit of requiring less duck fat, as it's more easily surrounded in the bag.
Sous Vide Everything has done multiple experiments of adding oils/fats to the bag with the meat they are cooking and what they’ve found is that the flavor of the meat is reduced. They hypothesized that the fat dilutes or draws out the flavors in the protein making it less tasty. I’m curious if confit has the same effect, or if those outcomes are a result of cooking it sous vide. I would say either cook it sous vide or confit but not both. That would be a cool experiment if you split a chicken in half and cook it both ways and see which one is best! I’m sure the salt cure would be great on chicken. But take my advice with a grain of salt as I do a lot of watching of cooking videos and just do some cooking.
Serious Eats found that duck confit was just as good sous vide. They recommended 155 for 36-40 hours, let the meat "cure" for 24 hours in the fridge, then crisp the skin. I imagine that method would work for dark meat on turkey as well. The breast might need a shorter cook at that high a temperature though.
Waiting for the answer as well. Would it be easier if you deboned the turkey first or do you need the bones for flavor? I don't like dark meat poultry so thighs are out of the question.
I am going to give it a try; I had learned to cook Turkey by marinating it in olive oil, and cooking it in, adding poblano chilies, almonds, garlic heads, and all the bit from my Kitchen, however, cooking it with Confit sounds spectacular!!! Thank you and I'll come back with my news!
Dear Dan I watch you in PBS all the time I am impress with all the information and knowledge you have ,sometimes all this information goes over my head, I am festinated , but to me is so complicated I would not try to fallow your direction . I admire you but don’t dare !
I've been thinking about using my sous vide device to maintain the cooking temp for my confit. For example, I would seal the duck leg in a bag with duck fat, and let that sit in a pot of water that's regulated by my sous vide device.
Yeah. Strain it and save it in a container with a lid. Best to store in the fridge. Then use it as you wish (roasted potatoes and veggies in that leftover fat 😋)
@@pvman2 Animal fat is different from plant oils in cooking. It’s better/safer - from grandmas’ wisdoms. Second, confit uses temperature much lower than frying. Third, your nose WILL tell you about rancidity. Forth, warm the fat FIRST - before adding the meat - to make sure the most insensitive nose will KNOW 😤😎😋🤣😂😅
Sometimes it's also sold in the refrigerated/frozen section near the other meats. It would also be worth calling a butcher though, because I think it's one of those things that can be cheaper to get from them in a tub than a little jar at the grocery store.
I'm coooking one regular non-brined turkey and one Kosher turkey (which comes brined). How can I make this work? Obviously bagged separately. During the pre-brine my thought was the Kosher one would skip the salt and sugar but still pre-cure with the other things? Or just skip the pre-curing step for that one?
Confit, I couldn't remember what this was called but I was planning on doing this maybe next Thanksgiving. Now I don't have to go it alone. Thanks Dan!
If the effectiveness of this method is due to slow transfer of heat (from the oil), wouldn't we get the same results from sous vide at a lower temperature? Also, Dan attributes loss of flavor in typical cooking methods to flavor molecules dissolving in the surrounding water. At any cooking temperature the meat will emit juices/steam, altho less at lower temps naturally. Wouldn't most loss of flavor be due to this? How would we test this?
I have always loved deep fried turkey. Only issue with these methods is the lack of stuffing. However, I might try to confit a whole turkey in the deep fryer this year.
I like turkey. I'm on a tiny budget, and wanted to get one of those small Butterball boneless turkey breast roasts yesterday, but they were too expensive. So I got two frozen cornish hens. I'll fix one at time. After thawing I can use my pressure cooker. I used to like the Jennie-O turkey roast that came in a baking pan, but I can't find them anywhere anymore. Luckily, I have a relative who is cooking a whole turkey, maybe she'll drop some by for me. I am much better at fixing the sides.
I work in a hospital cafeteria, every other Monday we serve flavorless and dry "roast" turkey. I don't know how many people have commented how delicious it is and they wish they could make it like that for Thanksgiving. If our nasty turkey dinner is that delicious to them, how horrible is their Thanksgiving turkey? I tend to forget that most people couldn't cook an edible meal to save their life. I have a friend who's retired husband spent decades in food service, but everything that he's made is lackluster and everyone considers him a really good cook.
Lan? Dan? Ya a thing? Could not blame ya. I remember you two Eyeing the oysters. The eye brows. Smiles. Or maybe I'm just projecting. Either way, another great video Dan. Keep on keepin' on...
Okay Dan, I tried this. I guess it tasted fine, but the hassle and additional cost is a drag. Takes up a lot of frig space, which is a no-no for Thanksgiving prep.
This sounds awesome! Gonna give it a go...but one question: every turkey I buy these days is already in a brine solution in the bag. In that case, should I do the long seasoning step in your recipe, or will that result in way-too-salty meat?? Thanks for any tips!
Any chance you could share a curing recipe for this confit that _isn't_ behind a paywall? I'd love to try it but I don't want to end up subscribing to a cooking site that I'll most likely not otherwise use.
I have never heard of confit but it appears that sous vide won’t give you the silky texture and outside crispness of finishing it the oven. I don’t know if this will be ideal for large gatherings but probably a good idea for a couple or small family since you only reheat dinner portions on the preserved meat.
could you use that sous vide water bath + pot of oil to confit something? obviously it'd be bad (or at least messy) to put it directly in the oil, but that indirect method seems like it would work and with much more control than any other option
You don't even need a pot of oil-just stick each thigh in a bag with some fat (only a little needed). Chefsteps has a writeup and so does Cook's Illustrated, but that one is behind a paywall
The point is not the cooking the the preserving beforehand. If you cook the turkey in a fryer, you'll get fried turkey. It may be nice, but it won't be same. This is turkey preserved in duck fat and then cooked in the oven. The thing is, turkey preserved in duck fat ("confit") is not an actual thing, so you have to make it yourself. According to this video, you have to preserve it for at least twelve days for this to work. Then, you just cook it in the oven for about fifteen minutes. If you've ever made duck confit, you'll know that it is already extremely tender and requires very little cooking.
The property of interest in your fat vs. water experiment is not heat capacity, it's thermal conductivity. The water transfers its energy to your finger faster than oil so you feel the pain faster.
yeah, chemical engineer here, they totally mixed that up. Heat capacity has nothing to do with the heat flux, aka how much pain you would feel.
Yeah I was about to post this. I was trying to find heat transfer coefficients for cooking oils but they're not readily available it seems.
Heat capacity is the amount of heat a substance can hold right?
Had the same thought but... I only have a cursory knowledge of the physics involved. I was questioning my understanding (because I don't automatically assume the video I'm watching is wrong) so I'm glad to learn I'm not mistaken 😂
Agreed that it is not heat capacity. But I think a better parameter than either is the heat transfer coefficient (deals with convection and boundary layer properties) of the oil vs the water. Thermal conductivity of fluids is better applied when they are used as insulators, such as air in a double-paned window. Source: Mechanical Engineer who deals with heat transfer.
This was super informative and interesting, Thanks!
Dan oh Dan, sir, you have given new life to cooking turkey!
Who would have thought that confit would be the avenue we travel to get to a new and easy way to change up our tradition humble turkey.
I've been deboning my turkey for a decade now. Easy carving and the bones make a killer stock for gravy and soup, but now with this new twist on an old delicious meal, we keep the bones in to extract flavor and keep it in the meat while cooking comfit. Brilliant, just brilliant!
This holiday season I see duck fat and confit in my future.
Thanks for the science lesson also, perfect. It all makes sense!
definitely trying it this year! seems perfect for a small number of people, without worrying as much about quantity and will be super easy for leftovers!
I've made this a few times now and it's the best turkey I've eaten. It's now a requested meal around the holidays.
Made this last year and it will be the only way I do Thanksgiving turkey forevermore!
Besides the excellent flavor,texture and juiciness,being able to make so much ahead is a huge plus.
I used lard and chicken fat,removed the concentrated liquid from the bottom of the pot for gravy and froze the fat ,all ready for this year.
Thank you for your entertaining education!
This is interesting!
Y’all should do a comparison on all the ways to cook a thanksgiving turkey! Roasted, deep fry, confit, etc!
You are entertaining and informative as Alton Brown (That's a compliment) in your own way. I love the science behind cooking. great job!
Yes Dan
I made this last year. Truly the best turkey I’ve ever eaten.
Where did you source the turkey thighs? Did you use other cuts of turkey?
@@bettymackey379 Found them at a little bit more of an upscale grocery store. They were super affordable and already prepackaged. (Central Market in case you’re a Texan) 😄
@@kyleweeks1581 Did you use duck fat?
ua-cam.com/users/shortshpWKErw8flw?feature=share
@@bettymackey379 ua-cam.com/users/shortshpWKErw8flw?feature=share
Great presentation Dan! Natural and engaging. Thank you for the hard work.
Great video. Turkey is awesome when cooked with love.
Great job, Dan! Very good job!
Fantastic work and I finally understand why cooking oil is different than water. Thank you
Dan is so adorable it’s hard to pay attention to the video but when I do his videos are really interesting and informative. Props to Dan and his team. And the merch is super clever. Especially GOAT. 2 meanings!
i'm convinced and inspired. I was going to sous vide my turkey this year but i'm glad i found your video. Confited will give me a similar outcome without involving plastic bags or circulators.
Nicely done and a lot of fun! Thanks Dan!
Love your videos, Dan!
I learned so much! Thanks for this information. Yes, I'm a food nerd.
You are an awesome reference and I love your little side comments Dan! I learn so much every time I watch your videos.
"What if you made your chicken stock with vegetable oil, which sounds really gross, ..."
That garlic confit was amazing. And it lasted a good long while in the fridge and I had garlic for all my recipes. Tasty time saver! The turkey looks lovely as well. And I just might need that Chevre shirt. Very fun!
I think this year I’ll stuff the garlic confit under the turkey skin before cooking
If I wear it to work, many of the young people will wonder what chevre is. If I wear it around people my age, they might wonder "goat" stands for. Either way, I have fun. (And it is the G.O.A.T. so yummy)
Dan is by far my favorute presenter at ATK 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻.
I would watch Dan boil water.
I love this series!
Dan is the MAN!
I've learned something, thanks!
I've done this 3 times and boy, am I grateful. Yes, it's a bit of work, but soooooo worth it!
Where did you get the Duck Fat? Can that be bought in a store?
Can you share the proportions for the salt, onion, sugar, pepper and thyme brine?
Dan is the G.O.A.T.
I made this turkey! But I did not make it for Thanksgiving I did it with a turkey breast and used that breast to make lunchmeat for my daughter (she is very picky) she loved it! This makes fantastic lunchmeat if your life skills are good enough to cut the meat thinly. Thanks Dan
Oh, just get a slicer now. 😉Will pay for itself back vs buying coldcuts
Great idea cuz the breast meat is typically bland and dry
I've made the sous vide version of this multiple times. Great recipe
@Ted Stonbely so there's actually a sous vide version that was developed and on the website. It's 1 cup fat split between 2 bags with half of the turkey in each. Then 158 for 16 to 20 hours
love that sodium citrate shirt!!! it's a miracle hero ingredient in my kitchen. I make more than just queso with it, but of course that's where I started. it's great for almost any cheese sauce, though.
I love this! You had me at duck fat. Now I’m wondering how I could do this with a small whole turkey 🦃? Hmmm
Look into doing a boneless turkey.
@@goodsnpr That is a good idea… Adam Ragusea just published a video on exactly that.
This is great
Where’s the white meat recipe for guests who don’t like food?
Second this. To serve picky eaters, I would like a recipe that confits the whole bird. Thighs, legs, and breasts, oh my!
Way too many people refuse to eat the dark meat. Sad, since it is the most flavorful part of the turkey.
"We ask them politely, yet firmly, to leave."
I love dark meat, no matter the bird. I have chicken thighs in the freezer and sometimes it's best just sauteed skin side down to start, flipping until it's around 170-180F, with not much more than salt, pepper and maybe the juice of a lemon if I have one on hand. :-) There are other ways to have that same thigh, but it's a way. :-)
This made me laugh so loudly it scared my dog. Well done.
@@JeremyGabbard ha ha ha ha ha!
I have been wanting to try this for some time. After watching this video, I decided to just do it. I did a whole cut up chicken in lard. I just seasoned the pieces with a simple dry brine and let then set in the fridge overnight. I kept a couple of comparison pieces out and deep fried them. Oh my dear word! I could kick myself! Why have I never done this before? Well, truthfully, because it's a bit more trouble, but my Thanksgiving's turkey is going to be a winner this year. Thank you 😊
@@sandrah7512 My own spin on comfit. His recipe just inspired me to try it using cheaper items. Definitely going up a notch for Thanksgivings😊
How did the white meat turn out? Finding a small whole turkey is easier than finding just the thighs, and some people prefer the white meat. I was wondering why he didn't show making a confit of the whole turkey (or half of one). TIA
@@christinekaye6393 I was very impressed. There wasn't a single tough bite. I let it bake 6 hours and I could have taken the dark meat out at 5 hours. When I do turkey, I'm going to put the dark and light meat in different baking dishes. I'll test towards the 5 hour mark and see if turkey needs to go longer.
@@christinekaye6393 I let it cook 6 hours. The dark would have been ready in 5. I don't know if turkey will take longer.
@@christinekaye6393
He did praise both meats.
This video is teaser for the recipe on Cooks Illustrated. I believe there is a paywal. I have been getting their printed annual version as book for years. And where is this year’s?🤭
Good video 👏
I love turkey confit! We have been doing this for years!
Do you confit the white meat as well or just the dark? I see a lot of people asking the same question. TIA
@@christinekaye6393 We just do the thighs and legs. We are not fans of the white meat.
This is such great content
Been trying g to find a good way to cook some thighs for 4 people this Thanksgiving. None of us like white meat. This will be the technique and recipe I use! I’m going to add garlic and some onion chunks to the fat because garlic and onion confit sounds AMAZING! Thanks!!
Wondering about containers that are large enough to cook the turkey when covered in duck schmutz and storing the big bird for days?
the dutch oven itself
Dan! The merch is seriously cool.
Loving your channel from across the pond. I run a similar channel but with English food :)
Are you on You Tube?
Great tips for getting flavorful turkey. It will certainly compete with the best sides. And the merch is cool too Dan.
My best friend and I made turkey au Cocotte last year for Thanksgiving. We might have to try turkey confit.
this guy looks like the kitchen version of Ryan Reynolds
Yeah for a while I thought he was Ryan in disguise 😄
…but more handsome than Ryan Reynolds and far more talented!
Very funny! Dan and Ryan are the same person, so of course they look alike!
Definitely gonna try giving my turkey a tubby this Thanksgiving--thanks Dan!
I tend to eat turkey to get back a little, I was helping my cousin collect chicken eggs in her barn where she had turkeys also.
One of the turkeys didn't like me picking up the eggs and chased me all over the barn for what felt like forever.
So now I go for Turkey on the big holidays
Does this work with Breast and remaining turkey as well?
Me + Dan + Tuby = 💙
Serious question:
Can the theory of this cooking method be applied to sous vide? For instance, placing a turkey or chicken breast in a bag full of fat and then using the water bath of the sous vide to hold it at 190°.
Would you get the same result as using an oven where the air touching a pot transfers heart into the fat and then the meat? Or would water more efficiently heat the oil and thereby change the result?
Also, does that salt cure work for chicken or would the recipe need to be adjusted?
When originally published in cook's, they gave both versions (this one and sous vide) side by side. The sous vide even had the benefit of requiring less duck fat, as it's more easily surrounded in the bag.
Sous Vide Everything has done multiple experiments of adding oils/fats to the bag with the meat they are cooking and what they’ve found is that the flavor of the meat is reduced. They hypothesized that the fat dilutes or draws out the flavors in the protein making it less tasty. I’m curious if confit has the same effect, or if those outcomes are a result of cooking it sous vide.
I would say either cook it sous vide or confit but not both. That would be a cool experiment if you split a chicken in half and cook it both ways and see which one is best!
I’m sure the salt cure would be great on chicken. But take my advice with a grain of salt as I do a lot of watching of cooking videos and just do some cooking.
Serious Eats found that duck confit was just as good sous vide. They recommended 155 for 36-40 hours, let the meat "cure" for 24 hours in the fridge, then crisp the skin. I imagine that method would work for dark meat on turkey as well.
The breast might need a shorter cook at that high a temperature though.
Amazing
Informative ... but are you suggesting that you cook the entire bird by this method or only turkey parts?
Wondered the same!
Waiting for the answer as well.
Would it be easier if you deboned the turkey first or do you need the bones for flavor?
I don't like dark meat poultry so thighs are out of the question.
I'm going to try to break down a whole bird and try this.
@@CampStoneFox I am going to do the same thing.
Great question! I had the same thought and for some, carving the whole turkey tableside is part of the Thanksgiving experience.
I am going to give it a try; I had learned to cook Turkey by marinating it in olive oil, and cooking it in, adding poblano chilies, almonds, garlic heads, and all the bit from my Kitchen, however, cooking it with Confit sounds spectacular!!! Thank you and I'll come back with my news!
Dear Dan I watch you in PBS all the time I am impress with all the information and knowledge you have ,sometimes all this information goes over my head, I am festinated , but to me is so complicated I would not try to fallow your direction . I admire you but don’t dare !
I've been thinking about using my sous vide device to maintain the cooking temp for my confit. For example, I would seal the duck leg in a bag with duck fat, and let that sit in a pot of water that's regulated by my sous vide device.
Thanks
do we dry the chicken off before crisping up the skin?
For crisping, would it work to use a cooking creme brulee torch?
Question: What do I do with all the oil/fat once I'm done with the turkey? Is it safe to somehow save/store/reuse?
Yeah. Strain it and save it in a container with a lid. Best to store in the fridge. Then use it as you wish (roasted potatoes and veggies in that leftover fat 😋)
@@debbyd5729 How can one tell if starts to "go bad" or turn rancid? How many times can one reuse it?
@@pvman2
Animal fat is different from plant oils in cooking. It’s better/safer - from grandmas’ wisdoms.
Second, confit uses temperature much lower than frying.
Third, your nose WILL tell you about rancidity.
Forth, warm the fat FIRST - before adding the meat - to make sure the most insensitive nose will KNOW 😤😎😋🤣😂😅
Where can you find duck fat? I don't think I've ever seen it in a store before. Thanks Dan for the super fun video!
Ever heard of Amazon?
Whole foods has duck fat clustered with other fats, like olive oil and vegetable oil. It is usually just to the side and a little higher up.
@@jokerproduction Why the sarcasm?
Sometimes it's also sold in the refrigerated/frozen section near the other meats. It would also be worth calling a butcher though, because I think it's one of those things that can be cheaper to get from them in a tub than a little jar at the grocery store.
How do you make the seasoning cure?
I'm coooking one regular non-brined turkey and one Kosher turkey (which comes brined). How can I make this work? Obviously bagged separately. During the pre-brine my thought was the Kosher one would skip the salt and sugar but still pre-cure with the other things? Or just skip the pre-curing step for that one?
Does this work for heritage turkey?
Confit, I couldn't remember what this was called but I was planning on doing this maybe next Thanksgiving. Now I don't have to go it alone. Thanks Dan!
Very interesting going to try. One ? Can left over oil be used again maybe to fry ?
You can use duck fat for frying but watch how it gets. It breaks down at a relatively low temp. But french fries fried in duck fat are amazing.
Pretty engineer-y thermodynamic explanation!
Dan you are the bestest ever. (How’s my grammar).. lol. Thank you for the video.. I am sooooo going to try it.. stay amazing!! 🦃🦃🦃
I love turkey, it's my go to sandwich meat. And my family made the best turkey for Thanksgiving
Wasn't expecting confit. Deboned is pretty good too
If the effectiveness of this method is due to slow transfer of heat (from the oil), wouldn't we get the same results from sous vide at a lower temperature? Also, Dan attributes loss of flavor in typical cooking methods to flavor molecules dissolving in the surrounding water. At any cooking temperature the meat will emit juices/steam, altho less at lower temps naturally. Wouldn't most loss of flavor be due to this? How would we test this?
It looks soooo good!
Maybe i missed it but did he explain why he didnt cook the whole turkey?
I thought this too. I may try this but I’ll break down a whole turkey like a normal person.
He was making a point how the turkey legs come out “dry” when roasted. Confit is a way around it.
Yes! 👍❤️
can this be done sous vide?
Another great video, as always it is entertaining and informative. Great job Dan.
I read it as "best turkey you'll _never_ eat," and that seems like a vastly more interesting video.
Can you do the confit with a pre-brined turkey?
I wonder if you could do this for an entire turkey spatchcocked (albeit a small one)...
I'd like to have Dan over for Thanksgiving dinner :)
I love this guy! He is Cooks Illustrated’s greatest asset.
I have always loved deep fried turkey. Only issue with these methods is the lack of stuffing. However, I might try to confit a whole turkey in the deep fryer this year.
The printed recipe says to put the dutch over uncovered in the oven, but the demonstration in the video has it covered. Which is the correct method?
Would you be able to confit pork tenderloin?
I like turkey. I'm on a tiny budget, and wanted to get one of those small Butterball boneless turkey breast roasts yesterday, but they were too expensive. So I got two frozen cornish hens. I'll fix one at time. After thawing I can use my pressure cooker. I used to like the Jennie-O turkey roast that came in a baking pan, but I can't find them anywhere anymore. Luckily, I have a relative who is cooking a whole turkey, maybe she'll drop some by for me. I am much better at fixing the sides.
I'm not sure where you are from but I bought a whole frozen turkey yesterday for less than $6.00 at my local Food Lion
We like those turkey loafs also. We've had success finding them in Wal-Mart.
Celebrate Thanksgiving the following week. Buy a turkey once they go on sale. & They will. I bought a 14lb turkey for $12 a few years back
I work in a hospital cafeteria, every other Monday we serve flavorless and dry "roast" turkey. I don't know how many people have commented how delicious it is and they wish they could make it like that for Thanksgiving. If our nasty turkey dinner is that delicious to them, how horrible is their Thanksgiving turkey? I tend to forget that most people couldn't cook an edible meal to save their life. I have a friend who's retired husband spent decades in food service, but everything that he's made is lackluster and everyone considers him a really good cook.
Say like when they mean recognize. Most don't work through understanding new tastes.
What do you do with the turkey breast and wings?
Lan?
Dan?
Ya a thing?
Could not blame ya.
I remember you two
Eyeing the oysters.
The eye brows. Smiles.
Or maybe I'm just projecting.
Either way, another great video Dan.
Keep on keepin' on...
Need rankings of duck fat alternatives because it can be hard to get if not planning ahead.
It’s official. I love Dan and his videos.
Okay Dan, I tried this. I guess it tasted fine, but the hassle and additional cost is a drag. Takes up a lot of frig space, which is a no-no for Thanksgiving prep.
This sounds awesome! Gonna give it a go...but one question: every turkey I buy these days is already in a brine solution in the bag. In that case, should I do the long seasoning step in your recipe, or will that result in way-too-salty meat?? Thanks for any tips!
I think he must be related to Ryan Reynolds! Love this video!
Any chance you could share a curing recipe for this confit that _isn't_ behind a paywall? I'd love to try it but I don't want to end up subscribing to a cooking site that I'll most likely not otherwise use.
What is the amount for the ingredients for the cure?
In the description under mustard sauce. The link will take you to the page .
Could you discuss how confit compares to other super-low temperature slow cooking methods, namely sous vide?
I have never heard of confit but it appears that sous vide won’t give you the silky texture and outside crispness of finishing it the oven. I don’t know if this will be ideal for large gatherings but probably a good idea for a couple or small family since you only reheat dinner portions on the preserved meat.
Is there a chance we can get a confit recipe for turkey breast? Unfortunately I have some loved ones who only eat white meat
Dan, I can't find turkey thighs to purchase - only whole turkeys or turkey breasts. How did you source turkey thighs only?
My Wegmans has them. Check your bigger stores, Amish markets, etc.
could you use that sous vide water bath + pot of oil to confit something? obviously it'd be bad (or at least messy) to put it directly in the oil, but that indirect method seems like it would work and with much more control than any other option
You don't even need a pot of oil-just stick each thigh in a bag with some fat (only a little needed). Chefsteps has a writeup and so does Cook's Illustrated, but that one is behind a paywall
Can you do this with chicken as well?
I love turkey
So would this work cooking a whole turkey, like in a turkey fryer at lower temp?
The point is not the cooking the the preserving beforehand. If you cook the turkey in a fryer, you'll get fried turkey. It may be nice, but it won't be same. This is turkey preserved in duck fat and then cooked in the oven. The thing is, turkey preserved in duck fat ("confit") is not an actual thing, so you have to make it yourself. According to this video, you have to preserve it for at least twelve days for this to work. Then, you just cook it in the oven for about fifteen minutes. If you've ever made duck confit, you'll know that it is already extremely tender and requires very little cooking.