Homemade Turkey Sandwich Meat
Homemade Turkey Sandwich Meat
Ingredients
For the Brine
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice
- 2 teaspoons pink curing salt
- 10 cups water, or enough to cover the meat
For the Turkey
- 1 bone-in skinless turkey breast, deboned, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1 stick unsalted butter, 1/2 cup, melted
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Brine: In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine 1 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons pickling spice, 2 teaspoons pink curing salt, and 10 cups of water. Place the pot on the stove and bring the mixture to a boil.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Once the brine has boiled, remove it from the heat and cool completely. To speed up cooling, you can add a generous amount of ice to the pot.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Brine the Meat: Once the brine is completely cool, submerge the turkey breast in the brine, ensuring it is fully covered. Cover the pot and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours, up to 12 hours).
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Prepare the Meat for Cooking: The next day, remove the turkey breast from the brine. Wash off any excess seasoning from the turkey under cold running water. If the turkey breast has skin, peel or cut it off. If it is bone-in, carefully cut the bone off (you can save the bone for stock).
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Make Herb Brown Butter: In a small pan, melt 1 stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter over low heat. Add the fresh sage, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, and black pepper. Continue cooking until the butter browns and becomes fragrant. Pour the brown butter and herbs into a small bowl to cool slightly.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Season and Seal the Turkey: Place the deboned, skinless turkey breast on a tray. Salt both sides of the turkey breast with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste. Place the salted turkey breast into a vacuum sealer bag. Pour the slightly cooled herb brown butter over the turkey in the bag. Massage the bag to ensure the butter and herbs coat the turkey evenly. Vacuum seal the bag.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Sous Vide Cooking: Set up a sous vide bath with a large pot and a sous vide machine. Set the sous vide machine to 145°F. Once the water reaches the target temperature, place the vacuum-sealed turkey breast into the sous vide bath. Cook for approximately 4 hours.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 145
- 8
Chill and Slice: After cooking, remove the turkey breast from the sous vide bath. Cut open the vacuum seal bag and place the turkey on a wire rack over a baking sheet to cool slightly. Once cooled, wrap the turkey breast tightly in parchment paper. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (at least 4 hours or overnight).
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Once chilled, remove the parchment paper and slice the turkey breast using a meat slicer set to its thinnest setting for deli-style slices.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Storage: Store the sliced homemade turkey sandwich meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best results, separate portions with parchment paper inside the container.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Homemade Turkey Sandwich Meat
For the Brine
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice
- 2 teaspoons pink curing salt
- 10 cups water, or enough to cover the meat
For the Turkey
- 1 bone-in skinless turkey breast, deboned, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1 stick unsalted butter, 1/2 cup, melted
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Brine: In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine 1 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons pickling spice, 2 teaspoons pink curing salt, and 10 cups of water. Place the pot on the stove and bring the mixture to a boil.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Once the brine has boiled, remove it from the heat and cool completely. To speed up cooling, you can add a generous amount of ice to the pot.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Brine the Meat: Once the brine is completely cool, submerge the turkey breast in the brine, ensuring it is fully covered. Cover the pot and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours, up to 12 hours).
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Prepare the Meat for Cooking: The next day, remove the turkey breast from the brine. Wash off any excess seasoning from the turkey under cold running water. If the turkey breast has skin, peel or cut it off. If it is bone-in, carefully cut the bone off (you can save the bone for stock).
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Make Herb Brown Butter: In a small pan, melt 1 stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter over low heat. Add the fresh sage, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, and black pepper. Continue cooking until the butter browns and becomes fragrant. Pour the brown butter and herbs into a small bowl to cool slightly.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Season and Seal the Turkey: Place the deboned, skinless turkey breast on a tray. Salt both sides of the turkey breast with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste. Place the salted turkey breast into a vacuum sealer bag. Pour the slightly cooled herb brown butter over the turkey in the bag. Massage the bag to ensure the butter and herbs coat the turkey evenly. Vacuum seal the bag.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Sous Vide Cooking: Set up a sous vide bath with a large pot and a sous vide machine. Set the sous vide machine to 145°F. Once the water reaches the target temperature, place the vacuum-sealed turkey breast into the sous vide bath. Cook for approximately 4 hours.
⏱️ 240 min•🌡️ 145 - 8
Chill and Slice: After cooking, remove the turkey breast from the sous vide bath. Cut open the vacuum seal bag and place the turkey on a wire rack over a baking sheet to cool slightly. Once cooled, wrap the turkey breast tightly in parchment paper. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (at least 4 hours or overnight).
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Once chilled, remove the parchment paper and slice the turkey breast using a meat slicer set to its thinnest setting for deli-style slices.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Storage: Store the sliced homemade turkey sandwich meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best results, separate portions with parchment paper inside the container.