Featured Recipe
Sous Vide Turkey Bacon Roll

By Kate
"
Turkey breast wrapped in pancetta infused with fresh rosemary cooked sous vide at 62 °C for 3 hours 10 minutes, finished on grill to crisp bacon and develop char. Moist, tender interior with savory herb aroma. Replaces bacon with pancetta for richer depth; rosemary instead of tarragon for earthier twist. Adjusted salt quantity and timing to balance seasoning. Visual cues highlighted to master doneness and texture.
"
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
Total:
Serves:
8 servings
sous vide
turkey
pancetta
rosemary
gourmet
French-inspired
Introduction
Sous vide with bacon or pancetta wrapping. Moist turkey breast, no drying out, sealed in salty pork fat shield. Heat low, long enough to gently break down connective tissue. Texture silky, meat fibers intact. Pancetta switch changes flavor profile—more subtle, less smoky. Rosemary instead of tarragon; piney, earthy aroma that punches through fat. Timing matters. Undercook, meat tough; overcook, mushy. Use visual clues - turkey should hold shape with slight spring when pressed. Crisp finish on grill, just enough char. Do not skip drying step before grilling. Crucial for caramelization. Pancetta pops, sizzles, smells like a deli in July. Simple. Elegant. Gourmet without fuss.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Bacon replaced by pancetta for balance between salt and fat without overpowering the delicate turkey breast. Pancetta renders more evenly during the sous vide process, prevents hard edges. Rosemary sprig instead of tarragon avoids overly floral notes; rosemary stands up to pork fats with fresh pine aroma. Reduced salt to 4 ml from 5 ml helps avoid oversalting given pancetta’s natural saltiness. Vegetable oil chosen for high smoke point and neutral flavor; could sub butter for richness but watch burn risk. Turkey breast weight kept close to original—around 1 kg—perfect size for even cooking and manageable roll thickness. Fresh herbs essential, dried won’t infuse flavor properly under vacuum.
Method
Technique Tips
Precision cooker set at 62 °C to keep protein fibers tight yet juicy; one degree down from 63 °C minimizes moisture loss. Overlap pancetta slices tightly to prevent gaps that cause uneven cooking and heat pockets. Rolling snug but not crushing meat keeps texture intact. Vacuum sealing removes air; manual water displacement as plan B but must be careful to avoid water ingress into bag. Timing increased by about 10 minutes to ensure pancetta fully renders fat without drying inside. After cooking, drying meat before grilling critical - water on surface steams pancetta instead of crisping - use paper towels generously. Grill turning every 2 minutes ensures even color. Listen for sizzle, smell aroma of browning—signals proper Maillard developing. Resting cools meat allowing juices to redistribute for clean slicing. Sharp serrated knife recommended to avoid compressing roll. Backup option: if no grill, finish under broiler but watch carefully—pancetta burns fast.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use high-quality pancetta; brings better flavor. Overlapping slices is key—no gaps during cooking. That’s what makes the texture right. Watch salt—pancetta brings its own.
- 💡 Rosemary, fresh only. Dried won’t infuse like this. Lay under turkey to infuse as it cooks. Check for doneness—should feel springy. Press to test, no mush.
- 💡 Pancetta rendered fat creates a protective layer. Crispy crust so essential. Dry turkey well before grilling. Damp skin steams instead of browning properly.
- 💡 Important: vacuum seal correctly. Remove as much air as possible; makes for even cooking. Improvising with zip bags works, but tight seals hold moisture best.
- 💡 Rest after grilling, lets juices settle. Slice sharp knife needed; serrated if it’s tough. Too much pressure? You lose those beautiful, even slices.