Ingredients

Sous-Vide Bag

• 1 whole turkey leg + thigh, bone-in
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2–3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Pinch saffron threads
• 1–2 tbsp olive oil
• Optional: 1 cinnamon stick

Tagine Sauce

• Drippings from sous vide bag
• ½–1 cup chicken stock
• 1–2 tbsp preserved lemon peel, minced (peel only)
• 1 small shallot or ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp butter (optional, for gloss)
• Warm spices to taste (pinch cinnamon, pinch ras el hanout)

Warm Olives

• ½–¾ cup Niçoise olives, rinsed

Cranberry Accent

• ½ cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1–2 tbsp water
• ½–1 tsp allulose, monk fruit, or tiny drizzle honey
• Pinch salt
• Optional: pinch cinnamon or tiny amount of orange zest

Method

Sous-Vide Phase

Step 1 — Bag the Turkey
Place turkey leg and thigh in a large vacuum or zip-top bag with onion, garlic, spices, saffron, and olive oil.
Remove air completely (vacuum seal or water displacement).

Step 2 — Cook
Sous vide at 155°F (68°C) for 12–14 hours.
Result cue: Very tender, juicy, and sliceable without shredding.

Alternate texture:
165°F for 8–10 hours for shreddable meat.

Cranberry Compote (Do Not Sous-Vide)

Prepare anytime ahead.

1. Add cranberries and water to a small saucepan.
2. Heat gently until some berries soften and just begin to split.
3. Add sweetener and a pinch of salt.
4. Remove from heat while most berries remain whole.
5. Chill until needed.

Critical: Cranberries never go in the sous vide bag and should not simmer in the sauce.

Warm Olives

Just before finishing: - Warm olives gently over very low heat. - Do not simmer.

Cue: Heated through and aromatic, not soft.

Finish the Tagine Sauce

1. Remove turkey from bag and reserve.
2. Pour bag juices into a skillet or tagine; simmer briefly to reduce.
3. Add stock, preserved lemon peel, shallot/onion, and warm spices.
4. Reduce until glossy and aromatic.
5. Add butter if using.
6. Optional but recommended: Purée the sauce in a high-speed blender (e.g., Vitamix) until smooth, then return to pan.
7. Fold in warm olives gently.
8. Add cranberry compote at the very end; warm for ~1 minute only.

Crisp the Turkey (Optional)

• Broil skin briefly or
• Pan-sear skin-side down in butter

Carve at the joint before plating.

Plating

1. Spoon tagine sauce onto the plate.
2. Add turkey portions on top.
3. Scatter cranberries and olives around.
4. Finish with additional sauce.

Serve with: - Glazed carrots - Green beans - Warm olives as a starter

Make-Ahead Notes

• Cranberry compote: 100% make-ahead
• Sauce base: can be prepared earlier and finished day-of
• Turkey: holds perfectly in sous vide until service

Served Log

• 2024-11-28 (Thanksgiving) — Huge success. Olu loved this dish and took both the turkey and the sauce home with him.
  Pureeing the sauce in the Vitamix was critical to opening up and integrating the flavors; markedly better than leaving it rustic.