The Wolf appliance experts at Clarke, New England’s Official Sub-Zero/Wolf/Cove Showroom and Test Kitchen, receive many questions each year about how to cook a turkey in a Wolf Convection Steam Oven (CSO). Here they share their expertise allowing you to learn why this method of cooking will result in a perfect turkey every time.
If you are looking for tips for cooking a turkey in the wide variety of Wolf convection ovens (without steam), click here. If you own a classic Wolf gas range, find your turkey tips, here.
Clarke Milford Showroom Manager Sandra Lashway recently prepared a pre-Thanksgiving dinner for her family in her Wolf Convection Steam Oven and shared the experience. Sandy has been with Clarke for more than 20 years, so she has demonstrated every Wolf appliance in existence. “It’s been a little while since I cooked a turkey in my Wolf Convection Steam Oven, so I wanted to do a trial-run before Thanksgiving. When I mentioned it to my son and his wife on a recent Sunday, they were eager to help taste test. Then my other son’s family showed up and we practically had Thanksgiving in October. It reminded me once again how easy it is to cook for a large group with this versatile appliance.”
How to Cook a Turkey in a Wolf Convection Steam Oven
Sandy cooked a 16-pound turkey but plans to do a 21-pound bird in the CSO for Thanksgiving. “Many people think Wolf’s Convection Steam Ovens are for smaller meals,” said Lashway, “but it is the largest capacity steam oven available for residential use and can easily accommodate a turkey to be enjoyed by a family. If you will have a larger crowd, you can always prepare another small turkey or turkey breasts a few days before and just warm them after your large turkey is done and resting. The CSO is also the key appliance for reheating foods to perfection.”
Sandy said she is continually amazed by the performance of this unique appliance. She placed the turkey into the CSO on Steam Mode for 30 minutes to start. She cautions that the turkey “may look ugly” at the end of the half-hour of steaming, but not to worry. Take it out and place it on the counter to cool while you preheat the CSO on Convection Roast to 375 degrees . That’s when you apply your glaze, if you choose to add one. Set your probe to your desired internal temperature – Sandy used 165 degrees – and place it into the thickness of the thigh. Once it came to temperature, she allowed the turkey to rest on the counter. After 50 minutes out of the oven, Sandy said the turkey was still steaming hot when she carved it! So total cooking time is 2-1/2 hours with a resting time to follow. This means you can get up on Thanksgiving or Christmas morning, relax, have brunch and then start your turkey preparation and still be ready to eat by late afternoon.
One of the most famous turkey recipes is a Steamed and Roasted Turkey preparation by Chef Jacques Pépin, which ran in the New York Times recipe section years ago. First written about in 2012, the original article started out with “You’re going to need a bigger pot.” It continued with “You’re reading this right: Jacques Pépin wants you to steam your turkey…in that big pot where hot vapors will melt off its fat.” In his recipe, the famous chef describes how to cook a turkey by putting the bird in a very large pot and boiling it on the stove before transferring it to a roasting pan in the oven. With your Wolf Convection Steam Oven, you are able to do the entire process seamlessly in one pan using one appliance. Since Pépin has been a long-time friend of Sub-Zero, Wolf and Clarke, we think he may enjoy the convenience of a CSO these days, saving time and clean-up.
While Sandy loves the convenience of the Wolf CSO, she also loves Pepin’s turkey glaze from his original recipe and uses it often:
Chef Jacques Pépin’s Delicious Turkey Glaze
- ½ cup apple cider
- 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
She brushes this mixture onto the skin of the turkey and says this enhances the flavor of the crispy outside and helps seal in the wonderful moist, tender meat.
While Sandy likes the two-step preparation using the Steam Mode and then switching to Convection Mode, there are many variations on preparing the perfect turkey in a Wolf Convection Steam Oven. Experiment, enjoy and find the combination of modes, ingredients and timing that most please you and your family.
Happy Thanksgiving and Feel Free to Call for Help
For additional turkey recipes and holiday food planners from Wolf, click here. If you have additional questions about how to cook a turkey in Wolf appliances, feel free to reserve a time to talk directly with one of Clarke’s accomplished chefs through Ask the Chef. Relax and enjoy, with Wolf your holiday turkey will be perfect every time.
