I would say that they cannot give you a time because you should cook to internal temperature rather than a specific time. There are too many variables to give a time. It depends on the bird, the starting temperature of the bird and whether or not the bird is stuffed. I don't even cook the whole thing together anymore. I cut the legs off because they cook to a different temperature, than the breast.

It is true that there are many variables and of course I will use the included internal probe. However, I can find many great references for how to account for those variables and estimate a turkey cooking time for conventional ovens.

Wolf provides other guides for cooking many other things in their steam oven based on poundage, etc. and I would love to be able to have a few points of reference so my turkey isn't done 2 1/2 hours early.

Really hoping I can find someone who has done this before for some pointers :)

Emily,

i have never cooked a turkey in my Wolf CSO. In November, 2012, an employee of Wolf posted photos of an 18 pound turkey that he said they cooked in the CSO for 1 1/2 hours perfectly done. Unfortunately, he did not mention the mode or temperature they used to cook the turkey. Garden Web pulled the post because he was a Wolf employee, fortunately I had printed it out first. He said he was in New York, so perhaps a phone call to the Manhatten Wolf/subzero distributor?

Also, Google "Turkey in Wolf Combi steam oven". Down the page a few posts open "Cook the Perfect Holiday Turkey in Wolf's Steam Convection Oven Kitchen Designs by Ken Kelly". It talks about the method but no time. However, there is a phone number so perhaps you could call them.

You will love using your steam oven. Best of luck and Happy Thanksgiving.

MJ

I've been looking for info on this as well. I also can't find any guidelines on time per pound..... it seems that everyone is cooking a 14 lb turkey for approximately 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, so that might be what I'll have to do also!! Have you seen the video by Purcell Murray that gives some tips using the Thermador?

@mjocean - thank you for sharing! I will check out this link for sure

@sherri1058 - I'm sure you're as grateful as I am for the info shared here! I had not seen the video, but I might watch it just because!

@annlk2000 - THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Sorry for the delay in my response, things are crazy around here with moving in and prepping.

I appreciate your sharing so much! It is a great relief to have your experience to go on. I have a 20 lb. turkey which I'm told will fit (crossing my fingers) so I'll add a bit more time.

One question, do you like your skin crispy? Does the skin get crispy with this method? I wasn't sure if maybe the moisture would keep that from happening? Any info you could share on that would be wonderful. f

I will do a test to make sure the steam is working on my oven asap :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

@elgable21 - You are welcome, I really hope everything works out for you. Would love to hear how it turns out for you after the big day. Yes we do like our skin crispy, I rub the entire Turkey with softened butter first before putting it in the oven. The convection parts allows for the browning and crisping. It doesn't get super crispy but I think on a scale of 1-10 about a 7or 8. My family stands around fighting over it. Hope that makes sense, that's the only way I can think to describe it. Also the bottom and low sides don't get too crispy as the turkey is sitting on the solid pan and I can't raise it in order for it to fit in the oven. Just another note- if you are looking to use the drippings to make gravy you may not have as many drippings as you are used to. Just something to be prepare for. My mom and I were shocked the first year when there was hardly anything in the bottom of the pan. Also, just remembered my turkey is stuffed, if yours is not that will affect timing as well. If I remember any other tips I'll let you know.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I'm grateful to see this thread right now as I'm just about to bite the bullet on my appliance order and am getting cold feet about the steam oven (going with Miele over Wolf only because I can match it better to other products that I want, otherwise it was a tie between the two). Are you all cooking turkeys in your CSO because you don't have a typical full size oven, or because the results are better? I'd love an update on how the 20-pounder goes!

Just wanted to report my experience with the Thermador steam oven and turkey. I watched the Purcell Murray video and instruction to use a 14 lb max turkey. My turkey was 13.85 lbs. I could scarcely believe the thing could get done in 1.5 hours, but I cooked it at 325 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes, placing it directly on the rack with the large pan under it. (By the way, I really don't think you should use a larger bird. You might be able to squeeze a 16-pounder in there, but you won't have the same result without using the rack, which is what you have to sacrifice if you go bigger). When I removed it to check (thinking I'd need an extra 15 minutes at a higher temperature to finish and brown it) there seemed to be a little pinkish juice in the cavity, but the internal temperature was already 170! (Aiming for 165). We let it rest for 30-40 minutes and carved. Juicy, tender, skin brown and crispy. PERFECT! I'm used to taking an hour to cook a 6lb chicken. I can't believe I cooked at 14 pound turkey in such a short time. Also, I live at 7350 feet, and it takes forever to boil potatoes, and by the time they are done they are waterlogged and typically mushy on the outside. This thanksgiving was my second time steaming my potatoes in the oven--they are tender in about 35 minutes. The large tray was completely filled (about 10 potatoes). (Do expect them to come out slightly drier than a boiled potato, but this is perfect for mashers with added cream/butter anyway.) They came out fabulous! Will never boil a potato again!! Love this oven!

Just wanted to enter a data point for anyone doing this in the future. I had a 12 pound turkey, legs tied together, with an orange in the cavity, and it cooked to 160 in just about 1 hour at 350 combi mode in my Viking combi oven. The skin came out looking great, and the bird was pretty moist.

I found the answer to all your questions about the Wolf steamer: trays, temperature, mode, and times for everything. Check it out!

http://www2.subzero-wolf.com/products/downloads/SteamReference.pdf

@elgable21 How did you 20lb. turkey turn out?

I just had to share that yesterday we cooked an 18 lb turkey in our Wolf CBO in one hour and 15 minutes!!! We were shocked and did a second temperature check with a meat thermometer and it was at 165*F like we had set the probe to. We pulled it, tented it with foil, and carved it a good hour or more later. Still at a good temperature for eating, super moist, and absolutely delicious!

Never have I ever cooked a big turkey in such a short amount of time!

Cheryl, thanks for sharing your results - for anyone that wants to follow in your footsteps, what temp, and did you use an auto program, or did you set the combination of moisture and heat manually?

That would have been good information to include! Sorry! We followed annkl's way, "...18lb turkey at 355 on the convection steam setting." We set the probe to 165*F.

Last November I cooked an 18 lb FROZEN turkey in 3 hours. It came out delicious. I had to remove the pan racks on the side of the Wolf oven for my roasting pan to fit, but I rammed it in there. The roasting pan sat on the bottom of the oven. The turkey was on a rack. Didn't use the probe. I checked every 20 minutes or so and gradually removed the giblets and neck as the turkey heated. I was amazed!

Wolf says not to put any lining on the floor of the oven (aluminum foil etc), I don't know if this would include a roasting pan or not. Might be good to check if this is a good idea.

I am putting a Wolf CSO in my new house. I’m hoping there is not too much of a learning curve. I had the Gagg in my old house for over a decade and adored it. It was easy to operate. Have missed it and mourned over it since selling my house almost two years ago.

Getting excited thinking about having a steam oven again very soon, after reading this thread.

Someone mentioned having no drippings for gravy. Same way with the Gagg. Virtually no drippings. I always kept chicken stock in my freezer for thanksgiving/Christmas gravy.

Rob Yorke...cooking a frozen turkey freaks me out.

Would the turkey not fit on your perforated rack?

These comments have been so helpful. I am cooking my first turkey in my steam oven and just really didn't know exactly how to do it. I roast chickens in it all the time and can't believe how wonderful they turn out. I love my CBO oven but get frustrated that it is hard exactly how to cook certain things in it. I am about to make creme brulee in it now. No water bath needed.

Just reviving this thread to say thank you! I had planned on cooking our turkey in a regular overnight but wondered out loud to my husband if we could even do it in the steam oven (Thermidor). I’m inspired to give it a whirl tomorrow! Thanks, all.

I'm on here too looking at everyone's past notes and am planning on a 14 lb in the Wolf CSO. My first time trying the turkey in the steam oven. So excited!

Well, after reading this thread, I’m going to try my 20-pounder tomorrow. I’ve had this oven for 4 months and this will be the first thing I try in it. Wish me luck!

Season to your liking, low temp (lowest setting possible), long cook time and retain moisture. Works like a charm every time. The oven model is irrelevant.

Does anyone baste the turkey if using the convection-steam mode or are you not supposed to open the oven? I’m getting the impression there’s hardly anything in the pan to make gravy from once the turkey is done!? Wouldn’t basting help? Also can you stuff it? I read somewhere that stuffing won’t be done to a safe enough temperature without overcooking the bird!!!?! I’m new to this! Please help!!

Hello everyone-

i tried a 14 pound Turkey a few weeks ago in the Wolf CSO. It cooked in about 1 1/2 hours. i thought that the white meat was dry. After searching for suggestions, I think I placed the probe in the wrong place. Find the crease where the body and leg meet and place it in the body side close to the crease( I had put it in the leg). Set the oven to steam convection at 325, place Turkey on pan provided on lowest rack. probe setting according to research will be 161. Set it in the oven and it will be ready when the probe temp beeps. Good luck everyone and Happy Thanksgiving!

I think I’m going to steam my turkey too. Question is the same as someone else asked: can I stuff it? Maybe take the stuffing out and finish it in the oven when the turkey is done?

Also - I did a dry brine. Should I rub butter on it?

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

I have a Samsung with the steam roast function. Turkey is 20 lbs and stuffed. I set it to 325. Hoping for the best. These comments have been helpful. I will put the probe in the stuffing for temp?

For all those wondering about whether or not you can stuff the bird, the answer is no. But it's no whether you use a stream oven or not. It's simply not recommended at all anymore. Cook your stuffing in a slow cooker or oven, not in the bird.

Following up with details from yesterday cooking turkey in the Wolf CSO! My turkey was actually 16 lbs. Because so many commented about not enough drippings for gravy, after opening the turkey bag, I left the liquid on the pan. Turkey was rubbed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings, celery and parsley in the cavity and on the pan. I placed the solid pan in the slots for the bottom rack, and the turkey directly on the rack slid in on top of the pan. Convection Steam at 355 and temp probe to 165. Cooked in 1:10 min! So unbelievably fast and was delicious!

I usually do my turkey in my CSO using convection steam with probe in thigh to 160 degrees. BUT this does not produce enough drippings for gravy. I solve this by having frozen chicken stock in the freezer.

Since I was only cooking for 5 adults/2 kids yesterday I did a 13 lb turkey on convection (no steam) to 160 in thigh. I thought I might get more drippings on this setting. Nope. Good thing I didn’t need much gravy because I still had very little drippings and no frozen stock on hand. Done in 90 minutes.

definitely tastier/juicier on Convection Steam imo. Back to convection steam for next turkey....chicken stock in freezer.