An ordinary unused brown bag from the supermarket is the secret for baking the juiciest Thanksgiving turkey ever. Here’s how:
Preheat the oven to 325F. Coat the inside of a double-strength grocery bag with cooking spray; spray the bird’s skin (including inside wings and under legs). Slide the turkey into the bag (use a second sack for a large bird). Staple or tie the bag shut. Check for gaps if two bags have been used on opposite ends. Be sure the sack hasn’t been punctured; then place it on a rack in a roaster pan. Check to be sure the bag does not touch the sides or top of the oven. Bake birds 13 pounds or under 20 to 22 minutes per pound and birds 14 pounds or more 16 to 18 minutes per pound.
Here’s the hard part: don’t peek. Do not open the sack until the timetable says the turkey is done. The sack will not burn in a 325F oven, and steam is essential to retaining moisture and nutrients.
When finished baking, carefully poke a few holes in the bag to let juices run into the pan and steam to escape. After cooling, tear the rest of the bag away, put the turkey on a platter, and make gravy with the drippings. You’ve just bagged the perfect holiday bird.
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Imagine my surprise when I found my family's secret turkey for roasting a turkey in relish magazine yesterday!
Turkey in a paper bag!! It is the only way I have ever had turkey cooked at home. My parents tell that they heard this recipe on the radio over 40 years ago. Callers would call and say it didn't work. The host would ask,"Did you peek in the oven?" Invariably they had. Now, we always duct tape the oven closed to prevent anyone from peaking. We haven't had a less than perfect bird. I highly recommend it. .
millstwins
11/6/06 2:43 PM
Thanks so much. We're glad to hear there are other fans of the technique. We had never seen it printed in a magazine before and were blown away by how good and easy it was. Thanks for sharing. Best.
By the way, we've had one reader question the safety of using recycled paper bags to cook in. Any thoughts there?
The Relish Editors
11/8/06 9:47 AM
Over the years we have coo0ked many different foods in a bag. Meat and foul etc. But and I say But never did we do it without any spice of any kind. I am not sure I would want to try just BLAH without seasoning of any sort!! Need coment
pairofjeans
11/8/06 8:59 PM
We put salt, pepper, garlic and some poultry seasoning on ours. You could add whatever seasonings you family likes.
millstwins
11/9/06 10:41 AM
Well you do have a point. BUT how much of the spices do you really taste in a 12 pound bird anyway--I would say not much. Plus, with all the "fixins" that accompany the bird, I think you're covered for flavor. We didn't try it but I guess you could put the pomegranate glaze from our other recipe on it, but then you'd have to open the oven......hummmm.
The Relish Editors
11/9/06 11:28 AM
Cooked a 14 lb turkey nothing added.
juice enough for soup. skin crisp and brown.
taste is fantastic. I am convinced this is the way.
Don't know about bigger birds like 20 to 24 because of bags!
Em
em good
pairofjeans
11/13/06 7:25 PM
Can I use this technique if we want 'to use bread stuffing?
hettingr
11/21/06 10:23 PM
Stuffing is out of the question. BIRD ONLY
We made stuffing on side dish good. with juice from turkey there is plenty of juice for gravey for potatoes and stuffing and some left over.
pairofjeans
11/22/06 9:48 AM
Interesting.
I DID stuff the turkey yesterday. It was an almost 18 lb. bird, and I figured 18 min. per pound. The pop-up thingie didn't release, but the turkey was very good, and seemed completely cooked. I was thinking I might go 19min/lb. next time, just to see how it works.
hettingr
11/24/06 8:15 AM
First off...save those large brown grocery bags...believe we used one from Stater Bros. this past Thanksgiving to hold our
25.89 fresh turkey from Costco. We
always stuff the cavities with dressing and skewer the neck skin to the body making sure no sharp points are exposed....
you do not want any tears in the bag...tie cotton string around the bird to keep the legs and wings from dangling all over the place....tuck in the feet then smear the bird and inside of the bag with soft butter. Slide 'er in then carefully fold and staple the bag shut. You may have to turn the turkey at an angle to make this work. Carefully place bagged bird onto a V-shaped rack and set the whole deal into a very large roasting pan. Turkey will cook 12 minutes per pound @ 350°. As the butter melts it will self-baste and brown the turkey at the same time. Most of the juices will be trapped in the bag. When done, just cut away the bage carefully to avoid being burned by the steam that will build up inside. Once in awhile it might be necessary, after removing the paper sack and stuffing, to return bird to oven to let the very bottom brown up a bit.
tonimarie
1/3/07 10:03 AM
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