Oven bag method

Photo by gigi-hawaii. Pink poinsettia this year.

Oven Bag Method: This is the self-basting method of roasting turkey. The turkey cooks up tender and juicy in a Oven Bag with no messy cleanup.

Appearance—light golden brown with some variation in color. Skin is not as “crisp” as traditional foil tent roasted turkey.

Advantage—often preferred for the most juicy turkey.

How To:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Shake 1 tablespoon flour in turkey-size (19″ x 23-1/2″) Oven Bag. Use large-size oven bag (14″ x 20″) for 8 to 12-pound turkeys or for turkey breast. Use small size (10″ x 16″) for boneless turkey breast. Leave flour in oven bag. This helps blend the fats and juices and protects against bursting. Place bag in roasting pan at least 2 inches deep. The pan should be large enough that the oven bag does not hang over sides and does not touch oven walls or oven racks.

Remove neck and giblets from both cavities of defrosted turkey. Rinse turkey, pat dry and spray with butter flavored oil spray or brush with vegetable oil. Slice 1 onion and 2 stalks celery; place in oven bag. Place turkey, breast side up, in oven bag on top of vegetables. Close bag with nylon tie; cut six 1/2-inch slits in top of oven bag. Insert meat thermometer through slit in oven bag into inner thigh for whole turkey or into thickest part of breast for turkey breast.

Roast until meat thermometer reads 180 degrees to 185 degrees F for whole turkey or 170 degrees to 175 degrees F for turkey breast. For stuffed turkey, add 30 minutes to roasting time. The approximate roasting times are: 1-1/2 to 2 hours for 8 to 12 lb. turkey; 2-1/2 to 3 hours for a 16 to 20 lb. turkey; 3 to 3-1/2 hours for a 20 to 24 lb. turkey.

For easy slicing, let stand in oven bag 15 minutes after removing from oven. To open, carefully cut or slit top of oven bag. If turkey sticks to oven bag, gently loosen oven bag from turkey before opening oven bag.

I am going to follow this method for Thanksgiving. Wish me luck!