Using an Oven Bag to Roast a Moist, Tender and Delicious Turkey

It is that time again. The frost is on the pumpkins, and Thanksgiving is coming up quickly. In a previous article, I discussed how to oven roast a turkey to perfection in the traditional method, but as everyone knows, turkey has a tendency to be dry if not cooked at a proper temperature for an appropriate amount of time.

Using an oven roasting bag to cook your turkey provides a great alternative to the usual roasting method. This is a self-basting method that creates a moist heat cooking environment for the turkey and produces a turkey that is juicy and tender. Be aware, however that the skin of a turkey cooked in a roasting bag will not be as crisp.

The methods involved in preparing the turkey for cooking remain the same. Be sure to thaw it properly and safely. The oven should be preheated to 350 degrees. After removing the neck and giblets from the inside cavity, rinse the turkey and pat it dry. It should then be brushed with vegetable or olive oil.

Oven bags can be purchased in the paper products section of the grocery store. Look for them near the aluminum foil and sandwich bags. Place a tablespoon of flour into the oven bag and shake it around. This will help blend the fats and juices and keep the bag from bursting.

If desired you may add a few stalks of celery and a sliced onion into the bag before placing the turkey inside it. Place the turkey in the bag with the breast side facing up. Close the bag with the ties provided in the package. You will need to cut about six slits in the top of the bag to help prevent bursting. Place the bagged turkey into a roasting pan, ensuring that the pan is deep enough and wide enough to fully accommodate the turkey.

Put the turkey in the oven and let it roast. Since it is in the bag there is no basting required so you can attend to your guests and other necessary meal preparations. The turkey should be roasted until a meat thermometer reads 180 to 185 degrees for a whole turkey. An approximate roasting time for a 16 to 20 lb turkey is about 2 ½ to 3 hours.

While the oven bag provides a turkey that is moist and tender, its greatest advantage may be that there is virtually no clean up. Just remove the bag from the roasting pan and throw it away!