Cooking a Turkey in a Bag

"This is the way I have cooked my turkey for the last 40 years and my Mother and Aunt before me. It turns out just wonderful. "
 
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Ingredients:
3
Serves:
20
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ingredients

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directions

  • Stuff your turkey as you normally would.
  • Open one brown paper bag inside another one.
  • Butter the inside of the inside bag real well. Slide the turkey into the brown bags, fold up the end of the bags and staple together.
  • Put the turkey (in bag) into the roasting rack (rack being inside of roasting pan).
  • Bake at 325 F. for 20 min. per pound.
  • THAT IS IT! No basting, no nothing. It turns out very juicy, very brown and just plain great!

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Reviews

  1. The Turkey was wonderful!!! My Husband thought I was crazy when he read the note I left him in the morning when he got up to put it in the oven. when I pulled it out of the oven he said it was the prettiest Turkey he had ever seen, But said lets wait to see what it taste like. when he tried it at my parents he loved it and made sure every one know he was the one who cooked it since he was the one who put it in the oven
     
  2. I'm sorry, but I tried this method for my Christmas turkey and the results just do not comapare with preparing a turkey the old-fashioned way . . . basting frequently in a roasting pan in a hot oven. The turkey skin did not fully brown and the wings/legs had a distinct steamed texture. This is an easier way of cooking a turkey, but sometimes easier is not better.
     
  3. I have always used the paper bag method. The trick, though, is not to seal it too tightly. If it is tightly sealed, it will steam. I use the largest size bag, not doubled. Usually there is a printed label on one side. Cut that off and what remains of the bag is enough to cover the largest turkey. Put the turkey on a rack and use the bag to form a tent over the turkey, just tucking it in along the sides. Don't staple it shut because you do want to leave small gaps for the steam to escape. The turkeys turn out moist and perfectly browned.
     
  4. Something for you to think about before proceeding with this method. Brown Paper Bag Method: Source: University of Illinois Extension http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/turkey/techniques.html#good3 This method involves placing the turkey in a large brown paper bag, the type used in grocery stores, and cooking the bird at a very low temperature. Experts agree that brown paper bags were never intended for use as cooking utensils. The glue, ink, chemicals and other materials used in recycling grocery bags are unsanitary and some bags may even contain tiny metal shavings. Make It Safe - To make this method safe, replace the brown bag with a turkey-size oven-cooking bag. Cooking turkey at temperatures below 325°F is unsafe, so increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Use a food thermometer. A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. For reasons of personal preference, you may choose to cook the turkey to higher temperatures. The temperature in all parts should read 165 °F or higher.
     
  5. I tried this with a whole chicken because I was curious to see how it would turn out, and whether it would brown nicely and be juicy, and was pleasantly surprised! It turned out wonderful! What a unique way to cook something!
     
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Tweaks

  1. I used CHICKEN instead of turkey, and it was very, very, good. The skin was evenly browned,the meat was juicy, tender and flavorful. I stuffed the cavity with fresh rosemary, thyme and onions.
     

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