How to Cook a Turkey in an Oven Bag

Let's be honest, cooking Thanksgiving dinner can feel like a stressful, overwhelming task. Especially when it comes to cooking the centerpiece for your holiday table - the turkey.

Over the years, I've learned how to simplify the big day with this tried-and-true turkey in a bag recipe. It's one of the quickest, easiest ways to cook the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, and I can't wait to share it with you today!

Turkey in a Bag Recipe

Do you need a simple, foolproof turkey recipe? Maybe this is your first time cooking the holiday bird, and you're terrified you'll mess it up. No worries! My turkey in a bag recipe is just for you!

A couple of years ago, I was preparing for the big holiday meal when I decided that I was no longer going to be tucked away in the kitchen cooking the whole time. Instead, I was going to enjoy socializing with family as they arrived.

I began to simplify the menu, and that's the first time I tried cooking my turkey in a bag. I was shocked by how simple the whole process was and how perfect it turned out!

Using the ingredients from my traditional baked turkey recipe, the meat was so tender, juicy, and full of flavor. I was also surprised by its beautiful golden skin when it came out of the oven.

The whole family raved about it, and I got to do what I'd been longing to do all along - spend precious time with family.

For more delicious holiday favorites, be sure to also try my Southern chicken and dressing and homemade pumpkin pie - yum!

What You'll Need for this Turkey Recipe

Ingredients Overview

This turkey recipe uses simple ingredients you probably already have on hand or can easily find at your local grocery store. (For measurements, please scroll down to the recipe card below.)

• whole turkey - You will need a whole 12-24 pound fresh or frozen turkey. It will need to be fully thawed before preparing and baking it. My recipe calls for only a 12-20 pound turkey because of the amount of seasoning in my recipe; however, if you have a larger turkey, simply increase the seasoning amounts accordingly.
• flour - to prevent the oven bag from bursting.
• butter - browns the skin and adds flavor and moisture to the meat. Make sure you use "salted" butter for extra flavor. By adding the butter both on top of and underneath the skin, it will baste the turkey from the inside out while it bakes.
• olive oil - helps prevent the butter from burning.
• lemon juice - adds a citrus taste and breaks down proteins to make the meat more tender.
• herbs - parsley and sage infuse the turkey with a savory, aromatic, and earthy flavor.
• seasonings - These 4 simple seasonings are all you need: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
• optional flavor injection - It's hard to get flavor to penetrate deep inside the meat, so I like to inject my turkeys with a flavor injection consisting of chicken broth, butter, hot sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
• fresh vegetables - Celery, carrots, and onion infuse the meat with flavor and moisture while the bird bakes. The liquid from the vegetables trickles down into your pan drippings, creating a delicious base for your turkey gravy.
• garnishes - I prefer to garnish my turkey dish with green leafy vegetables and herbs, along with colorful grape tomatoes, sugared cranberries, or sliced citrus fruit.

Tools Needed to Cook the Turkey

• Oven bag - I use the Reynolds Turkey Size Oven Bag that holds up to a 24-pound turkey. Cooking your bird in a bag traps in the moisture and continuously bastes the turkey while it bakes, so that you don't have to. It's oven safe for up to 400℉, so make sure your oven does not exceed that temperature. Also, don't let the bag touch the sides of your oven or any of the heating elements, or it could melt.
• Large roasting pan - You will want to use a roasting pan that's large enough to fit your bird. I prefer a 16-inch-long pan for a turkey up to 16 pounds and an 18-inch-long pan for a turkey up to 20 pounds. Make sure it is at least 3 inches deep. Here is a good one: https://amzn.to/3LziU1d
• Optional: meat injector syringe - for the optional flavor injection.
• Instant-read meat thermometer - to ensure your meat is cooked all the way through and doesn't overcook. I prefer this one: https://amzn.to/43bvycR
• Meat carving knife - creates cleaner, more even slices of meat. Make sure your knife is sharp to prevent a "shredded" look. This ultra-sharp carving knife has great reviews: https://amzn.to/47V2qrT
• Large serving platter - Make sure it's large enough to fit your bird, including the garnishes you want to place around it. This platter is the exact one I used in the images and for all my turkeys: https://amzn.to/4popLJF

Tips and Tricks

• Be sure to purchase a turkey that is large enough to feed all your guests: allow 1 to 1 ½ pounds of turkey per person.
• If you have a turkey larger than what this recipe calls for, simply increase the amount of seasoning accordingly.
• Make sure your turkey is fully thawed before seasoning and baking it. A frozen turkey takes 24 hours per 4-5 pounds of weight to fully thaw in the refrigerator. So a 10-pound turkey should take about 2 days to thaw, and a 12-pound turkey should take about 3 days to thaw. (Add 1-2 extra days to be on the safe side.)
• Save the label from the bag your turkey came in so that you don't forget how much it weighs when it's time to bake.
• If you prefer fresh herbs over dried ones, substitute 1 Tablespoon of fresh for each teaspoon of dried.
• For stuffing: To ensure the turkey and stuffing are evenly and thoroughly cooked, bake the stuffing in a separate dish, and then stuff it inside the turkey once both are done cooking.
• Push a toothpick through the skin on the bottom of the bird's breastbone to pin it in place. This will keep the skin from rising up over the meat while the turkey bakes (like mine did in my picture - whoops!)

Other Recipes You'll Love

Looking for more holiday recipes? You'll love these!

• The Best Baked Turkey (without a bag)
• Smoked Spatchcock Turkey (on a pellet grill)
• Cornbread Chicken and Dressing (a Southern holiday tradition)
• Homemade Pumpkin Pie (from scratch)
• Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (won first place at a local baking competition)
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (full of warm fall spices and melted chocolatey goodness)

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Please stay tuned for step-by-step instructions with process images following the recipe card below!

How to Bake a Turkey in a Bag

Here are the steps with process images for how to make this turkey in a bag recipe. This makes the printable recipe card a lot cleaner by placing the images here instead. (For the printable recipe card, scroll up.)

Thaw the Turkey

• First, make sure your turkey is completely thawed before baking. You can do this by placing the turkey in the refrigerator to thaw for 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey. You can also place the bird in cold water for 30 minutes per pound of turkey, changing out the water every 30 minutes.

Prepare your Oven and Bag

• Next, adjust an oven rack to the lower third of your oven and remove any racks above it. Then, preheat the oven to 350℉.
• Add 2 Tablespoons of flour to the oven bag. Gather at the top and shake the flour all around to coat. (This prevents the bag from bursting in the oven.) Place the bag in a large roasting pan, opening it up for the turkey by rolling the sides down.

Prepare the Vegetables

• Cut the celery and carrots into thirds, then peel and rough chop the onion.
• Place ⅔ of the celery and carrots and ½ of the onion into the bottom of the oven bag. Set the rest aside to stuff into the turkey.

Prepare the Turkey

• If there is a plastic hock lock holding the legs together, cut and remove it. (It can interfere with seasoning and stuffing the turkey.)
• Remove the gizzards from inside the bird's cavity. (There should be a neck and a bag of organs. Save these for giblet gravy or simply throw them away.)
• Rinse the turkey with cold water, removing any pin feathers. Pat the bird dry with paper towels.

Make and Apply the Garlic Herb Butter Rub

• Add softened butter, olive oil, kosher salt, lemon juice, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, sage, and ground black pepper to a medium bowl. Stir together until smooth and creamy.

• Place your fingers underneath the turkey's skin and gently separate the skin from the meat over the breasts and thighs. (Be careful not to tear the skin.)
• Take half the butter rub and stuff it underneath the skin over both breasts. Press your hand on top of the skin and smooth the rub out evenly under the skin over the breasts and over the thighs.
• Take the other half of the butter rub and rub it all over the front of the turkey.

Optional: Inject the Turkey

• Stir the chicken broth, melted butter, hot sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt together in a small bowl.
• Using a meat injector syringe, draw up the liquid and slowly inject it multiple times over the breasts and thighs.

Bake the Turkey

• Place the turkey breast-side up into the oven bag on top of the vegetables. Stuff the rest of the vegetables inside the turkey's cavity.

• Optional: Tuck the bird's wing tips up and underneath the back, and tie the legs together with kitchen twine or unwaxed dental floss. (This helps the turkey cook more evenly and helps prevent the wings and legs from overcooking.)
• Close the bag with the oven-safe tie included in the package, and cut 6 half-inch slits on top of the bag for steam to escape. Tuck the end of the bag into the roasting pan or simply cut off the excess. (You don't want the plastic touching any part of the oven, including the heating elements, racks, or walls.)

• Bake the turkey at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 165℉ and the thighs reach 175℉.

• Recommended optional step for a crisp, golden-brown skin: During the final 20-30 minutes of your cook time, carefully cut off the top of the bag to uncover the turkey. (Be careful not to cut too deep or the drippings could spill out.)
• When finished baking, remove the turkey from the oven and carefully cut open the bag (if not done already) - watch out for the steam.

• Move the turkey to a carving block or a large baking sheet. Tent it with foil and let the turkey rest for about 20 minutes before carving. (This will give the meat time to reabsorb its juices, making it extra tender and juicy.)
• Carefully strain the turkey drippings from the bag into a heat-proof bowl to be used for turkey gravy.

• Carve the turkey and arrange the meat on a large serving platter.
• Garnish with green leafy vegetables and herbs along with colorful grape tomatoes, sugared cranberries, or sliced citrus fruit.

• Serve in slices with the turkey gravy spooned on top and enjoy! Happy holidays!

Storage Information

The carved turkey meat should not be left out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. Any leftovers should be placed in an airtight container and stored inside the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Frequently Asked Questions