Turkey in a Bag Recipe
This beginner-friendly, step-by-step guide for how to cook a turkey in an oven bag is the easiest way to make the most juicy, tender, flavorful Thanksgiving turkey! No brining or basting required!
Servings: 12 people (for a 12-15 pound turkey)
Recommended Equipment
- Oven Bag (turkey size)
- Meat Injector Syringe (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 (12-20 pound) whole turkey (thawed)
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 4 fresh celery ribs (cut into thirds)
- 4 fresh whole carrots (cut into thirds)
- 1 onion (peeled and rough chopped)
For the Garlic Herb Butter Rub
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter (softened)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt (or 2 teaspoons of table salt)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground sage
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional: For the Flavor Infection
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter (melted)
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Turkey Gravy
- ¼ cup (½ stick) salted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups turkey drippings (strained) and/or chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
Thaw the Turkey
- 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 the Oven and Bag
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower third of the oven and remove any racks above it. 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, and 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. Save the rest for stuffing 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.Tip: 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.
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 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.Tip: To prevent making multiple holes in the skin, insert the syringe through one hole in the center of the breasts and thighs then move the syringe in multiple directions, injecting a small amount each time.
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.)Tip: 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!)
- 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 innermost part of the breast reaches 165℉ and the thighs reach 175℉. (See Notes for a cooking time chart.)
- 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.
Make the Turkey Gravy
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add butter.
- Once butter melts, add flour and whisk together while cooking for 2 minutes until lightly browned. (This will prevent a "floury" taste to your gravy.)
- Add 3 cups of your strained turkey drippings to the saucepan. (If you don't have enough, supplement with chicken broth. Keep extra on hand in case the gravy gets too thick.) Whisk together and let the gravy come to a slow simmer.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes, whisking frequently, until slightly thinner than your preferred thickness, and then remove it from the heat. (It will continue to thicken as it cools.)
- Stir in the ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Serve
- 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!
Notes
- 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 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.)
- 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.
- Turkey-in-a-Bag Cooking Times (for an unstuffed turkey baked at 350℉):
- 10-12 pounds: 1 ½ to 2 hours
- 12-16 pounds: 2 to 2 ½ hours
- 16-20 pounds: 2 ½ to 3 hours
- 20-24 pounds: 3 to 3 ½ hours
- Leftover turkey should be stored within 2 hours of cooking. Place in an airtight container and store inside the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.