Food and Recipes Meat Turkey How To Cook Turkey In A Bag Delicious turkey with no basting or roasting-pan scrubbing. By Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola has been on staff at Southern Living since 2015. As Deputy Editor, Lisa manages the food and travel departments and edits those sections of each issue, as well as digital content. Previously, she was the features editor at Food Network Magazine and has more than 15 years of experience writing, editing, and managing photo shoots for print and digital lifestyle brands. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on October 5, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Greg DuPree Love the smell and taste of roasted turkey on Thanksgiving but hate scrubbing the roasting pan clean? You might want to consider cooking the turkey in an oven bag this year. Why Cook a Turkey in a Bag? The oven bag method has fallen out of favor over the years as cooks have chosen to roast and brine their birds, or even smoke them outside. But this method can produce a juicy, flavorful bird with much less clean up. And just about any traditional roasted turkey recipe will work in a bag. Make sure the bag is designed to go in the oven and is not a brining bag. Reynolds Kitchens makes turkey-sized bags that are designed for roasting and come with twist ties and cooking information right in the package. Follow these tips for the best results: How to Cook a Turkey in a Bag Step 1. Add flour For a nicely browned bird, coat the inside of the bag with cooking spray and sprinkle with all-purpose flour. Shake the bag to coat it evenly. Step 2. Season the bird Rub the turkey all over with oil or softened butter and your choice of seasonings. Place the bag inside a roasting pan, and put the turkey inside of the bag. Step 3. Close and vent Close the bag with a twist tie (or just seal the bag by tying it into a knot), and, using a paring knife, cut six ½-inch slits in the top of the bag. This allows steam to escape as the turkey cooks. Fold and arrange the bag inside the roasting pan, so none of the corners or edges stick out too much and come into contact with the oven walls. Step 4. Roast and test for doneness Transfer the pan to the oven, and roast per the recipe's instructions.. Because of the bag, you won't need to baste the turkey. (Bonus!) When it is time to check the turkey for doneness, you can insert the meat thermometer through one of the slits in the bag into the thickest part of the thigh. Step 5. Let it rest When the turkey is cooked through, remove the pan from the oven, and let the turkey rest in the bag for 15 minutes. Then, carefully cut the bag open (some hot steam will still escape). Remove the turkey from the bag and transfer to a carving board or platter. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit