Do you cook your Thanksgiving turkey in an oven bag?

[rissole]

I started doing this about a couple of years ago, and there's no going back. Using an oven bag reduces not only cleanup but also cooking time! Now, if your recipe calls for basting or something similar, an oven bag won't work. But otherwise, it's great!

[Nefertete]

I prefer covering my turkey in bacon to help it to baste and to help it to brown to perfection.

Oven bags steam the turkey too much for me.

[rissole]

Originally posted by Nefertete
I prefer covering my turkey in bacon to help it to baste and to help it to brown to perfection.

Oven bags steam the turkey too much for me.

That sounds interesting. Actually, since using oven bags, I haven't noticed much difference in the final product--and if I leave it in long enough, the turkey seems to brown okay as well.

[LaraW]

I'm opposed to it on the grounds that that's how MIL does it.

was that out loud?

Even if MIL didn't do it, I'd probably not because I don't care for the "steamed" taste. I prefer roasted.

[rissole]

Originally posted by LaraW
I'm opposed to it on the grounds that that's how MIL does it.

was that out loud?

Even if MIL didn't do it, I'd probably not because I don't care for the "steamed" taste. I prefer roasted.

What is "MIL"? It can't be Martha Stewart's initials! Well, I guess the "steamed" taste might be a tradeoff for less cleanup and quicker cooking. But I truly despise oven cleaning!

[LaraW]

Originally posted by rissole


What is "MIL"? It can't be Martha Stewart's initials! Well, I guess the "steamed" taste might be a tradeoff for less cleanup and quicker cooking. But I truly despise oven cleaning!

MIL = Mother In Law

[Lrimerman]

I cook mine in my Electric Roaster then finish in oven to brown.

MIL swears that cooking it breast side down first makes it much better, but I can't figure out how to then turn a hot, 20+ lb turkey over.

Lisa

[Curleytop]

I cook my turkey in my JENNAIR electric oven, set on CONVECTION. The turkey cooks in a shorter time, and you NEVER HAVE TO BASTE!

[rissole]

Originally posted by LaraW
I'm opposed to it on the grounds that that's how MIL does it.

was that out loud?

I hope your MIL isn't a member of this bulletin board, or else you might be in for a mighty feisty Thanksgiving this year.

[Gail]

Call me crazy, but I like the whole roasting-a-turkey routine. I like basting. I like the fact that it seems to take forever (anticipation is half the fun, in my opinion.) I like gazing through through the oven window, watching the pasty white dead thing bloom into a succulent, golden brown mouthwatering creature.

...so anyway, no. No bags here.

[Melman]

I've only made prepared one turkey in the past 20 years or so. A couple of years ago, I made Alton Brown's brined turkey. It was AWESOME! It was as pretty when it came out of the oven as it was yummy to eat. Very very nice presentation.

Unfortunately (or not?? ), my bil owns a restaurant and always supplies us with a smoked turkey! Since I absolutely love turkey prepared that way, I can give up doing it myself.

[nikkisma]

If its in the oven its in the bag, but I like to deep fry mine best.

[ChristieinMB]

I always cook it in the bag, now I'm afraid to change, but Curlytop, you've got me wondering, I have a Jennair Convection oven also, so here's the confession..... I've never used the convection, should I try it, am I missing something great, is there any advantage other than time? Maybe I should read the manual.
Christie

[AnnaSue]

The best turkey I ever had was the one my mom made last year from the Barefoot Contessa cookbook. I think a shorter cooking time was the idea behind the recipe, as it suggested that some people cook theirs way longer than necessary until it dries up. I also like deep fried turkey though. My dad decided he couldn't wait any long to give that a try recently, and it was quite good!

[maizeyoats]

Does anyone have the Barefoot Contessa recipe to post?
I am still waiting to rejoin The Good Cook book club to get the book and not have to bother people for recipes from it or them. I think she has 3 books now.

[Gilgamesh37]

Originally posted by Lrimerman
IMIL swears that cooking it breast side down first makes it much better, but I can't figure out how to then turn a hot, 20+ lb turkey over.
Lisa

Aha, Ann Hodgman to the rescue. Although I slag her off frequently (because although I love to read her books, a lot of the time I find her recipes simply don't work, and they're expensive mistakes) I have adopted her advice here. Buy a pair of dishwashing gloves, the heavy duty kind--I think mine are Playtex and bright yellow. These will be devoted solely to this purpose, you don't ever want to use them for anything involving soap, so mine say "POULTRY" along the wrists in indelible marker. Slap 'em on, pick up the hot bird with your hands and flip that sucker over. It's warm, still, but it's bearable and I haven't dropped one yet. (how does your MIL do it?)

[sunberst]

i have never done an oven bag for a whole turkey.

i like the long process & basting. it seems so traditional, and i love the smell of turkey early in the morning lingering through the house as i usually put it in right after breakfast (we eat our feast early- lunchtime). i don't mind basting. it is fun.

my dad does the deep fried turkey, and that is wonderful too! i have never personally done it, but i love to eat it!

i am not against oven bags for turkeys, just not my thing.

[boisewinesnob]

I have done them in a bag and they were not bad. It's just that since I've done a brined one, I'll never do anything else
If you want to avoid cleaning, get one of those throw-away aluminum pans to roast it in. I've done that a few times too.

[wallycat]

I voted no.
When we make turkey, we either use the NEsco roaster or foil it in the oven.
Haven't made a turkey in a while though as our main dish changes every year.

[Varaile]

If it's in the oven, it's in a bag.

However, in the last two years we've deep-fried the birds and this year we're grilling. I have come to prefer cooking the bird elsewhere than the oven so that way I have space to cook everything else.

[HRJ]

Originally posted by ChristieinMB
I've never used the convection, should I try it, am I missing something great, is there any advantage other than time?
Christie

I lived in my house for a year before I was brave enough to attempt the convection setting for my JennAir electric oven My advice, Christie, is DEFINITELY TRY IT. I've been using it for the past year to roast chickens, and it's wonderful -- the birds are done in about 2/3 the time, and they're nice and brown and beautifully done. Curleytop now has me convinced to roast my Thanksgiving turkey that way, too.

And for the poll -- no, I don't use a bag. Just never saw any reason to. And my oven self-cleans so well, oven cleaning isn't a chore at all.

Helene

[AnnaSue]

Here is the Barefoot Contessa recipe Maizeyoats...

Perfect Roast Turkey

1 fresh turkey (12 pounds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch of fresh thyme
1 lemon, halved
3 Spanish onions
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/2 cup good olive oil
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
10 red new potatoes, halved
3 heads fennel, fronds removed, cut into wedges throught the core

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, lemon, one of the onions (quartered), and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey. Peel and slice the remaining onions, toss them with 1/4 cup olive oil, and scatter them around the turkey. Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Toss the carrots, potatoes, and fennel with 1/4 cup olive oil and add to the roasting pan. Continue to roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.

Stir the vegetables and return the pan to the oven. Continue to cook the vegetables while the turkey rests. Slice the turkey and serve on a platter with the roasted vegetables.

This is the introduction at the beginning of the recipe:
Remember how your mother used to get up at 4 a.m. on Thanksgiving so she could put the turkey in the oven to roast for 10 hours? Then she had to baste it all day to keep it from drying out, which, of course, it did anyway? Forget it. A 12- to 15-pound turkey cooks in 2 to 3 hours, and you let it rest for at least 20 minutes before you carve it. Everyone will say, "This is the best turkey I ever ate." I use an organic turkey whenever I can.

[adoty]

We use the bag. Actually, it is a compromise from the way my mom used to cook the bird, which she learned from her mother. A brown paper grocery bag. She switched to the oven bag when they started using recycled paper to make the grocery bags. I agree that the oven bags do make clean up easier, and we cut vents in the top of the bag to lessen the steamed effect of cooking in the bag.

[Shirley Panek]

Originally posted by Lrimerman
I cook mine in my Electric Roaster then finish in oven to brown.

MIL swears that cooking it breast side down first makes it much better, but I can't figure out how to then turn a hot, 20+ lb turkey over.

Lisa

I had this problem until I finally broke down and got a set of turkey forks. Now I don't have a problem turning it.

[sneezles]

I, too, like the routine of basting and checking and OOOing and AHHHing! I have learned though it's best to tent the bird at the begiining than at the end to keep the white meat moister...and to let it rest for about 30 minutes.

[vbak]

One year MIL roasted/steamed the bird in a bag and the whole thing fell apart! I enjoy the anticipation, aromas and basting. I also like the crispy, golden brown skin! Vicky

[SandyM]

Originally posted by Gail
Call me crazy, but I like the whole roasting-a-turkey routine. I like basting. I like the fact that it seems to take forever (anticipation is half the fun, in my opinion.) I like gazing through through the oven window, watching the pasty white dead thing bloom into a succulent, golden brown mouthwatering creature.

...so anyway, no. No bags here.

Yeah. Me too. No baggage.

[Mamasue]

Thanksgiving turkey is always at my SIL and she does the traditional way as I do when I cook a bird. Another no baggage here!

[Chris415]

I've always "tented" my turkey with aluminum foil. Always followed in the footsteps of my Mom, and works fine everytime!

[JackieO]

Well, is my face red or what? I've only made one "whole" turkey in my entire life and that was a Thanksgiving Day when I had help from both my MIL and GrandMIL!

In my defense, however, I am usually making Thanksgiving dinner for only three or maybe four people, so I always buy a frozen turkey breast (no one else would eat the dark meat from a regular bird). And as for a no-fuss, no-muss preparation, the bag's the only way to go. That way, I can concentrate on some more elaborate side dishes. (Or spend a little more time marinating the cook!)