How Long To Cook Turkey In Plastic Bag

Roast Turkey In a Bag is a fool proof way to bake a delicious, juicy, and tender turkey. No dry meat here! Enjoy this yummy turkey this Thanksgiving and holiday season!

Roast Turkey in a Bag cut up and on a platter with serving bowls of green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce around it.

No one likes a dry turkey. Make your Roast Turkey In a Bag this year to ensure that it stays juicy and flavorful! Don't forget the Cranberry Sauce, Stuffing, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes!

Roast Turkey In a Bag

A roasting pan with cooked turkey in a bag and hands holding hot pads on the handles.

This turkey is so easy to make! No basting necessary. Just pop it in the oven and let it do it's thang. In a few short hours you'll have a juicy, crispy skinned turkey.

And did I mention the clean up? Oh yeah, that's because there basically is none! Everything stays in that bag so no scrubbing crusted juices off the roasting pan. Who wants to clean forever after cooking a giant feast? Not me!

Sliced Turkey in a Bag on a dinner plate with cranberry sauce on top and mashed potatoes, green beans, and stuffing on the sides.

How to cook a turkey in a bag:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Open the oven bag and spray the inside with cooking spray. Sprinkle the flour into the bag, open it big and catch some air and hold it tight in your hand. Give the bag a shake to get the flour to coat all over the inside of the bag. Place the bag in a large 2-inch deep roasting pan and open it up so you'll be able to place the turkey in it.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the butter, herbs, garlic (I use a whole half bulb of garlic. The other half goes in the cavity still in its peel.), lemon zest (you'll throw this in the cavity of the bird after zesting), and salt & pepper. Set aside.
Remove packaging from the turkey as well as the neck and giblets. DO NOT rinse the turkey. Set it on a baking sheet and pat it dry of its juices.
Stuff the aromatics into the cavity of the turkey. If not all of it fits you can just throw it into the oven bag. Tie the legs together.
Rub about 2 tablespoons herb butter under the skin of the turkey breasts. Rub remaining butter all over the rest of the turkey.
Place the turkey into the bag. Close it with the nylon tie that comes with the bag. Cut SIX 1/2 inch slits in the top of the bag to allow steam to escape.
Insert meat thermometer through a slit in the bag into the thickest part of the inner thigh but not touching the bone. (If you don't have a meat thermometer, you can use an instant read thermometer, checking for doneness beginning at the lower interval time suggested.) Tuck all of the bag into the pan.
Bake until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove from oven and let turkey rest in the bag for 15 minutes. Cut open the bag to remove the turkey and carve.

A turkey, oven bags, and filling an oven bag with flour.

How Big of a Turkey do I need?

It's best to plan for 1 to 1.25 pounds turkey per person. This is for a generous serving and leftovers. Multiply the number of guests by 1.25.

If you're having 8 people then you only need a 10-12 pound turkey. If you're having 16 you'll want to get an 18-20 pound turkey.

Butter, herbs, garlic, and lemon in a bowl.

How to Defrost a Turkey SAFELY:

In the fridge– RULE: Allow 24 hours for every 4 pounds. If you have a 12 pound turkey, you need to give it a full 3 days in the fridge.
- Place the turkey on a rimmed pan to catch any juices that might leak out.
- I like to error on the safe side and add in an extra day.
In cold water– RULE: Allow 2 hours for every 4 pounds.For a 12 pound turkey, allow for 6 hours in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes.
- This is a good option if you didn't plan ahead but it more labor intensive since you need to change out the water.
- Make sure the turkey is completely submerged in the water. You'll need a large pot or you could use a clean plastic storage tub.

Raw turkey with herb butter all over the skin and vegetables stuffed into the cavity.

What to put in the turkey cavity?

Aromatics. Placing onion, carrot, celery, garlic, lemon, and herbs helps to give the turkey flavor from the inside out.

Aromatics- carrots, onion, celery, garlic, lemon, and herbs.

How long to cook a turkey:

Cooking a turkey in an oven bag actually helps the turkey to cook a little faster. Since you are stuffing the cavity with lots of vegetables and fruit that does increase the cooking time compared to an empty bird.

A 10-12 pound turkey takes 2 to 2 1/2 hours to cook at 350 degrees F. A 24 pound turkey can take up to 3 1/2 hours. (See the chart on the directions in the oven bag box.)

A plate of Thanksgiving dinner- herb butter tureky, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and stuffing.

LOOKING FOR MORE THANKSGIVING DISHES? CHECK OUT THESE:

Thanksgiving Stuffing is my favorite side dish! It's full of flavor and is crispy on top.
Two Potato Scallop is a unique dish that is savory with a little bit of sweetness. Oh and it's creamy so you know it's good.
For those of you with a sweet tooth, Sweet Potato Casserole is a must!
Autumn Poppy Seed Spinach Salad is a nice break from all the starch and brown foods. It's dressed with my very favorite salad dressing.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes are so delicious even on their own.
It's not a feast with out Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls! Serve them with some butter and jam.
Cheesy Baked Spinach Casserole is a dump-stir-and-bake dish that's packed with hearty spinach, sharp cheddar cheese, and a touch of nutmeg.

Roast Turkey in a Bag sliced up on a platter garnished with cranberries, rosemary, and lemon slices

TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS ROAST TURKEY:

Roasting Pan and Rack– A roasting pan and rack is needed for roasting a turkey. It's large enough to hold the turkey and catch all the drippings. This pan is also great for cooking a cheesecake in a water bath.
Cooking Twine– This is used for typing up any kind of meat or you could use it for tying around gifts.
Turkey Size Oven Bag– This will make your turkey juicy as all get out. You can also pick these up at your local grocery store.

Roast Turkey In A Bag

Roast Turkey In a Bag is a fool proof way to bake a delicious, juicy, and tender turkey. No dry meat here! Enjoy this yummy turkey this Thanksgiving and holiday season!

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 45 mins

Servings: 16

Calories: 402 kcal

Roasting Pan
Oven Bag

▢ 1 10-16 pound whole turkey, completely thawed

For the Herb Butter:

▢ 1/2 cup butter, softened
▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt, **
▢ zest of 1 lemon
▢ 2 teaspoons each fresh thyme and sage, chopped*
▢ 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped*
▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon garlic, crushed

For the Aromatics:

▢ 2 carrots
▢ 2 ribs celery
▢ 1 onion, quartered
▢ 1/2 head garlic
▢ 1 lemon, halved
▢ 2 sprigs each thyme, rosemary, sage

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Open the oven bag and spray the inside with cooking spray. Sprinkle the flour into the bag, open it big and catch some air and hold it tight in your hand. Give the bag a shake to get the flour to coat all over the inside of the bag. Place the bag in a large 2-inch deep roasting pan and open it up so you'll be able to place the turkey in it.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the butter, herbs, garlic (I use a whole half bulb of garlic. The other half goes in the cavity still in its peel.), lemon zest (you'll throw this in the cavity of the bird after zesting), and salt & pepper. Set aside.
Remove packaging from the turkey as well as the neck and giblets. DO NOT rinse the turkey. Set it on a baking sheet and pat it dry of its juices.
Stuff the aromatics into the cavity of the turkey. If not all of it fits you can just throw it into the oven bag. Tie the legs together.
Rub about 2 tablespoons herb butter under the skin of the turkey breasts. Rub remaining butter all over the rest of the turkey.
Place the turkey into the bag. Close it with the nylon tie that comes with the bag. Cut SIX 1/2 inch slits in the top of the bag to allow steam to escape.
Place the turkey into the bag. Close it with the nylon tie that comes with the bag. Cut SIX 1/2 inch slits in the top of the bag to allow steam to escape.
Bake untilinternal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove from oven and let turkey rest in the bag for 15 minutes. Cut open the bag to remove the turkey and carve.

*If you don't have fresh herbs, use 1/2 the amount dried.

**Omit salt if you brined the turkey.

***If using a bird larger than 16 pounds, increase the herb butter ingredients by 1.5 to 2 times the amount.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Turkey in a Bag

Nutrition Facts

Roast Turkey In A Bag

Amount Per Serving

Calories 402 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g 29%

Saturated Fat 7g 44%

Cholesterol 189mg 63%

Sodium 622mg 27%

Potassium 601mg 17%

Carbohydrates 3g 1%

Fiber 1g 4%

Sugar 1g 1%

Protein 53g 106%

Vitamin A 1609IU 32%

Vitamin C 5mg 6%

Calcium 39mg 4%

Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.