Whether this is your first Thanksgiving meal preparation or you’re an experienced chef, the turkey takes center stage on the table, so it needs to be flawless!
Are you looking for a delicious and easy way to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving? Look no further than this spatchcock turkey in an oven bag recipe! This method is simple to follow and results in a juicy, flavorful turkey that everyone will love.
What is a Spatchcock Turkey?
Spatchcocking is a method of preparing a turkey where the backbone is removed and the bird is flattened. This allows the turkey to cook more evenly and quickly, and it also helps to create crispy skin.
Why Use an Oven Bag?
An oven bag is a great way to cook a turkey because it helps to keep the turkey moist and juicy. It also helps to prevent the turkey from drying out, which can happen if you cook it uncovered.
Ingredients:
- 12-14 pound turkey, fresh or frozen and fully thawed
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 celery ribs, chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped into chunks
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Using a sharp knife, remove the backbone from the turkey. You can ask your butcher to do this for you if you prefer.
- Place the turkey on a cutting board, skin side down. Using a sharp knife, cut through the breastbone to flatten the turkey.
- Spread the butter mixture evenly over the skin of the turkey.
- Sprinkle the flour over the bottom of an oven bag. Add the celery, onion, and carrots to the bag.
- Place the turkey on top of the vegetables in the bag.
- Close the oven bag according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Place the oven bag in a roasting pan and roast for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C) in the thickest part of the thigh.
- Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Tips:
- For a crispy skin, broil the turkey for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
- If you don’t have an oven bag, you can cook the turkey in a roasting pan without one. However, the turkey may not be as moist and juicy.
- Be sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey. This is the best way to ensure that the turkey is cooked through.
This spatchcock turkey in an oven bag recipe is a great way to cook a delicious and easy Thanksgiving turkey. The spatchcocking method helps to ensure that the turkey cooks evenly and quickly and the oven bag helps to keep the turkey moist and juicy. With this recipe you’re sure to impress your guests with a delicious and flavorful turkey that everyone will love.
Additional Resources:
COOKING A TURKEY IN AN OVEN BAG
Using a Reynolds Kitchens® Turkey Oven Bag to cook your Thanksgiving turkey is a great way to make sure it turns out a golden light brown and stays moist and succulent. Plus, with an oven bag, you wont even have to worry about scrubbing the roasting pan. Just follow these easy steps to roast a turkey in an oven bag for your next dinner.
- Reynolds Kitchens® Turkey Oven Bag
- One 8 to 24-pound turkey
- One tablespoon of flour (you can also use gluten-free flour, corn starch, corn meal, or matzo meal in place of wheat, rice, potato, nut, or gluten-free flour).
- Ties that come in the oven bag package
- Large oven-safe roasting pan or disposable aluminum roasting pan
- Seasonings
- Meat thermometer
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Place a turkey-size oven bag into a large roasting pan that is at least two inches deep. One tablespoon of flour should be added to the bag, shaken to distribute it (you can also use gluten-free flour, corn starch, corn meal, or matzo meal in place of flour). Then, add sliced vegetables, depending on the recipe. To help keep the bag open while you place the turkey inside, turn down the ends several times.
Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. If you like to stuff your turkey, place the stuffing into the cavity. Be careful not to overstuff. Pat the skin dry, brush the turkey with oil or melted butter, and season as desired. Not sure what to use for seasoning? Try this herb-roasted turkey recipe. Place turkey in the oven bag atop your sliced vegetables.
Close the bag with the nylon tie found in the turkey oven bag carton. It’s usually folded inside the cooking chart.
Score the top of the bag six times with a half-inch knife so that steam can escape while the turkey cooks. To make sure the bag stays away from the oven or other heating elements when cooking, tuck the bag’s corners into the pan and cut or fold down any excess bag that extends past the tie.
Place the turkey on the lowest rack of your oven to roast. There’s no need to baste or attend to the turkey. To determine how long an oven bag will take to cook a turkey, consult the cooking chart that comes with the package. Use one of the slits in the top of the bag to take a temperature reading to determine when the turkey is done cooking. Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey thigh, not touching the bone.
Let the turkey stand in the bag for 15 minutes after removing it from the oven. Then, cut the top of the bag open with cooking shears or a paring knife.
Place serving forks inside the turkey’s neck and chest cavities to extract it from the bag. Then, transfer your turkey to a serving dish for dinner. Use the juices to make flavorful gravy to pair with the moist turkey.
TURKEY OVEN BAG COOKING TIMES
Add 1 tablespoon of flour to coat the bag when preparing your turkey oven bag. Do not add any water (unless directed).
| OVEN BAG TURKEY COOKING TIMES Until internal temp reaches 165°F in the breast and thigh in several places, not touching the bone (If you prefer a well-done turkey with no pink juices, cook until 180°F in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone) | |
| Turkey Weight | Cooking Time @ 350°F |
| Whole Turkey, unstuffed | |
| 10-12 pounds | 1 1/2 to 2 hours |
| 12-16 pounds | 2 to 2 1/4 hours |
| 16-20 pounds | 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours |
| 20-24 pounds | 2 1/2 to 3 hours |
| Whole Turkey, stuffed (stuffing temperature should be 165°F) | |
| 10-12 pounds | 2 to 2 1/2 hours |
| 12-16 pounds | 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours |
| 16-20 pounds | 2 3/4 to 3 hours |
| 20-24 pounds | 3 to 3 1/2 hours |
| Turkey Breast, bone-in | |
| 8-12 pounds | 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours |
| Turkey Breast, boneless | |
| 8-12 pounds | 2 1/2 to 3 hours |
| Wild Turkey | |
| Same as whole turkey, but if skinless, add 1/4 cup water and brush with extra oil or butter. | |
Check out our oven bag cooking charts for turkey, chicken, beef, pork, and more to get all the juicy details about cooking a turkey in an oven bag and our oven bag cooking times!