Can you use an oven bag in a convection oven?

Yes! Oven-safe roasting bags are designed to handle convection heat. Just make sure the bag isn’t touching the oven walls or heating elements, and always place it in a deep roasting pan.

What temperature should I cook a turkey in a convection oven?

Most convection ovens roast turkey beautifully at 325°F . If yours is like mine, it will actually change the temperature you put in to 25° lower. So, I punch in my usual turkey roasting temp of 350° degrees, but because I'm using the convection setting it will automatically reset to 325°. Does your oven do that, too?

How long do you cook a turkey in a bag in a convection oven?

Cooking time depends on the size of your bird. Plan on about 8–10 minutes per pound at 325°F when using a convection oven and an oven bag. Always check doneness with a meat thermometer — the USDA-recommended safe temperature is 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh. I also test the center of the thickest point in the breast. I tend to go slightly over that temp (175 to 180°) because I want juices to run clear with no pink. At 165°, they can still have a pink tinge sometimes. Cook to your own preference, of course, but at least to the safe temperature of 165°.

How do I get crispy turkey skin if it’s cooked in a bag?

This turkey was roasted 100% in the bag, and the golden brown skin is a result of the butter used both under and on top of it. If you prefer even crispier skin, carefully cut open the bag during the last 15–20 minutes of roasting and let the turkey crisp up directly under convection heat. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overbrown.

Can I stuff my turkey when using a bag in a convection oven?

No. It’s not recommended. Stuffing slows down cooking and may prevent the turkey and stuffing from reaching a safe temperature at the same time. Instead, cook stuffing separately for best texture and food safety.

What size turkey fits best in an oven bag?

A standard large (turkey-size) oven bag typically fits turkeys up to about 24 pounds , but check the box for size limits. If your turkey is close to the maximum, make sure there’s still room for the bag to expand without touching the oven’s interior. There is a smaller size available too, but it only holds up to 10 lbs. The packaging for both is very similar, so please read carefully and ensure you get the large size. Here's the brand I always grab at Walmart. [affiliate link]

Can I make this turkey ahead of time?

Yes! You can roast the turkey a day ahead, carve it, and store it in some of the drippings. Bring the turkey to room temperature for about one hour before putting it into the oven. Make sure there are plenty of drippings in the bottom of the pan. I also like to dot a few pats of butter around the top of the sliced turkey. Cover it tightly with foil and reheat at 350° until it comes up to 165°. Be sure the pan is sealed tightly to keep all the moisture inside. If you have measured out and saved the drippings for gravy and feel you might need a little more in the pan to reheat your turkey, you can use water, chicken broth or turkey bone broth you made from the turkey carcass.

What can I do with the drippings from the bag?

The ultimate turkey gravy! After removing the turkey and vegetables, strain the flavorful juices and use them to make rich, silky turkey gravy. The veggies and bay leaves will have melded with your turkey drippings to create delectable flavor for just this purpose. How to make turkey gravy from drippings : Add 6 cups of the drippings to a saucepan. Whisk together 3/4 cup cold water and 1/2 cup of cornstarch in a small bowl or a liquid measuring cup. When the cornstarch is completely dissolved, whisk the slurry into your pan drippings. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the gravy has thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. SO good!

Convection Oven Turkey in a Bag — Easy, Juicy & Holiday-Perfect

Description

Juicy, golden turkey the easy way! Step-by-step guide for convection oven turkey in a bag. No stress, delicious perfection. Get the recipe.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 Whole Turkey (20 to 25 lbs.), thawed

For Compound Butter

1 cup salted butter, softened
4 Tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (4 teaspoons if using dry.) I mixed sage, parsley, thyme & rosemary.
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

For the Roasting Bag

1 Tablespoon flour
2 lg. red onions, cut into thick slices
3 lg. carrots
2 stalks celery
2 bay leaves

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Remove the turkey from the freezer five days ahead of roasting day (that means Sunday if you’re roasting it on Thanksgiving Day or Saturday if you’re making it a day ahead) and thaw it in a roasting pan, a large bowl or on a baking sheet at the lowest level of your refrigerator.
Move your oven rack into the second-from-the-bottom slot in your oven.
Preheat oven to Convection 325° F.
Prep the roasting bag. Scoop 1 Tablespoon of flour into the bag, twist the top closed and hold it tight while you give it a good shake to coat the inside of the bag with flour. The manufacturer states that it helps keep the bag from bursting during cooking. And I personally believe it also helps emulsify the fats and juices in the bag for silky-smooth gravy. Plus, it helps keep the bag from sticking to the turkey.
Cut the onions into thick, round slices about 3/8 to 1/2-inch thick. Chop carrots and celery stalks into 2 or 3 pieces.
Lay the sliced vegetables and bay leaves in a single layer on the bottom of the bag.
Mix up the compound butter. Stir together softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage and black pepper. Set aside until the turkey is ready to be prepared. Compound butter can be made up to three days in advance. Just remember to bring it to room temperature before prepping the turkey
1. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity. I discard the giblets and neck. Some like to use them for making gravy. I don’t care for the flavor, but you do what’s right for you and your family.
2. Pat the turkey dry, inside and out, with paper towels. It will take a lot of paper towels, but you do want to make the effort. The drier the skin, the crispier it will cook up. Plus it is difficult to get the butter to stick if the skin is not dry.
3. Separate the skin from the turkey breast by gently running your fingertips under the skin, creating a space between the skin and the meat. This may take a couple of minutes. Work slowly and gently so you don’t tear the skin. You can skip this step and just butter the outside of the skin. However, if you take the time for this extra step, the butter and herbs seep into the meat and flavor it so deliciously.
4. Lift the turkey through the opening in the roasting bag and set it on top of the vegetables.
5. Use your hands to smooth about 1/3 cup of the compound butter underneath the skin and over the surface of the turkey breast meat.
6. Rub the remaining herb butter over the top of the skin and over the rest of the entire bird. Be sure to keep the skin dry by patting it with paper towels as you work so that the butter will adhere
7. Use the enclosed oven-proof zip strip to close the bag tightly. Prep the Turkey.
8. Use the tip of a sharp knife to poke six small vent holes around the top of the bag so a small amount of the steam can escape as your turkey roasts.If you prefer your turkey well done, but still moist (like me), with no tinge of pink in the drippings or juices, it will need to cook beyond safe temperatures, to around 180°. It is a matter of personal preference. You do you.
  1. Roast a 25-pound turkey in a bag on the convection setting at 325°F for about 3 to 3½ hours. That’s just a ballpark for one size of bird, though. When using a roasting bag, plan for 8–10 minutes per pound at 325°F on convection.
  2. To estimate your cook time, multiply your turkey’s weight by 8 minutes per pound. For example, a 25-pound turkey would take roughly 200 minutes (or 3 hours and 20 minutes).
  3. Set a timer, but start checking for doneness 45 minutes to an hour before your estimated cooking time ends—every oven cooks a little differently. Since overcooked turkey can turn out dry, check the temperature every 15 minutes or so once you reach that point.
  4. Remember, poultry should always be cooked to temperature, not by time. Estimating time helps you know when to start roasting your turkey, but it can’t measure doneness. Your turkey is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh. I also like to check the thickest part of the breast to be sure everything is perfectly cooked.
  5. Be sure the tip of your thermometer doesn’t rest against a bone while you test the temperature. Bones will read at a hotter temperature than the meat and give you a false reading for the doneness of your turkey.
  6. If you prefer your turkey well done, but still moist (like me), with no tinge of pink in the drippings or juices, it will need to cook beyond safe temperatures, to around 180°. It is a matter of personal preference. You do you.
9. Remove your convection oven turkey from the oven and allow it to rest in the bag for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Must-Have Tools for Making Convection Oven Turkey in a Bag

Turkey Roasting Bag: I buy the Reynolds brand bags at Walmart, but grab whatever brand is available to you. Be certain you don’t grab just plain bags. Roasting bags will say “oven-safe” on the outside of the box. They also come in two sizes. Get the large size that can accommodate a turkey.
Roasting Pan: Some people use the large disposable foil roasting pans to save on clean-up, but I find that they are too flimsy for the large turkeys I roast. Let the size of your turkey determine the pan size you need. I recommend an enameled roaster with handles _{[affiliate link]} or a half-sheet cake pan _{[affiliate link]} if you’re cooking a 20- to 25-lb bird.
Meat Thermometer: It’s always important to use a meat thermometer _{[affiliate link]}and cook meat to USDA safe internal temperature recommendations rather than relying solely on a recipe’s suggested cooking time.

MAKING and SLICING the TURKEY AHEAD

Roast the turkey up to 24 hours in advance.
Slice the turkey after it has rested for 30 minutes and arrange it in the pan you will reheat it in tomorrow.
Place the turkey carcass and skin in a large (12 qt.) stock pot and set aside.
Strain the veggies and any leftover debris out of the turkey pan drippings.
Reserve 6 cups of the drippings for gravy and pour the rest over the turkey. If you don’t have enough drippings to also pour some over the sliced turkey, you can use 2 cups of chicken broth, or wait until you have some turkey bone broth to use a little later.
Cut 1/2 cup butter into thin pats and arrange them across the top of the turkey. Seal the pan tightly with foil. Refrigerate until the day you will serve it.
Two hours before serving time, remove the roasting pan of sliced turkey from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature on the counter for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°.
One hour before serving, place the tightly covered roasting pan in the oven and reheat the turkey for 45 minutes to an hour, until it is hot and a meat thermometer registers its temperature at 165°.
Remove from the oven and serve.

To Make Turkey Bone Broth from the Carcass

Place the turkey carcass (every bone and all the skin) in the bottom of a large (12 quart) stock pot _{[affiliate link]} and add:

1 quartered red onion
3 carrots cut into chunks
2 celery stalks chunked up
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
a bay leaf

Fill the pot with water until everything is completely submerged. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Let it gently bubble away for 6 to 10 hours, depending on your schedule.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2.5 hours
Category: Main Dish, Turkey
Method: Convection Oven
Cuisine: American