Brown bag-roasted turkey

A few years back, I found an interesting new way to roast a turkey over at Real Mom Kitchen. She had a method for roasting the turkey in a brown paper bag, like those you get from the grocery store (if you ask for them). I was intrigued by this, and did some more research on it. I decided to try it out, and it was such a success that this is the way I roast turkeys now. Forever! 

I didn't use the recipe, just the idea. I did follow the basic directions of wetting the paper bag first--but don't soak it. Roast the turkey at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes per pound. Unless your bag is really large, you will need two bags.

Here is what I do: butter and season the turkey with garlic, salt, pepper, sage & thyme, putting some of the butter and seasonings under the skin. I also halve an onion and an apple and put those inside the cavity of the turkey. If I have them, I also stick in a couple of celery sticks. Set the turkey inside a roasting pan, and then slide one open brown paper bag over one end as far as it will go, and then slide the other bag over the other end of the pan. The two bags should overlap around the pan and completely cover the turkey. Use a spray bottle to mist the outsides of the bag, or wet your fingers and rub them over the bag to moisten it. Don't soak the bag, just get it wet.  Put the whole production in the oven and set the timer according to the size of the turkey. Don't worry--the bag won't catch fire unless the oven is at least 450. I have done half a dozen brown bag turkeys, and I have never yet had a bag catch fire. Note that when it first goes in the oven, you will smell the bag, but no worries.

Don't peek until the timer goes off, and then you can carefully open up one end and check the temperature of the turkey for doneness. Let the turkey rest in the bag for 20 minutes before carving.

This method makes the most beautiful brown, juicy, flavorful turkey. You won't be disappointed!