Brown Bag Roast Turkey
You'll be amazed at how delicious a Brown Bag Roast Turkey is! The skin is crispy, and the meat juicy! It’s utter perfection!!
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 83kcal
Equipment
- electric carving knife optional
- kitchen twine optional for tying the legs together
Ingredients
- 1 14 pound turkey thawed if previously frozen
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
- ½ cup compound butter or salted butter optional
- 1 small apple halved or quartered, optional
- 1 medium onion halved or quartered
- 2 medium carrots cut into chunks, optional
- fresh thyme sprigs lightly chopped, optional
- fresh sage leaves lightly chopped, optional
- fresh rosemary leaves lightly chopped, optional
- fresh parsley lightly chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the gizzards and neck bone from both ends of the turkey. Save for another use or discard.
- Dry the turkey well with paper towels.
- If using butter or compound butter, slather the entire turkey (even under the skin of the breast if desired) with the softened butter.
- Season the turkey well with salt and pepper both inside and out.
- Add the chopped herbs and aromatics (onion, celery, carrots, etc.) into the cavity of the turkey.
- Carefully add the prepared turkey into the parchment paper bag.
- Add additional herbs and aromatics into the bag around the turkey.
- Close up the bag tightly and lift the turkey into a roasting pan.
- Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for 3½ hours or until the turkey reaches the temperature of 180 degrees F (dark meat), and 170 degrees F (white meat). *Note - probe the instant read thermometer through the bag and into the turkey.
- Once the turkey is at the desired temperature remove it from the oven and allow it to sit in the bag for 7-10 minutes.
- Open the bag carefully (the steam will be very hot) and use turkey forks to place the turkey on a carving board. Cover the turkey with foil and allow it to rest for an additional 20-30 minutes minutes.
- While the turkey rests, pour the juices from the bag into the roasting pan (discarding the spent aromatics) and make gravy if desired.
Notes
A larger, or smaller, turkey may be used for this recipe. As long as the temperature of the cooked turkey reads 170 (white meat) and 180 (dark meat) on an instant read thermometer before removing it from the oven.
Allowing the turkey to cool for 30 minutes (covered) is the best way to achieve juicy white meat.
Using compound butter or salted butter is completely optional but will add more flavor to the completed turkey.
Roasting the turkey with the aromatics and herbs in the cavity is optional, but encouraged for maximum flavor.
Don't forget to remove the gizzards and neck bone from both sides of the turkey before roasting.
Rinsing the turkey with water is optional, but remember turn the water pressure down from the faucet so there isn't excessive splashing in the kitchen.
Dry the turkey well with paper towels before seasoning and roasting.
Have a second pair of hands help to load the turkey into the parchment paper bag to make your life easier.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 1231mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1944IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.1mg