25 lb turkey cooking time in bag

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Learn how to cook a turkey in a bag and a perfectly browned, juicy Thanksgiving turkey could be on your table this year—finally!

Cooking turkey in a bag sounds strange, but its benefits are legendary. A turkey roasting bag doesn’t just lock in juice and flavor—it keeps in the mess for easy cleanup. Or use the drippings to make gravy from scratch. Now that’s something to be thankful for!

How to Cook a Turkey in an Oven Bag

Follow this simple method for cooking a turkey in a bag for your juiciest Thanksgiving turkey ever. It’ll be so good, you might not even need our leftover turkey recipes.

Tools You’ll Need

• Oven bag: You can’t cook a turkey in a bag without an oven bag. It’s specifically designed to withstand the heat while roasting a turkey. 
• Roasting pan: You’ll want a roasting pan that’s at least 2-inches deep to keep the bag safe from melting and to keep the juices from running out.
• Kitchen scissors: The easiest way to cut clean slits in the bag and then slice open the bag once the turkey is cooked is with a good pair of kitchen scissors.

Ingredients

• Turkey
• Flour
• Oil or melted butter
• Herbs and spices

Directions

Step 1: Prep your bag

Shake 1 tablespoon of flour into the oven bag. The flour will blend with the fat and juices to help prevent the bag from bursting. Place the bag in a pan that’s at least 2 inches deep.

Step 2: Prep your turkey

Brush the turkey with oil or melted butter and season the turkey with herbs and spices. Put it inside the bag. The opening of the bag should be on one side of the bird, not at the top of the turkey.

Step 3: Seal and slit

Tie the bag closed with its nylon tie. Tuck the ends of bag into the pan. With a small knife or kitchen scissors, cut 6 half-inch slits in the bag to allow steam to escape.

Step 4: Cook

Bake at 350°F (do not exceed 400°) until the thickest part of the thigh is 170°-175°. When the bird reaches your desired temperature, carefully cut the top of bag open with scissors and remove the turkey. Before you get ready to serve, read up on how to carve a turkey. And don’t forget the Thanksgiving sides!

Tips for How to Cook a Turkey in a Bag

How long should it take to cook a turkey in a bag?

The cooking time varies based on how big your turkey is, which depends on how much turkey per person you plan to serve. A 10- to 12-pound unstuffed turkey should take approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours to cook. A 12- to 16-pound turkey needs about 2 to 2-1/4 hours to cook, and a 16- to 20-pound bird will take up to 2-1/2 hours. For a 20- to 24-pound turkey, expect it to cook for approximately 3 hours.

To check on your bird, insert a meat thermometer right through the bag into the thigh (instead of trying to open the bag when checking the temperature).

Can I stuff a turkey cooked in a bag?

We don’t recommend stuffing the turkey, but if you insist on doing so, add 15 to 45 minutes to the roasting time. The temperature of the stuffing must read at least 165° to safely serve it to your guests. Or try putting herbs, vegetables, apples and other things inside the turkey that aren’t stuffing.

How do I get the turkey skin to brown?

Believe it or not, the skin will brown inside the bag. To increase browning, brush the turkey with oil or butter before cooking.

Why doesn’t the oven bag melt?

If the bag touches the top or sides of the oven, it will melt. Be careful not to let the bag hang over the sides of the pan. Allow space for it to expand during cooking. And, no, you cannot can cook a turkey in a paper bag (or another bag). The glue, ink and other materials are not food-safe. Plus, you can never be sure how your bag will survive in the hot oven. Oven bags are made of heat-resistant nylon acceptable for cooking.

How long should I let the turkey rest before carving?

After you roast the turkey, wait. It’s best to let the turkey stand for 20 to 30 minutes before carving to lock in the juices. Remove it from the bag, put it on a serving platter, tent with foil and then let it rest.

Can I save the oven-bag drippings for gravy?

Absolutely! The drippings left in bag can be used to make gravy—here are some of our favorite gravy recipes.

And If You Have Leftover Turkey...

Anytime Turkey Chili

I created this dish to grab the voters’ attention at a chili contest we held in our backyard. With pumpkin, brown sugar and cooked turkey, it’s like an entire Thanksgiving dinner in one bowl. –Brad Bailey of Cary, North Carolina

Cranburgers with Sweet Potato Fries

Do you have leftover cranberry sauce? Put it to good use with these hearty, yummy turkey burgers, and finish it up with some sweet potato fries. Voila! Dinner is done. - Nancy Bourget, Fort Hood, Texas

Sweet Potato Mini Loaves

Here's a wonderful present for drop-in visitors, the kids' teachers or neighbors. One batch makes six adorable mini loaves-and you might add some butter or cream cheese for an extra-special present.

Turkey Enchiladas Verdes

Planning a fiesta night? These authentic-tasting enchiladas in spicy green sauce will please the whole family and you’ll be thankful for turkey leftovers. —Karyn Power, Arlington, Texas

Crispy Mashed Potato & Stuffing Patties

Talk about a fun way to use holiday leftovers! Making this turkey and stuffing patty is so fast. The family looks forward to this breakfast treat every year. —Kellie Ferea, Casa Grande, Arizona

Check out our other leftover stuffing recipes.

Cranberry Salsa Turkey Wraps

Once your family tastes these mouthwatering roll-ups, they'll never look at leftover turkey the same way! The cranberry salsa combines both sweet and spicy flavors.—Elke Rose, Waukesha, Wisconsin

Turkey Biscuit Skillet

My mother always made this while we were growing up. Now I make it for my own husband and kids. I use the small-size biscuits because they brown up so nicely on top. I also add mushrooms to this recipe sometimes because my family loves 'em. —Keri Boffeli, Monticello, Iowa

BLT Turkey Salad

This variation of a BLT salad goes great with a side of garlic bread or garlic toast, and will satisfy even the pickiest eaters. —Sherry Conley, Noel Hants County, Nova Scotia

Sweet Potato-Cranberry Doughnuts

I grew up near Idaho, which is famous for spudnuts, a doughnut made from mashed potatoes. I reworked a recipe using sweet potatoes and cranberries to come up with this variation. I like to serve them for dessert. —Joni Hilton, Rocklin, California

Southwestern Turkey Bake

I make this turkey bake as a way to get my husband and nieces to eat their vegetables. It's also perfect if you're wondering what to do with leftover turkey. This creamy entree will fill you up fast. —Crystal Kolady, Henrietta, New York

Fried Sweet Potato Pies

With my dad being a farmer who grew them, sweet potatoes have graced our table for as long as I can recall. This recipe, however, resulted from an experiment at a church bake sale when we had excess pastry. People couldn't get enough! —Marilyn Moseley, Toccoa, Georgia

Turkey Dinner Muffins

"I love experimenting in the kitchen," relates Margaret Berardi of Bridgeport, Connecticut. "That's how I created these muffins that use up leftovers from a turkey dinner. Team them with a bowl of soup and some fresh fruit for a satisfying lunch," she suggests.

Glazed Cranberry Sweet Potato Bread

This recipe stars one of our state’s crops. Topped with an easy orange glaze, slices of the moist bread make a sweet snack to enjoy anytime. —Sweet Potato Festival Committee, Vardaman, Mississippi

Turkey Lattice Pie

With its pretty lattice crust, this cheesy baked dish looks as good as it tastes. It's easy to make, too, since it uses ready-to-go crescent roll dough. —Lorraine Naig, Emmetsburg, Iowa

Cranberry Sweet-and-Sour Pork

This fresh take on a beloved Asian-style dish is sure to cause a stir at the dinner table. —Gert Snyder, West Montrose, Ontario

Spicy Turkey Quesadillas

A bit of spice livens up cranberries and turkey while fat-free cream cheese rounds out the bold flavors in this easy dish. You’ll love this recipe from our Test Kitchen!

Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Stir-Fry

I work for a priest, Fr. Leo, who loves to cook and shared this recipe with me. Perfect for the day after Thanksgiving, the dish encompasses the holiday spirit, while adding a twist. —Stefen Lovelace, Marriottsville, Maryland

Cranberry-Walnut Oatmeal

My family loves cranberries but we can get them fresh only during the holiday season. This recipe lets us enjoy the tartness of cranberry with the comfort of oatmeal all-year long. —Teena Petrus, Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Weeknight Turkey Tortilla Soup

This is now my family's most requested soup—so much so that they will make sure I have leftover turkey. You can spice up this soup and make it more hearty by adding smoked sausage or andouille and some Cajun seasoning to taste. —Gail Lucas, Olive Branch, Mississippi

Cran-Apple Turkey Skillet

You need only one skillet to pull off this delicious meal. Talk about simple! —Lisa Renshaw, Kansas City, Missouri

Sweet Potato & Caramelized Onion Shells

Gorgonzola cheese and sweet potatoes add a fun and flavorful twist to classic stuffed shells. Delicious with a sprinkle of Parmesan, the pasta can be topped with leftover gravy, too. —Robin Haas, Cranston, Rhode Island

Turkey & Stuffing Eggs Benedict

This is a fun way to enjoy holiday leftovers as if presenting them for the first time. Serve for brunch, with champagne and cranberry juice. —Brittany Allyn, Mesa, Arizona

Baked Sweet Potato Pudding

I always have lots of leftover sweet potatoes, but when I make this, they're gone faster than you can say "Thanksgiving!" Any ice cream flavor will do, though vanilla bean seems to be an ideal companion. —Joyce Welling, Swanton, Ohio

Acorn Squash with Leftover Stuffing

Our Test Kitchen offer up this unique way to present leftover stuffing. Serve this squash as a hearty side dish or as a meatless entree.

Turkey-Cranberry Bagels

Take care of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey in a way your family loves. It's good with all sorts of cranberry sauces and chutneys, so have fun playing around. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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