Turkey in a Bag

After years of messing around with everything turkey, from wild turkey to Butterballs and every method from brining to deep frying to roasting with or without basting, I have had been given a revelation.  The revelation was in the form of a plastic bag.

Reynolds oven bags lock in the moisture and juices so your turkey turns out perfectly, without the need for tending or basting. And, there’s no messy pan to scrub afterwards.

• 1 turkey-sized oven bag (such as Reynolds)
• 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 1 12 to 18 lb. turkey, thawed
• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp. Emeril’s Cajun seasoning, or any poultry seasoning
• fluer de sel sea salt and black pepper
• 1 apple, sliced
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place oven bag in a 2-inch deep roasting pan. Spray the inside of the bag with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Add flour to bag, and shake to coat.
2. Place vegetables in the bag.
3. Remove the neck and giblets from turkey. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Set turkey on a clean surface, such as a cutting board.
4. Combine softened butter with the seasoning. Gently lift the skin of the turkey breast away from the meat with your hands and rub all but 3-4 Tbsp. of the butter mixture on the breast between the turkey and skin.
5. Rub the remaining butter mixture on top of the turkey breast.
6. Season the outside of the turkey with salt and pepper. Place the apple slices inside the turkey cavity. Place the turkey, breast side up (the regular way), in the prepared oven bag, which is sitting in the roasting pan.
7. Whisk apple cider and maple syrup together. Pour the mixture over the turkey, letting some spill into the cavity.
8. Seal the oven bag with the enclosed nylon tie. Cut 5-6 slits about 1/2″ long in the top of the turkey bag to vent.
9. Roast turkey 2-4 hours, depending on the size of the turkey, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the turkey measures 165 degrees F. A 12-15 lb. turkey will take approximately 2 hours; a 20-24 lb. turkey will take about 3-1/2 hours.
10. Remove turkey from oven, and let the turkey rest 20 minutes before carving. This is an important step! Don’t skip the resting part – it allows the turkey’s juices to redistribute, keeping your oven bag turkey moist. You can cut a whole in the bottom of the bag, while the turkey is still resting on the rack to extract the juices from the bag into the pan to then pour out into a skillet to begin to make your turkey gravy, and don’t forget to use all your giblets.

How to carve a turkey.

And for the leftovers, we like to make baked turkey croquettes using this simple recipe.  Or try these turkey sandwiches:

Jeff Goldblum: The Sandwich Enthusiast We Didn’t Know We Needed

Jeff Goldblum is a delightful gem of a human being. Like many, I admired his cool charisma in Jurassic Park as a kid, but he won me over completely when I stumbled upon his enthusiastic Reddit post about sandwiches. His words? Pure joy:  “Oooooooooh. SANDWICH. OH MY GOSH. Oh my gosh. I love sandwiches.”

Among his favorite picks was a standout: turkey and Swiss with Russian dressing. Intrigued, I decided to recreate this four-ingredient marvel, and let me tell you—it was a breeze to make and utterly delicious.

Making the Sandwich

To prepare Goldblum’s turkey sandwich, I layered a slice of Swiss cheese, a slice of turkey, another slice of cheese, and a final slice of turkey on a piece of sourdough bread. For the pièce de résistance, I slathered on a hearty teaspoon of Russian dressing before topping it off with another slice of bread.

The result? A delightful combination of sweet, tangy dressing, salty turkey, and nutty, buttery Swiss cheese. One bite had me saying, “Oooooooooh. SANDWICH. OH MY GOSH,” just like Goldblum.

What Is Russian Dressing, Anyway?

It turns out, this American invention was once made with caviar, a nod to Russian cuisine. Nowadays, it’s a ketchup-and-mayo-based dressing with added chili, horseradish, and spices, giving it a tangy kick. While it’s often confused with Thousand Island dressing, Russian dressing is spicier, whereas Thousand Island leans sweeter.

Store-bought options, like Wish-Bone’s version, tend to be red and thinner, while homemade recipes often incorporate mayonnaise for creaminess. For this sandwich, creamy is the way to go—it ties the flavors together beautifully.

A Recipe Developer’s Twist

As a cookbook author, I couldn’t resist adding my own spin. I layered in ripe avocado slices for extra creaminess and color, and since my dressing wasn’t creamy enough, I mixed it with Kewpie mayo.

Looking to elevate this sandwich further? Toast the bread, butter it, or transform it into a panini or grilled cheese. Add some greens like lettuce or baby kale for freshness, or play up the spice with chili crisp or sriracha.

This sandwich is now a staple in my family’s lunch rotation—simple, satisfying, and versatile. Jeff Goldblum’s enthusiasm was spot on. Sandwiches truly are a delight.