Brown bag Turkey

Several weeks ago, two women in my small group at MNBS were discussing a family recipe for cooking a turkey. As they discussed it around the group, several other women had HEARD about cooking a turkey this way, but had not tried it.

SO ... on Christmas Eve, I followed directions that I found (Google) and cooked our turkey in a brown paper grocery bag. Look how beautifully BROWN it is!

 This was my 12.5 pound turkey that I got for the total sum of $1.99 at Meijers last week. It's kind of a sad story about a flustered cashier, impatient people in line behind me, and me just finally giving up and taking the turkey for the obviously wrong price. Having said that, I did give special thanks for it.

SO ... get yourself a brown paper grocery bag (the bag MUST be large enough to fit the entire turkey, roll down the edges and staple them shut). Smother your turkey in soft butter (yum) and salt and pepper it liberally. Put a carrot, a quartered onion, half a lemon, the turkey neck inside the cavity of the turkey. THEN on the inside of the brown bag, rub butter everywhere, and plop your turkey inside. 

After THAT, pour 1 cup of chicken broth inside the turkey cavity, place the whole thing in a roasting pan, fold down the edges of the bag, staple it shut .... and VOILA! Cook the turkey on 375 degrees two hours for the first 10 pounds, and then 12 minutes for each additional pound. After the time is up, remove the turkey from the oven, let it sit unopened inside the bag for 15 minutes and then cut it open. DELICIOUS. And the brown-est gravy ever.