November 25 Thanksgiving prep

Wednesday:  I have no children today, so I am intent on cooking my turkey a day ahead so that I can get it all carved and ready for tomorrow. I decided to cook the turkey in a brown paper bag again this year. I like how it browns up so nicely this way and it is also very easy. The hardest thing is getting the dang bird in the bag!

This is a 12# turkey. I had to use TWO grocery bags, cutting the bottom off one bag and affixing it to the other via staples--that part was tricky too. Thankfully, I have a very nice stapler that did the job. The instructions involve greasing the turkey up with butter or Olive oil, putting an onion (cut up), carrot, lemon, and a few garlic cloves inside the bird, along with 1 cup of broth. Then you lift the greasy thing into the prepared bag (the inside of the bag has been greased too with butter) and ... somehow or other (I prayed!) you FINALLY get the bird inside the bag, fold the ends of the bag over and staple them shut, put the whole rigamarole into a foil lined pan and bake it on 375 degrees for the designated time (a few minutes shy of three hours for this size turkey).

And ... voila! A very nicely-browned turkey. The instructions said to let the turkey sit inside the closed bag for 15 minutes, then open the bag and let the turkey sit for another 45 minutes before carving it. I followed those instructions and then carved it all up (eating most of the two legs in the process). I also made the gravy, which was super delicious and very richly brown. 

My only negative about the turkey this year was ... not much flavor. It was moist. It was brown. But it was a bit bland. Kelly suggested that I marinate it for 24 hours before baking. I'm going to research that idea out before Christmas and see what I can find.