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In a brown...paper bag?

Starkman

By Starkman
in Cooking

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Starkman

Starkman

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Has anybody ever baked something with a brown paper bag and had the fool thing catch on fire? A recipe I have has a turkey baked in a brown bag at about 350 deg. Now, that's not real hot, but the idea of paper bags in the oven really scares me!

Thanks,

Starkman

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Joe Blowe

Joe Blowe

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As per this, you're fine.

So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money. But when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

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Lisa Shock

Lisa Shock

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My mother always bakes turkeys in brown paper bags, using the time/temp chart from the Joy of Cooking. And, I have done it myself on occasion on catering jobs, and gotten rave reviews. (I'm a vegetarian, so I don't cook turkey at home.) Mom learned it from one of her aunts. I have never seen or heard of one catching fire, and my family has probably done hundreds of them over the years.

It works really well, if you make certain to cover the turkey with melted butter before placing in the bag. I know this sounds odd, but the added fat winds up soaking the bag and creating a moisture barrier. (think parchment paper packages for cooking en pappiotte) It also helps to use really large paper clamps or clips to close the bag -large so they are easy to find and discard later. Staples can get 'lost' pretty easily and are not recommended.

The biggest danger is being hit by hot smoke as you cut off the bag when it's done. And, making certain to have a trash can nearby is also useful.

Oh, and once you've cut it out of the bag there's no going back, so it's imperative to use a thermometer in the oven, know the weight of the bird, and do the math accurately. This way, when it's time to take the bird out of the oven, it will be perfectly cooked. I personally have never seen an undercooked or overcooked bird, but, my mom is pretty thorough in following directions. She may hate to cook, but, she isn't irresponsible when she does cook.

Overall, the big comment my family always gets is that the turkey isn't dry. It also browns nicely, which, I guess means that the bag retains a limited amount of moisture.

Have you read eGullet's Kitchen Scale manifesto?

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skipper10

skipper10

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Has anybody ever baked something with a brown paper bag and had the fool thing catch on fire? A recipe I have has a turkey baked in a brown bag at about 350 deg. Now, that's not real hot, but the idea of paper bags in the oven really scares me!

Thanks,

Starkman

A friend of mine used to cook her turkeys in paper bags for years. She no longer uses paper bags, she says brown paper bags are now made of recycled paper and may contain harmful chemicals. :smile:

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