Organic Turkey in a Brown Paper Bag!
Are you wondering how to roast your organic turkey this year? Well, there’s the old fashioned way, where you get up at the crack of dawn, get out the roasting pan and get to work. Then there are roasting bags that you buy in the market, but they’re made from plastic, which is neither healthy or environmentally freindly. Finally, there’s the paper bag trick! Here’s what you need:
| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| 1 | turkey, chicken or capon (cooking time is based on a 10-pounder) |
| 8 | garlic cloves, sliced |
| 2 | onions, coarsely chopped |
| 3 | stalks celery, coarsely chopped |
| 3 | carrots, coarsely chopped |
| 3 | bay leaves |
| 2 T | coconut oil or raw organic butter |
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Rinse the turkey with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
Fill the cavity with your choice of stuffing, packed loosely.
Seal the cavity with skewers and tuck the turkey wings under the body.
Rub softened butter or coconut oil over the outside of the turkey.
Salt and pepper the outside sparingly.
Spray the inside of the bag with water and pour out any excess.
Place the turkey inside the bag, legs first. Roll up the opening so the bag is sealed.
Place carrots, celery, onions, garlic and bay leaves in the bottom of the roasting pan.
Put the giblets (if they come in a little bag, take them out) in the pan and add chicken stock until it reaches a depth of 1/2 inch.
Place the bag, with the turkey inside, on the vegetables so that the turkey breast is facing up.
Roast for 2-1/2 hours.
Check the temperature of the turkey by carefully rolling back the bag and inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. When the temperature is 155 degrees F, tear the paper bag open and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
Roast the turkey another 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes, until the temperature registers 170 degrees F and the skin is golden brown.
Place the turkey on a serving dish, and tent with aluminum foil. Let rest 20 minutes. Throw away the paper bag.
The Gravy
Pour the juices that are left in the roasting pan through a sieve and into a small saucepan. Using the back of a wooden spoon, press against any solids stuck in the sieve to extract as much liquid as possible.
Heat juices over medium heat and cook until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Carve turkey and serve with thickened roasting juices.
Tips & Warnings
You can usually order a fresh, organic turkey from a natural food store or specialty market. They are well worth the effort, tasting much better than commercially grown, mass-produced fowl.
Natural food stores should have clean, all-natural brown bags that are ideal for turkey roasting.
If you have a frozen bird, make sure you allow enough time for the turkey to defrost IN THE REFRIGERATOR, not at room temp – up to several days, depending on bird size.
This year enjoy a Thanksgiving Day full of simple pleasures. Allow the focus of the day to be the people, rather than the food. Serve small portions, instead of piling your plate high with food, and stuffing yourself. Chew every bite thoroughly, savoring both the aroma and flavor of each dish, while enjoying food and friendship. Eat and relax with the knowledge that there will be another meal, as this will not likely be your last. So, take the time to breathe deeply, remembering to love and appreciate others, while having gratitude for your life.