How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (2024)

Minimize your time spent in the kitchen while serving up extra juicy and flavorful meals by cooking in oven bags.

How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (1)

How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (2)

How to Use an Oven Bag

Minimize your time spent in the kitchen while serving up extra juicy and flavorful meals by cooking in oven bags. Also known as roasting bags, they are oven-safe at a maximum temperature of 400°F (or 200°C). They’re BPA-Free, FDA-compliant, and keep your dinner mess to a minimum.

Follow these simple steps on how to use an oven bag:
  • Preheat your oven to 350°F. When cooking with oven bags, you should never exceed the maximum temperature of 400°F (or 200°C).
  • Add one tablespoon of flour to the bag, or use a flour alternative such as wheat, rice, potato, or gluten-free flour, corn starch, corn meal, matzo meal, or even finely crushed crackers to the inside of the bag and shake to distribute evenly. This will keep the bag from bursting.
  • Place the bag in a pan that is at least two inches deep, like a Reynolds Kitchens® Roasting Pan. TIP: When cooking a turkey, arrange sliced celery and onion in the bag to add extra flavor to the juices and serve as a natural rack for the turkey to rest on.
  • Add your seasoned protein in the bag along with any veggies you would like for extra flavor. Secure your bag using the tie from your Reynolds Kitchens® Oven Bag carton. TIP: If you misplace the tie, cut a half-inch strip from the open end of the bag and use it like a string
  • Cut six half-inch slits on the top to let steam escape while cooking, then tuck the ends of the bag into the pan. To avoid potential burning or melting, do not let loose ends hang over the edge of the pan or touch oven racks or walls in ovens. Position oven racks and pan to allow space for the bag to expand during cooking to avoid the sides of the oven bag from touching other racks, sides or top walls of the oven.
  • Cook according to the recipe. The bag will do all the work, locking in flavor and basting the ingredients. Check the meat for doneness with a meat thermometer and review our oven bag cooking times chart to get the complete list of oven bag cooking times for turkey, chicken, pork, beef, lamb, and more.
  • Once cooking is complete, leave the bag in the pan and cut the top of the bag open—carefully!—to serve. Never lift the oven bag from the pan before removing all food.
  • To clean up, simply toss the bag when you’re done! Do not reuse or store food in used oven bags.
How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (3)

Easy Prep

How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (4)

Easy Cook

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Easy Clean

Oven Bag Safety and Cooking Uses

Use Reynolds Kitchens® Oven Bags to create delicious meals such as poultry and vegetables, oven bag seafood boils, beef, pork, sausage, and lamb. You can even use them for microwaving meals. They’re made of an FDA-compliant, heat-resistant nylon material safe for oven roasting and microwave use up to 400°F (or 200°C).

OVEN BAGS SHOULD NEVER BE USED FOR:

When cooking with oven bags, you should never exceed the maximum temperature of 400°F (or 200°C). Do not use oven bags for broiling, boiling, sous vide, stovetop cooking, a toaster oven, a countertop convection oven, a countertop electric roaster oven, grills, or open flames.

OVEN BAGS IN THE MICROWAVE

Looking for a quicker way to cook than roasting in the oven? Reynolds Kitchens® Oven Bags also work great in the microwave! Prepare a delicious meal in no time and make the most out of your microwave.

CAN YOU USE OVEN BAGS IN A SLOW COOKER?

Using oven bags in a slow cooker is not recommended. Instead, use Reynolds Kitchens® Slow Cooker Liners for fast and easy cleanup.

Oven Bag Recipes

From perfectly cooked seafood, poultry, and beef to delicious and unique side dishes, follow these guides, tips, and easy recipes to make your dinner a delight.

How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (8)

Poultry and Large Meats

Cooking your favorite kinds of poultry and other large meats is easier than ever.

  • Rotisserie-style chicken is a great way to add extra flavor to any recipe. With this recipe, you can replicate two store-bought rotisserie chickens—one for dinner tonight and one for meal prep later!
  • Achieve pulled pork perfection by roasting a seasoned pork shoulder in the oven until it's deliciously tender and infused with that smoky flavor.
  • Whip up a hassle-free oven bag meal by following these recipes that you can cook up in no time for a simple and delicious dinner.

How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (9)

Seafood Boil in a Bag

Feast your eyes on the seafood boil of your dreams, made easy with oven bags. Create a seafood boil for a crowd by combining all of your favorite sides and seafood into an oven bag and baking it all to juicy, seasoned perfection.

How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (10)

Vegetables, Potatoes, and Rice

Pair your dinner with tasty vegetables and sides that can be cooked up in no time.

  • Elevate the flavors of your choice of root vegetables by drizzling with olive oil, garlic, and herbs and roasting them in an oven bag until they become tender and caramelized in the oven.
  • Achieve a flavorful mushroom and onion risotto by following this recipe to turn simple ingredients into a tasty, mess-free meal that you can pop in the oven.

How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (11)

Easy Oven Bag Meals

Create delicious meals for the whole family with minimal cleanup. Follow these easy oven-bag meal recipes that you can cook up in no time for a simple and delicious dinner.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OVEN BAGS:

Reynolds Kitchens® Oven Bags are BPA-Free and meet FDA regulations for food safety.

Oven bags are made of a heat-resistant nylon material that is safe for cooking in temperatures up to 400°F. To avoid potential burning or melting, do not let loose ends hang over the edge of the pan or touch oven racks or walls in ovens. Never put oven bags directly on oven racks. Always allow space for the bag to expand during cooking. Oven bags are not safe for use in countertop ovens, countertop convection ovens, toaster ovens, broiling, stovetop cooking, boiling, grills, or open flames.

Yes, you can add a small amount—about one-fourth cup or less—of liquid to blend with your flour and seasonings in the bag, but adding liquid is not necessary to create juices for gravies or sauces in the bag.

No, Reynolds Kitchens® Oven Bags are not designed for and should not be used for boiling.

Using oven bags provides consistent cooking by allowing the heat to circulate inside the bag which typically leads to reduced cooking times for large turkeys. The enclosed heat and cooking in a 350°F oven is 25°F higher than the traditional open roasted directions on the turkey packages.

Reynolds Kitchens® Oven Bags do not expire, but should not be reused after a single use.

No, you should not use oven bags in a countertop electric roaster oven.

Yes, you can prepare your oven bag meat or side dish beforehand. Ensure you prepare the bag with flour, place it in your pan, add vegetables and meat, then refrigerate overnight. Wait until ready to cook to add stuffing to a turkey and remember to cut the six half-inch slits on the top of the bag prior to cooking.

If you cannot locate the tie, cut a half-inch strip from the open end of the bag and use it like a string.

How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals | Reynolds Brands (2024)

FAQs

Are oven bags worth it? ›

Using a bag has quite a few advantages, but the biggest are how much it can reduce the cook time and how it keeps the meat moist and juicy.

What does cooking in an oven bag do? ›

Oven bags are the perfect way to ensure your main dish stays moist and full of flavor while making dinner prep a breeze. For easy and stress-free home-cooked meals, follow Reynolds Kitchens® Oven Bag instructions and cooking times to make delicious roasted turkey, pork, beef, or lamb.

Does meat cook quicker in a roasting bag? ›

By Leah Brickley for Food Network Kitchen

There's a lot to love about cooking a turkey in an oven bag. A heat-safe bag means faster cook time, minimal cleanup and extra-juicy meat.

Why put flour in oven bag? ›

You should always include flour or a flour substitute because it blends the fat and juices in the oven bag to prevent the oven bag from bursting.

Will meat brown in an oven bag? ›

But what about browning? Can the Maillard reaction—the chemical reaction that creates flavor when foods are browned—occur in the relatively moist environment of an oven bag? It sure can; our turkeys came out with beautifully browned skin.

Can you get crispy skin in an oven bag? ›

The bag also keeps the splatters inside, which means your oven stays clean. And for those who love crispy skin, slit the bag open during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking, allowing the heat brown the skin.

Do you need to poke holes in oven bag? ›

Using a fork, puncture the top of the bag 6-8 times. Because meats cook faster, we suggest using a meat thermometer. Simply insert it through the bag. Place in a PREHEATED oven and cook as directed, making sure the pan and oven bag are away from oven walls and racks.

Is the oven bag better than the no bag turkey? ›

If you're aiming for an easy method to cook an extra juicy, tasty turkey with plenty of flavorful juices for gravy, oven bags are the best method. However, if you prefer crispy, roasted brown skin, you'll want to skip the oven bag and try using one of our other methods on how to cook a Thanksgiving turkey.

Do you use a rack with an oven bag? ›

Cut six half-inch slits on the top to let steam escape while cooking, then tuck the ends of the bag into the pan. To avoid potential burning or melting, do not let loose ends hang over the edge of the pan or touch oven racks or walls in ovens.

Will a turkey brown in an oven bag? ›

Your turkey will brown best if the bag is coated with flour. Some folks say you can flour the bag without any adhesive, but I found I can get a better coating (and browning) if I spray the bag with cooking spray, add the flour, and then shake the bag to coat.

Are oven bags healthy? ›

Cooking bags are considered safe when used correctly. Food safety organizations confirm that heat-resistant materials like nylon or polyester used in these bags are designed to withstand oven temperatures and provide a hygienic cooking method.

What are the advantages of an oven bag? ›

Reduced clean up time – no baked-on mess to scrub. Improved food quality - foods stay moist and delicious. Faster cooking times – saves time and labor. Multiple uses - roasting, steaming, or freezing chicken, turkey, beef, ham and vegetables.

What happens if you don't flour an oven bag? ›

Flour is needed to help prevent the bag from bursting and to help blend the fats and juices during cooking. You can use wheat, rice, potato, or gluten free flour.

Why did my oven bag melt? ›

Ensure that the bags are placed away from direct fire or coals. Also make sure that the temperature is the one indicated in the user instructions. If the problem persists despite following the instructions, please send us a sample stating all the conditions in which they were used, .

Do oven bags speed up cooking? ›

By trapping the moisture and heat, oven bags cook the bird faster and make it a breeze to collect all the juices to start making the gravy while the turkey rests. A seasoned butter is placed under the skin to provide extra moisture during cooking, and those buttery drippings make a great gravy base.

Is it better to roast a turkey in a bag or not? ›

It traps in moisture to help the turkey stay juicy and tender as it cooks. Cooking in a bag also saves time, as your turkey will cook about an hour faster in the bag than what your recipe specifies. A bag is also self-basting, which means condensation collects in the bag and drips onto the turkey as it cooks.

What are the benefits of roasting bags? ›

Reduced clean up time – no baked-on mess to scrub. Improved food quality - foods stay moist and delicious. Faster cooking times – saves time and labor. Multiple uses - roasting, steaming, or freezing chicken, turkey, beef, ham and vegetables.

Is it better to cook a turkey breast in a bag or not? ›

If you're aiming for an easy method to cook an extra juicy, tasty turkey with plenty of flavorful juices for gravy, oven bags are the best method. However, if you prefer crispy, roasted brown skin, you'll want to skip the oven bag and try using one of our other methods on how to cook a Thanksgiving turkey.

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