We hosted our bf's family...took lots of prep, but they were all happy with the meal. Since its a pound and half of turkey per person, and we had 19 coming, I bought a 22 pound Butterball turkey. ... Split it in half to put on top of chicken thighs and dressing in two different roasters...turkey was still underdone after four and half hours so I finished it up in the microwave by top half, then leg quarter half. Two kinds of dressing, one oyster, the other without sage.

Used crock pot liners, put the green bean casserole in one, another for the incredible sweet corn, mashed potatoes in another, then the requested baked beans, plain green beans with jowl and bacon in iron dutch oven. Five cup salad and 7 layer salad. Double cake pan of chocolate brownies, a rhubarb strawberry crunch, and they brought a ham and their family favorite punch and bf baked 3 pies and one daughter baked a couple of pies, granddaughter did devil the eggs.

They divided the food and took it with them, cleaned up the whole mess quickly, and put things back the way they were in our house. Everyone from 1 to 73 years old left happy. And left us happy, too. Happy Holidays to all, and may you have reason to give 'thanks' for what you have.

I have used the oven bags for years now. I love them my turkey ALWAYs comes out golden brown, juicy & tender. The bag also cuts cooking time almost in half. We had a quite Thanksgiving with only my youngest son & his wife. Here is a pic of my table..before all the food.[ATTACH=CONFIG]378091[/ATTACH]

I always use a nesco roaster. I can give you a real nice hint.. Iclang had the issue of a frozen turkey. Those are the best way to cook a turkey. You have less of a chance of contaimination, and your turkey will be the most juicy bird you have ever had. Just run some warm water in the cavities to remove the giblets and neck.. season and place in your roaster/oven and for a 20 pound turkey it takes about 7 hours to cook. So the cook time is longer, but so worth it. I never ate turkey on Thanksgiving day because it always seemed to dry to me, and more so the white meat. Now I can..cuz now you can actually see the juice drip from the white meat.

There were 38 people at our Thanks giving Thank goodness it was not at my house I made 72 dinner rolls and 6 pies and 2 pounds of cranberries other family brought turkey and too many goodies.A granddaughter was our hostess.What a great day.Two days earlier I cooked a22 pound turkey so now I get to freeze the left overs. Love turkey.

I tried usng the bag to cook a turkey in my roaster oven a few years back, problem: it puffs up so much that it touched the side of the roaster, had to cut it all away from the turkey so that it wouldn't attach to the bird. Just isn't enough room in the roaster for it. Might work you did a really mall one with a small bag, but not the larger ones.
Live and learn..

I've used a roaster in the past and the turkey came out good, I've also used the oven cooking bags with success. The past two years we have done bacon wrapped turkey breasts in our smoker and that comes out so great that it is now the only way my husband wants his turkey to be done!

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This year we only did one as there were only 3 of us eating Thanksgiving dinner here, but in the past we have smoked 2 or 3 at a time.

We love to prepare our turkey in a cooking bag, and it browns nicely, with a little sprinkling of flour. The best feature of all, is the turkey is so moist, and bakes in about 2. 5 hours. The browning bag, will hold over a 20 Lb turkey. It's the only way we ever prepare a turkey, but don't open the bag until your ready to serve it, so the meat stays hot. ( or keep it warm in a crock pot.) The deep fried turkey is to die for, but to buy the oil gets spendy.

I smoked a 14 pound turkey this year for the first time. From what I read, it is difficult to keep the temp at a safe level on a gas smoker for a larger bird, so I didn't want to press my luck. My grocery store didn't have a turkey that wasn't "enhanced" so I was reluctant to brine it. Instead, I made a wet rub from herbs and olive oil and rubbed it between the skin and meat, then injected it with wine and broth first, then melted garlic butter. I smoked it with apple wood.

We needed more turkey for a larger crowd,so I bought a turkey breast, which DH deboned and butterflied for me. I pounded it out thin and rubbed boudin (pork sausage and rice) removed from the casings over it, then rolled and tied it with butcher's twine. I roasted it in the oven and pulled it out an hour before eating so I could heat the sides. It rested in a cooler with warm towels.

Both were very tasty. Best of all, I had a smoked carcass to make broth today and just finished making a turkey and andouille gumbo.

ETA: I get tired of everyday cooking, so I'm glad DH helps out with that, but I really enjoy cooking for holidays now.

We love mashed potatoes and gravy - can anyone tell me if cooking in the roaster makes good gravy? Thanks!

I bought a roaster several years ago and will never use the oven again. The only difference is it doesn't brown like a turkey does in an oven, but I mix up melted butter, kitchen bouquet and paprika and coat the turkey and its gorgeous when done. Very moist, very flavorful, and its cooked in 1/2 the time versus oven. Left my oven space for all the other dishes. It's easier cleaning up, too, as the interior pan lifts out of the roaster for easy washing & came with a rack to lift the bird out easily. Enjoying the left overs. Had a 13 lb bird this year (smallest I've ever done) for 3 of us, and I've got leftovers for 4 dinners, easy. Can be used for hams, roasts, etc., too.