As November swoops in with turkey temptations, do you panic? If it’s too expensive to buy and too complicated to fry, try this method to easily cook a turkey!
The days of family gathering around the Thanksgiving or Christmas table change as the years go by. With young kids, I loved going to my mother or mother-in-laws house for a dinner that I could just enjoy. I always volunteered to bring something yummy that would help, but the pressure of actually cooking the turkey for the big day never fell on my shoulders.
Once Milly was diagnosed, that changed.
The same foods that she used to eat still carried holiday memories, but the pressure of multiple, multi-family meals in the time span of a few days meant havoc on her blood sugar. Whether or not we liked it or not, we dealt with the mood swings from food. So, I started making some slight adjustments to see how I could help my sweet girl to stay sweet. One recurring favorite was our updated version of macaroni and cheese!
One thing I found out quickly was that upping her protein levels with turkey before all the fancy “fixins'” ensured a slower rise. Here in the South, smoked or roasted meats are popular fundraisers for church and community groups and provide a lot of the turkeys on holiday tables. However, I could save quite a bit of money by cooking a turkey all by myself!
Table of Contents
Time to Cook a Turkey!
The easiest method to cook a turkey that I immediately latched onto was the use of a turkey roasting bag. After cleaning and drying the defrosted turkey, I sprayed it with cooking spray, sprinkled it with seasoning, tossed some flour into the bag, shook it around, and popped it in- with or without vegetables.
The entire turkey went into a deep roasting dish after sealing the bag, and voila! It emerged beautifully cooked with golden crunchy skin and juicy meat emerged a few hours later.
Following the steps in the directions for the roasting bag only took a few minutes of work, but I appeared to become a master chef.
The most amazing part was that we had protein for days and could volunteer to bring extra wherever we went! Score 1! We had extra protein for the freezer. Turkey and stuffing casserole, turkey pie instead of chicken pie, sandwiches…. Score 2! We had some piece of mind about one basically free food that she could find at nearly any holiday family gathering. Score 3! By starting to look critically at the food Milly ate on a regular basis that worked well with her blood glucose levels, we learned quite a bit.
It is worth the effort!
For those of us managing diabetes, the holidays sometimes feel like a challenge, and that is particularly true when it comes to the tempting sides and sweets. Fortunately, turkey is naturally low in carbohydrates and a great source of lean protein, making it an ideal choice for anyone watching their blood sugar levels. Just be mindful of what you pair it with—opt for low-carb sides like roasted vegetables, cauliflower mash, or a fresh salad. If you’re making gravy, try using a sugar-free or low-sodium version to keep things healthier.
Above all, holiday tables during a festive season is about so much more than just the food! The memories of laughter and the joy of sharing a meal with the people you love is worth a little extra preparation, and lasting memories are priceless. By making thoughtful choices in advance in the kitchen, you can enjoy a diabetes-friendly meal that is as sweet as possible thanks to those you share it with rather than sugar levels!!
Happy cooking!
Holiday Turkey
Equipment
- 1 Roasting Pan – Disposable pans are easily available at most stores for a relatively low price.
- Oven Bag
Ingredients
- 1 Turkey
- 1 tbsp Flour
- Olive or Avocado Oil or Cooking Oil Spray The amount needed will depend upon the size of your turkey.
- Seasonings of choice: Salt or Seasoning Salt, Pepper, Poultry Seasoning, etc The amounts needed depend on the size of your turkey and your personal taste. I have listed the seasonings we use.
- Carrots, onions, celery, potatoes or any root vegetable Optional
- Stuffing Optional
Instructions
Prior to cooking
- Defrost your turkey still in the packaging in the refrigerator. Allowing 24 hours per 7 pounds is a good time estimate, but allow enough time for it to thoroughly defrost.1 Turkey
Preparing the turkey
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove the turkey from its packaging and thoroughly rise the entire turkey.
- Remove the neck and giblets from the defrosted turkey. These are often found inside the actual bird. Check the neck end and the back end. If they are still frozen to the turkey, run water through the bird as you rinse it to continue to dislodge the neck and giblets. Set them aside to use later or discard.
- Pat the turkey dry.
- Coat the turkey skin with olive oil or avocado oil.Olive or Avocado Oil or Cooking Oil Spray
- Sprinkle the turkey with chosen seasonings and rub them into the skin.Seasonings of choice: Salt or Seasoning Salt, Pepper, Poultry Seasoning, etc
Optional vegetables or stuffing
- Slice vegetables of your choice such as carrots, onions, potatoes, celery, etc to add underneath the turkey in the oven bag.Carrots, onions, celery, potatoes or any root vegetable
- Prepare stuffing and add to the turkey's cavity where the neck and giblets were found.Stuffing
Cooking the turkey
- Add 1 tbsp of flour to the oven bag, hold it closed and shake vigorously.1 tbsp Flour
- Add vegetables if using.
- Place the turkey in the roasting bag. Tuck the ends of the oven bag into the pan as well if necessary. Do not allow the bag to touch any part of the actual oven.
- Cut 6 slits about a half inch long in the top of the bag.
- Cook the turkey based on its weight until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Serving the turkey
- Carefully open the bag away from your face and body after removing it from the oven to avoid burns from escaping steam.
- Remove the turkey from the bag and place on a serving tray or slice into pieces
Notes
Nutrition
Add to your holiday cheer with help for sides and desserts as well!
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