How Cooking in an Oven Bag Makes Delicious and Easy Meals

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

Roasted turkey sitting in an open oven bag in a roasting pan alongside various side dishes

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.

Person sprinkling flour into an empty turkey oven bag sitting in a roasting pan

Easy Prep

Turkey in an oven bag sitting in a roasting pan in the oven

Easy Cook

Person removing a turkey oven bag from a fully roasted turkey sitting in a roasting pan

Easy Clean

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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.
Pulled pork sitting on a brioche bun

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.
Seafood boil with lobster, corn on the cob, potatoes and lemon wedges lying on a table

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.

mushroom risotto in a white serving bowl topped with shredded parmesan cheese

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.
pork tenderloin sitting on a plate surrounded by sweet potatoes

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.