# Turkey in oven while "preheating"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-in-oven-while-preheating/612196
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 8, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-in-oven-while-preheating/612196 "2012-02-08T15:26:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2012, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-in-oven-while-preheating/612196/21 "2012-02-09T07:01:11Z")
> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> Yup, only matters for foods the benefit from the initial shock of high temperature to brown the surface of the food before overcooking the middle. Stuff that cooks a long time will be fine without.
I agree. If you’re talking about something that cooks up in, say, under ten or fifteen minutes at a high temperature, the preheating is vital. For a turkey that’s going to cook for hours at 350? Not going to make a damn bit of difference.
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### Author:  [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-in-oven-while-preheating/612196/22 "2012-02-09T17:19:45Z")
> [@sitchensis](#):
>
> Things to remember with the bags:
>
> The turkey will cook a lot faster; base your cook time on the instructions that come with the bags and not on how long it usually takes.
>
> The bag will expand as the air heats up on the inside, one time I had the bag expand to the point that it came in contact with the top of the oven and a small portion of the bag melted. From then on I have been leery about the plastic touching hot metal in the oven.
>
> This will be the most moist, fastest, easiest and best turkey you have ever made.
From what I remember from the instructions on the bag box, you’re supposed to put a little flour in the bag and poke some holes in it. That should prevent some of the over-inflation.
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### Author:  [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-in-oven-while-preheating/612196/23 "2012-02-09T17:23:17Z")
nm… already been said about a zillion times.
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### Author:  [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-in-oven-while-preheating/612196/24 "2012-02-09T19:05:50Z")
I guess the top element doesn’t come on during preheating in your ovens. It does in mine, and will quickly blacken the top of a turkey if I start it in a cold oven.
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### Author:  [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turkey-in-oven-while-preheating/612196/25 "2012-02-09T19:44:36Z")
How was the turkey?
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