Thanksgiving Bacon Wrapped Turkey
Well, I may not an expert in Thanksgiving department as Eastern European but I still want to share my tips and tricks as you prepare for Thanksgiving feast. As with everything we are trying to keep it super easy. This is the turkey. I’ve been perfecting this for many years now. Trust me it is the recipe you need to try. Always full of flavor and most of all super juicy. Let’s make bacon wrapped turkey! Shall we ?
I usually start 2 to 3 days before Thanksgiving. Remove all the interior parts from the bird. Discard them or use them for stock, or the giblets for gravy. Wash the bird well, inside and out. Let it dry and prep your rub below
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Bacon, thick-cut
- 1 Turkey (15-20 pounds)
- 1 tbsp Garlic
- 2 Onion powder
- 1 tsp Sage, dried
- 1 tbsp Thyme, dried
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Paprika
How to Wrap Turkey in Bacon
Grab your thick cut bacon. I usually use 2 to 3 packages
Time to wrap your turkey with bacon. You could go fancy and create basket weave on it but doing it plain also does its job. Ideally you like to overlap your bacon slices so all covers bird beautifully till then end.
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Make sure that legs are nicely wrapped too! Our goal is to cover all. Ideally it is good to marinate all overnight overnight in the refrigerator but I have made one just few hours before cooking it.
Cooking the Bacon Wrapped Turkey
Cook the Bacon Wrapped Turkey Uncovered for about 40 minutes at 425°F. COVER your turkey with a large piece of tin foil REDUCE the oven temperature to 325°F to finish roasting the turkey. Cook for another 2 to 2 and a half hours, basting every 20-30 minutes. If you are cooking a larger bird, I would increase the time ACCORDING TO ITS WEIGHT.
COOK YOUR TURKEY COVERED TILL last 40 min
At the end of the day, you are going to be looking for a specific temperature to know when the turkey is done the cooking. Using a meat thermometer is a must! Make sure to insert it into the thickest part of the bird, and that the tip doesn’t touch the bone. I like to take my turkey out of the oven at 160°F and not 165°F. I find that when the turkey rests for 30-minutes on the counter it will hit 165°F on its own.
Now we have our beautiful cooked turkey. Remove the bird to carving board (preferably one with a well to collect juices). Allow some time for your guests to ohh and ahh and admire your bird. Then let the designated carver go to work. Pour the juices from the roasting pan into a measuring cup, or one of those neat gravy separators if you have one. Let the juice settle for a bit, skim off the fat, and add the delicious juices to your gravy. I will share that recipe next
I am drooling writing this post already ! This garlic and cheese pull out bread is must have at our Thanksgiving dinner. Check full recipe HERE
