Incredible-bacon-wrapped turkey
This bacon wrapped turkey is every bit as incredible as it looks. It is fun to make and one of the easiest, most flavorful and moist turkeys I have ever made. No stuffing, no brining, just a little jacket weaving. I encourage you to try this turkey!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 60 minutes
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 pound butter, room temperature
- 1 large handful mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage)
- 1 1/2 pound thick cut bacon, divided
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 3” pieces
- 3 leeks, cleaned and cut into 3” pieces
- 2 stalks celery, cut into 3” pieces
- 1 onion, quartered
- 2 apple, sliced peels on
- 1 14-pound turkey
- Kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
For the bacon butter
- Place oven shelf in bottom of the oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put the garlic cloves in a food processor and whirl to finely mince. Add herbs and briefly pulse to chop. Add butter and 1/2 pound of bacon and pulse to combine.
To prepare the turkey
- Remove the neck, gizzards, liver, pop-up thermometer and assorted parts that come with your turkey and discard, unless you use these for gravy. Slide your hands between the turkey and the skin to separate. Work your hands all the way around the turkey so that the skin is separates from the flesh.
- Take half of the compounded bacon-herb butter and spread it all around underneath the turkey skin. Rub the remaining butter compound over the skin, giving the turkey a good butter-bacon massage. Season with salt and pepper.
To weave the bacon jacket
- Start by wrapping the drumsticks. Begin at the back to the drumstick and wind the bacon around trying to slightly overlap each piece until each drumstick is covered.
- Place a horizontal strip of bacon across the breast just below the neck hole. Now place a vertical strip of bacon on the far right of the bird, going from the neck end towards the bottom of the bird.
- Alternate weaving horizontal strips and vertical strips until the entire top of the turkey is covered in the jacket. Take care to slightly overlap each strip. Using some kitchen string, tie the legs of the bird together.
To cook the turkey
- Place an oven rack in the bottom of the oven and remove all the top racks. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Scatter the carrots, leeks, celery, onion and apples in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place a roasting rack on top of the vegetables and place the turkey on top of the rack.
- Roast for 30 minutes at 450 degrees and then reduce heat to 375 degrees. Watch the bacon and as soon as it begins to darken cover with tin foil, usually in the first 30 minutes. Cook the turkey until its internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 15 minutes per pound or about 3 1/2 hours total for a 14 pound bird.
- When turkey reaches 155 to 160 degrees, remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes before serving. The turkey will continue to cook while resting and the internal temperature will rise to 165 degrees. Always use a thermometer to safely determine when the turkey is done.