Bacon Wrapped Turkey
Forget about brining the turkey, this bacon wrapped turkey is so juicy, perfectly crisped on the outside, and requires minimal effort.
Turkey this juicy and easy should be on everyone’s checklist this holiday season. Not only will this recipe work out seamlessly for you, but the pan drippings made into gravy will have people talkin’ about you for weeks! In the best way possible.
What’s better than bacon wrapped turkey? The gravy that follows! The juices and vegetables at the bottom of the pan are simply thrown in a blender, and it creates a thick gravy loaded with flavor. You’ve never tasted gravy like this!
Table of Contents
Easy Thanksgiving Turkey
Brining this turkey is not necessary, but my turkey brine recipe is out of this world! It allows the flavor to really penetrate deep within the turkey meat, and helps assist in creating a super juicy meat.
Either way, the choice is yours, and you really can’t go wrong with anything wrapped in bacon.
What’s better than bacon wrapped turkey? The gravy that follows! The juices and vegetables at the bottom of the pan are simply thrown in a blender, and it creates a thick gravy loaded with flavor. You’ve never tasted gravy like this!
Ingredients
- 8-10 lb whole turkey
- 1 lb of thick slices bacon
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Bay leaves
- Salt
- Pepper
How to cook a bacon wrapped turkey?
As easy as three steps!
- Prepare the turkey. The turkey needs to be removed from the package, and dried with paper towels. Be sure to remove any giblets from the cavity (the hole) of the turkey. Stuff the cavity with a combination of chopped vegetables and place into the roasting pan.
- Weave the bacon. Start to wrap the bacon on the turkey by first wrapping the wings. Use long cut strips of bacon for best results. Place three or four pieces of bacon lengthwise on the turkey. Begin the weaving process, keeping the weave as tight as possible. Finish off by wrapping the legs of the turkey in bacon.
- Roast the turkey. To avoid the bacon from burning or shrinking too quickly, add 2 cups of water to the bottom of the roasting pan, and create a tinfoil tent to place over the turkey. For the first half hour, the turkey is baked at 425 degrees, then the temperature is reduced to 325, and slow roasted for the required cooking time.
How to tell when a turkey is done cooking?
Pro Tip: Do not allow the thermometer to touch the bone, as it will give an inaccurate reading.
- The turkey should be cooked to an internal 165 degrees, and the temperature should be taken in three locations: The breast, the thigh, and between the body and thigh.
- A thawed turkey generally takes about 15 minutes per lb, at 325 degrees. A stuffed turkey could take longer, which is why it is important to have a meat thermometer for accuracy.
- A frozen turkey take double the amount of time to cook, bringing the time to about 6 hours or more. It’s best to have the turkey thawed and ready for the big day!
How to safely thaw a turkey?
- The slowest method of thawing is in the refrigerator. The turkey needs 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 lbs. Most thanksgiving turkeys begin to weigh in at 8 lbs, requiring a minimum of two days. Play is safe and give it three days in the fridge, so you won’t pull out chunks of ice from the cavity. Lay the turkey breast side up on a large plate, as the thawing turkey can make a mess.
- Cold water thawing requires 30 minutes per lb of meat. Cover the turkey with cold water, and refresh the water every half hour.
- The counter top method is not a recommended way, but raise your hand if you’ve unthawed a turkey on the counter the day of Thanksgiving!
More Holiday Recipes
- Roasted Vegetables with Thyme
- Honey Balsamic Roasted Beets
- Turkey Brine
- Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Carrots with Pesto
- Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to stay in touch! I love to see your creations! Tag me at #SeaSaltSavorings to show me what you’ve made!
Bacon Wrapped Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots
- 4 white onions
- 1 bunch celery
- 1 8lb turkey
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 lb thick cut bacon
- 2 cups water
- 1 TBS whole peppercorns
- 1 TBS salt
Instructions
- Remove the turkey from the fridge and let rest at room temperature at least an hour before cooking. This helps the turkey cook more evenly.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lower a rack to the bottom shelf, and remove any other oven racks. Remove turkey from packaging and pat dry with paper towels.
- Rough chop all the vegetables , saving about two cups (to stuff the bird with). Place the majority of chopped vegetables into the roasting pan. Chop the saved two cups into smaller pieces.
- Place bird on top of vegetables in the roasting pan.
- Rub the cavity (the hole) of the turkey with salt. Stuff the turkey with the reserved two cups of chopped vegetables.
- Take bacon out of the package. Begin to wrap the turkey but starting with one piece per wing.
- Lay three or four pieces of bacon lengthwise against the turkey. Begin to tightly weave the bacon in and out of the lengthwise pieces.
- Once the body is covered in a tightly weaves bacon blanket, wrap the thighs with pieces of bacon, Sometimes it is easier to cut the remaining pieces of bacon in half to fit them easier.
- Add two cups of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Loosely place a tinfoil tent over the turkey to prevent the bacon from shrinking or burning.
- Place turkey in over, and roast for 30 minutes on 425.
- Remove the tinfoil tent, but keep on hand in case the bacon appears to need it again.
- Reduce head to 325, and cook for 15 minutes per lb, or until meat thermometer reads 165.
- Bast the turkey with the juices at the bottom of the pan every 30 minutes.
- When turkey reaches internal temperature of 165, remove from heat and let rest for at least 20 minutes. Remove the turkey from the roasting pan to a serving platter.
- Place the remaining vegetables and juices at the bottom of the roasting pan into a blender. Blend until smooth. Depending on desired texture, you may want to add 1/4 cup of water. Salt to flavor. Serve and Enjoy!
Nutrition values are estimates, for exact values consult a nutritionist.
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Truly awesome recipe!!!!!
Thank you!
I love the lattice bacon on the turkey… we do that with our meatloaf but this is brilliant for a different twist on a turkey!
Thank you! I didn’t even think of putting a bacon weave on meatloaf, that sounds AMAZING!