Bacon-Wrapped Turkey
Bacon is truly a magical ingredient. It’s delicious on its own, but when wrapped around ordinary foods, it transforms them into something extraordinary. This year, elevate your Thanksgiving turkey by wrapping it in bacon! Start by brushing the turkey with a flavorful garlic butter, then cover it with a beautiful bacon lattice. As the turkey roasts, the bacon crisps up, infusing the bird with its rich, savory flavor. It’s guaranteed to be the highlight of your Thanksgiving feast!
Ingredients
- 14 strips thick-cut bacon
- 1 (12- to 14-lb.) turkey, thawed if frozen, neck and giblets removed
- 4 Tbsp. salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a 16-inch long piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Arrange 8 strips of bacon lengthwise on the parchment, side-by-side with no space in between, but not overlapping. Fold every other strip back halfway. Lay 1 strip of bacon across the unfolded strips, perpendicular to them. Unfold the bacon strips so they lay over the perpendicular one. Fold back the strips that haven't been folded yet and add another perpendicular piece; unfold the strips over it. Repeat the folding and unfolding process until you have a lattice that's 8 strips of bacon by 6 strips. Place the bacon lattice in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan; tuck back the wing tips. If there is a pop-up thermometer, remove it. Pat dry.
- Mix together the butter and garlic in a bowl; brush it over the turkey.
- Starting at the cavity end of the turkey, line up the parchment so you can lay the bacon lattice over the turkey and cover as much of the breast as possible. Using the parchment to help you, drape the lattice lengthwise over the breast and legs. Press the bacon into the butter. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
- Pour 3 cups of water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Loosely tent the turkey breast with foil. Roast, basting occasionally, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 160°F, about 3 hours. Remove the foil; increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Roast until the bacon is crisp and a thermometer registers 165°F, another 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your bird. Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Nutrition
Calories: 804kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 96gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 340mgSodium: 810mgPotassium: 1023mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 4mg
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