Bacon Wrapped Roasted Turkey

MrsM1021's Note:

This recipe was shared with me by my wonderful boss who is an AMAZING chef! He helped make my 1st Thanksgiving one to remember by giving me this recipe. This Turkey is so moist and so easy to make!

• Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 13

• 1 (13 lb) whole turkey (uncooked)
• kitchen twine (to tie Turkey)
• aluminum foil
• 2 cups butter (softened)
• 1 ½ ounces fresh sage
• 1 lb bacon (uncooked)
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325°F
2. Remove giblets and neck from Turkey. Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well. Blot dry with paper towels.
3. Chop Onion and Garlic and mix together. Once chopped and mixed, stuff the Onion and Garlic mixture into Turkey.
4. Tie up the Turkey's wings, legs, and drumsticks with Kitchen Twine as desired.
5. Chop Sage and mix in with softened Butter.
6. Rub Sage/Butter mixture under the skin and over the skin of the Turkey.
7. Salt and pepper Turkey to taste.
8. Place uncooked, Bacon slices all over the skin of the uncooked Turkey. They will stick onto the buttered Turkey.
9. Insert an Oven-Safe Meat Thermometer into the inner thigh area near the breast of the Turkey but not touching the bone.
10. Place Turkey in a roasting pan and use Foil to tent the uncooked Turkey.
11. Remove foil tent for last hour of cooking Turkey.
12. Continue to let bacon cook on Turkey for an additional 15 minutes, then remove. (OPTIONAL - Bacon can then be chopped and placed in a separate dish of your choice).
13. Remove Turkey from oven once 160 degrees is reached internally in the Turkey.
14. Allow Turkey to rest for 20-30 minutes, then carve (during the rest period, Turkey will continue to cook to 165 degrees).

Reviews

[rollersgirl]

This was so good! I made this for Thanksgiving, but just now got around to reviewing. I took off the bacon when it was nicely cooked so that the bird would get browned. I used the bacon in my green bean casserole. The gravy I made with the juices tasted really bacony, so if you don't want your gravy to taste like bacon, don't use the juices from the turkey. I loved the smokey taste it gave the gravy though! My dad said it was the best turkey I've ever made. And he's a turkey purist. Thanks so much for sharing this!!

[7WitchWay]

I made this turkey recipe for the first time last Christmas & again today for Thanksgiving. This recipe is fantastic! The breast turns out so moist, it is easily comparable to the dark meat. I highly recommend this for any occasion in need of a turkey. *I thought the 2 cups of butter was too much to use, so I started with just 1 cup and add more as needed. Thanks for posting such a great recipe!!!