Bacon Wrapped Thanksgiving Turkey
Holiday Showstopper: Bacon Wrapped Turkey
A bacon-wrapped roasted turkey is a showstopping centerpiece for any holiday meal, combining the juicy tenderness of roasted turkey with the rich, smoky flavor of crispy bacon. This dish elevates traditional turkey by layering strips of bacon over the bird, creating a self-basting effect that locks in moisture and enhances the overall taste. The combination of the turkey’s mild flavor with the savory depth of bacon makes for a truly indulgent and satisfying main course.
Turkey Preparation
To prepare the turkey, it is first seasoned with a blend of herbs, butter, and aromatics such as garlic, rosemary, and thyme to infuse flavor from the inside out. Some recipes also call for brining the turkey beforehand to maximize juiciness. Once the turkey is seasoned, strips of bacon are carefully woven or layered over the breast and thighs, ensuring even coverage. This bacon layer not only adds flavor but also helps prevent the white meat from drying out during roasting.
Cooking a Thanksgiving Turkey
Roasting a bacon-wrapped turkey requires a careful balance of time and temperature. The turkey is typically roasted at a moderate temperature, allowing the bacon to slowly render and crisp up while the meat cooks to perfection. To avoid burning the bacon, some cooks start with the bird covered in foil and then remove it in the final stages of roasting to achieve a beautifully crispy finish. A meat thermometer is essential to ensure the turkey reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F while remaining tender and juicy.
Resting the Turkey
Once the turkey is fully cooked, it should be rested for at least 20–30 minutes before carving. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a moist and flavorful bite with every slice. The bacon adds an extra layer of texture and taste, making every serving a decadent delight. The drippings from the turkey and bacon can also be used to create a rich, smoky gravy that pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes or stuffing.
A bacon-wrapped roasted turkey is an excellent choice for those looking to add a flavorful twist to their holiday feast. It combines the best of two beloved ingredients—succulent turkey and crispy bacon—into one mouthwatering dish. Whether served at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion, this turkey is sure to impress guests and become a memorable addition to any festive table.
Bird is the word on Thanksgiving and roasted bacon wrapped turkey is the most delicious recipe to please family and friends with juicy and savory turkey on Thanksgiving! A dry 15 pound turkey is a lot of turkey to suffer through, even with gravy, but the butter and bacon in the recipe work together to keep the turkey from drying out and lock in all the delicious herbs and seasonings. The bacon lattice slowly crisps on the outside and looks amazing. All of these elements come together to deliver one of the best turkeys you will ever eat.  So up your turkey game this year and try out this bacon wrapped thanksgiving turkey recipe.
Here is a picture of the bacon lattice pre-roast which ensures the bacon stays on the turkey throughout the cooking process. Not only is it effective at locking in flavor, but it also looks amazing. Enjoy!
Here are some other ideas for a big holiday meal:
Why not pair this dish with an amazing Scallop Brussel Sprout Salad for the big day.
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Bacon Wrapped Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients
- 13 lbs Turkey
- 2 lbs Thick cut bacon
- Butter mix:
- 2 Sticks butter, 1 cup, softened at room temp
- 10 Sprigs Fresh Thyme leaves
- 5 Sprigs rosemary
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup Brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper (to taste)
- For cooking the turkey:
- 1/2 onion, quartered
- 1 Carrot, cut into 3 pieces
- 3 Celery stalks, cut into large pieces
- 10 Sprigs thyme
- 5 Sprigs rosemary
- 2 Bay leaves
Instructions
- Thaw the Turkey! Make sure that the turkey is thawed and bring out of the fridge a couple hours before cooking to allow the temp to rise which will help the turkey cook faster.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
- Make the butter mix:
- Mince garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Combine all ingredients together with butter in a bowl. Spread butter all over turkey, under skin, inside cavity.
- Stuff the turkey:
- Stuff the turkey cavity with the onion, carrot, celery, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
- Bacon lattice:
- Weave the bacon into a lattice on top of the turkey so that all of the breast meat is covered. Then cover the legs and wings with bacon as well.
- Once you are ready to put the turkey in the over reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F and place the turkey inside.
- Check in on the turkey after 1.5 hours. If the bacon is browning too quickly then place tin foil on the areas that are browning too quickly which will slow the cooking, but this will also slow the cooking of the turkey.
- A 13 pound turkey will take 3-4 hours to cook. (13-15 minutes per pound). Try to minimize the time that you open the oven door as the heat release will increase the cooking time.
- If the Turkey thigh cooks faster than the breast then place tin foil on the legs. For us the turkey thigh reached 175 after 3 hours so I placed tin foil on the legs to slow the cooking while the breast was still at 135. The turkey breast meat reached 163 at 4 hours.
- Once the breast and leg meat reach the appropriate temperatures (165 for breast meat and 175 for thigh meat) remove the turkey and tilt up so that the juices from inside the bird flow into the pan. Then place the turkey on a cutting board and allow to rest for 15 minutes (at least) before carving.