Bacon Wrapped Roast Turkey

With the addition of the bacon while roasting, this Bacon Wrapped Roast Turkey comes out moist and so delicious!  Makes a great gravy too!  Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinner.

This is one of my most favourite turkey recipes.  Over the last several years we have been brining our turkeys, and while we do love them prepared this way, we have a new favourite…Bacon Wrapped Roast Turkey.  This recipe includes roasting times for small (approx 7.5 lbs) and large turkeys (approx 12 – 14 lbs).

Moist and SO Flavourful!

Yes.  A turkey that has been wrapped in, and roasted in bacon comes out so moist and delicious.  I can’t even begin to tell you.  I’m not sure we’ll ever cook a turkey another way ever again.  I think it even tastes better than a turkey that has been brined, and it’s sure a heck of a lot easier.  So if you’re cooking a turkey this coming holiday, consider wrapping it in bacon!  Because bacon.

Bacon Wrapped Turkey Cooking Tips

And don’t be afraid to cook a turkey, because it’s not as hard as you might think!  True story.  It’s really just as simple as putting a turkey in a pan, adding some spices, covering it in bacon and putting it the oven.  Dinner is done.  Actually, the turkey is the easiest part of the turkey dinner…it’s the side dishes that are all the work!

• Bake the stuffing separately.
• You can make gravy with the pan drippings.
• See below for roasting times for both small and larger turkeys.

Bake the Stuffing Separately

Speaking of side dishes, I don’t stuff this turkey with stuffing.  Gasp.  I know right?  But honestly, I like to bake my stuffing separately.  I just find that the stuffing comes out less mushy, and with the bacon in this turkey recipe, I would be afraid the stuffing would be too greasy.  And I should mention that a turkey that is not filled with stuffing cooks much much faster than one that is.  That’s good to know so you don’t over cook your bird.

What About the Gravy?

Oh, which reminds me, we need to talk about the gravy…yes you can make gravy from the dripping of this bacon roasted turkey.  We’ve made the gravy with the drippings from this turkey recipe every time, and it always comes out delicious.  It has a slight bacon flavour, and it’s rich and you’ll want to slather it all over your mashed potatoes.

Bacon Wrapped Roast Turkey

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This turkey comes out moist and so delicious with the addition of the bacon while roasting. This recipe does not account for any stuffing added to the turkey. I bake my stuffing separately.

• Author: Jo-Anna Rooney
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Turkey
• Method: Roasting

Ingredients

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Option #1:  A Small Turkey

• 1 – 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 lb turkey (approx 4 – 5 servings)
• 1 package of bacon (you might need 2 depending on the size of the turkey)
• pepper
• sage and thyme (optional)
• tin foil

Option #2:  A Large Turkey

• 1 – 12 to 14 lb turkey (approx 8 servings)
• 2 packages of bacon
• pepper
• sage and thyme (optional)
• tin foil

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Instructions

Option #1:  A Small Turkey (approx 4 – 5 servings)

1. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. Yes, you read that right, and don’t worry, you’ll see.
2. Prepare your turkey (rinse it if you like), pat dry and place in a roasting pan. Make sure the skin from the neck of the turkey fully covers the cavity of the turkey, and that the legs and wings are tucked in.
3. Sprinkle the turkey with ground pepper and any spices that you would like. (you don’t need to add salt because the bacon is salty enough)
4. Cover the turkey with the slices of bacon, making sure it is fully covered.
5. Then wrap the turkey tightly in tin foil.
6. Place the turkey into the oven and immediately TURN DOWN the heat to 350 degrees F.
7. Roast for 35 – 40 minutes per 2 lbs, so a turkey of this size will need to roast for approximately  to 2 and a 1/2 hours.
8. But after about 1 and a 1/2 hours of roasting time, remove the tin foil from the turkey, and continue baking.
9. The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 – 170 degrees F.
10. When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven, cover it in fresh tin foil and let rest about 15 minutes, or long enough to get the rest of your dinner together.

Option #2:  A Large Turkey (approx 8 servings)

1. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Prepare your turkey (rinse it if you like), pat dry and place in a roasting pan. Make sure the skin from the neck of the turkey fully covers the cavity of the turkey, and that the legs and wings are tucked in.
3. Sprinkle the turkey with ground pepper and any spices that you would like. (you don’t need to add salt because the bacon is salty enough)
4. Cover the turkey with the slices of bacon, making sure it is fully covered.
5. Then wrap the turkey tightly in tin foil.
6. Place the turkey into the oven and immediately TURN DOWN the heat to 350 degrees F.
7. Roast for 35 – 40 minutes per 2 lbs, so a turkey of this size will need to roast for approximately  to 3 and a 1/2 hours.
8. But after about 2 and a 1/2 hours of roasting time, remove the tin foil from the turkey, and continue baking.
9. The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 – 170 degrees F.
10. When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven, cover it in fresh tin foil and let rest about 15 minutes, or long enough to get the rest of your dinner together.

Keywords: bacon wrapped turkey, roast turkey, turkey

Recipe adapted from this Jamie Oliver recipe.– – –

Anyway, I hope you try this recipe and love it!

More Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

Need some recipe ideas for a complete turkey dinner?  I’ve got you covered!  Visit here for everything from breakfast ideas, to appetizers, salads, side dishes, desserts and the main dish!

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Have a delicious day!