Best Thanksgiving Turkey with Woven Bacon Strips
It's a meal that promises huge flavours and a happy full belly. The perfect Thanksgiving turkey recipe that promises the juiciest meat, cripsy bacons, and umami gravy. The turkey is flavourful and luscious!
Servings 15 people
Equipment
- food processor
- turkey baster
- large roasting pan
Ingredients
- 7 kg defrosted turkey
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 whole garlic
- 1 large white onion
- 1 package smoked bacon stips
Gravy
- neck of the turkey
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp flour
- salt and pepper to your taste
Instructions
Turkey Preparation
- Wash the defrosted turkey and dry with paper towel.
- Using a fork, poke holes along all parts of the turkey legs and breasts. Space them out evenly and not so close together or the skin might break. Use 1 tbsp of kosher salt and rub all over the turkey. Set aside.
Marinate Preparation
- Use a frying pan and add the canola oil. Heat until it smokes.
- In the meantime, combine all the spice together: rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, paprika and salt.
- In a food processor, chop finely the whole bulb of garlic and onion. Combine well with the spices. Put in a heat proof glass bowl.
- Pour the hot oil on top of the bowl of spices, and stir well to combine everything.
- To marinate the turkey, wear gloves first. Place the turkey in a dish that is deep and that will also fit inside your fridge. Take a handful of the marinate and start to rub the turkey all over it. Be vigerous and rub hard. Rub the cavity of the turkey as well. If you have extra marinate, put it on top of the turky and inside the cavity.
- Plastic wrap the turkey and place it in the fridge. Marinate at least 6 hours or overnight.
Cooking the Turkey
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Place rack in the middle of the oven, and take out the other racks.
- Take the turkey out, move the turkey to the large roasting pan, and discard the plastic wraps.
- Start to weave the bacon strips on top of the turkey. Make sure it overlaps the legs and breasts.
- For each end of the bacon strips, secure it on to the turkey but poking it with toothpicks. I recommend to count the number of toothpicks used, so when you take it out, you have taken them all out and not forget one of them.
- Lay a sheet of tinfoil on top of the the turkey securely.
- Place the turkey inside and set the timer for 3.5 hours. (15-20 minutes per pound).
30 Minute Interval Basting
- Open the oven door and remove the tin foil, move the rack out a bit (not all the way because it is heavy and it will flip!!) and bast the turkey with the juice at the bottom of the pan. Give it a good bast for the legs and breasts. Put the tinfoil back on top and close the oven door.
Final Stages of Cooking
- Use a meat thermometer and insert it to the thigh of the turkey. Turkey is done when it reads 170°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
- For the last one hour of your cooking time, remove the tin foil and let bacon get crispy.
- When it is time to remove the turkey, allow it to sit outside for 30 minutes before carving.
Turkey Gravy
- Once the turkey is moved from the large roasting pan, take the juice out of the pan. Defat the oil from the juice.
- Take the neck of the turkey (included inside the raw cavity of the turkey when you defrost it), and put it in a pot along with 2 cups of water. Boil in medium low heat for 20 minutes along with the juice of the cooked turkey. Discard the neck.
- In a large cooking pan, fry the flour until brown and fragrant, 2 minutes. Take out the whisk and start to stir when you pour the juice in the cooking pan. Keep whisking until the gravy becomes well blended and with no flour lumps. Cook for 5-10 minutes on low.
- OPTIONAL: Put the chunky gravy into a blender if you want a smooth puree consistency.
- Salt and pepper to your taste.