Description
This Bacon Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey recipe delivers a juicy, flavorful centerpiece perfect for your holiday feast. The bird is seasoned with a smoky spice blend and a savory bacon paste under the skin, then roasted atop a flavorful bed of aromatics including celery, carrots, apples, and herbs. This method ensures a moist, golden-brown turkey with deliciously crisp bacon-infused breast meat and a beautifully seasoned skin.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey and Seasoning
- 12-15 pounds turkey
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 pound bacon, roughly chopped
- Additional salt and pepper, as needed
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Aromatics
- 6 celery ribs, roughly chopped
- 6 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 2 apples, quartered
- 1 lemon, sliced in half
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Prep the turkey: Fully thaw your 12-15 pound turkey. Remove it from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 1 hour to take the chill off before roasting. Remove the giblets and neck, and pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Make the spice blend and bacon paste: In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, light brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons of this mixture. Place the remaining spice blend and chopped bacon into a food processor and pulse 10-15 times until it forms a coarse paste.
- Prepare the aromatics and stuff the turkey: Carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast by gently sliding your fingers under the skin at the front and back. Season the inside cavities liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavities with the roughly chopped celery, carrots, onions, apples, lemon halves, and fresh herb sprigs. Arrange any leftover aromatics at the bottom of your roasting pan to create a bed, elevating the turkey above the cooking juices.
- Apply the bacon paste under the skin: Using your hands, evenly massage and distribute the spiced bacon paste under the loosened skin over the turkey breasts until all the paste is used. Drizzle olive oil over the outside of the turkey and then sprinkle the reserved 2 tablespoons of spice rub evenly on the skin. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wingtips under the body.
- Roast the turkey: Place the turkey breast-side up on the bed of aromatics in the roasting pan, ensuring the bottom of the bird does not touch the pan. Tent the breast area with foil to protect it from drying out. Roast in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for approximately 13-15 minutes per pound. Remove the foil tent halfway through roasting. Optionally baste the turkey every 30 minutes with pan juices for extra moisture and browning. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160°F in the breast thickest part and 170°F in the thighs, then remove from oven. The temperature will continue to rise to 165°F while resting.
- Rest and carve: Loosely cover the turkey with foil and let it rest for 30-45 minutes before carving. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Use the pan drippings to make a delicious gravy, if desired.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Tip: You can prepare the turkey up to 24 hours in advance by applying the rub, stuffing the aromatics, and tying the legs. Keep refrigerated until use. Remove from fridge and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting.
- Use a reliable instant-read thermometer to ensure accurate internal temperature measurements for safe and juicy results.
- Basting is optional but helps with extra crispy skin and deeper flavor.
- Allow the turkey to rest well before carving to retain moistness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 6 oz cooked turkey)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
