Time For Turkey!
Once a year, most of the country makes a Turkey. Some brine it, deep fry it, smoke it, or just bake it in an oven. But why do that when you can do THIS?
Here is my favorite Thanksgiving Turkey recipe – simple yet delicious! A “maple glazed”bacon wrapped” Turkey!
It a terrific way to make your bird, and it’s simple!
There is no real prep work you can do except buy your Turkey ahead of time so that it is completely thawed on Thanksgiving morning – the rest of the recipe gets done from scratch!
Get Your First Bird Ready To Go!
First, take your thawed Turkey…we used a 14-pounder, which worked well….clean it out – setting aside the gizzard and neck for gravy stock of course! Pat your Turkey dry, salt and pepper the inside and then slather – and I mean SLATHER – the whole bird in butter…
I use a variety of fresh herbs like Rosemary and Sage, chopped up and integrated into the butter as I rub it on…and you can stuff some butter underneath the skin as well, so it bastes the bird as it roasts…and then you want to grab your best friend in the world…BACON!
Show The Bacon Love!
How easy is this? Decorate your Turkey with bacon! Be as creative as you want in layering the bacon across the turkey, some people even like to “braid” theirs…it will stick nicely to the butter, is easy to maneuver around the drumsticks and wings, and looks great when you are finished!
Time To Stick This Bird In The Oven!
Of course, I didn’t get a shot of the actual “maple glazing” – but you know what to do: just brush maple syrup over the bacon, painting it nicely for a great flavor and color!
For me, Turkeys are incredibly easy to make. You can always find great recipes and cooking guidelines online and in a wide variety of cookbooks and magazines, but I cooked my 14-pounder for 3-1/2 hours at 325 degrees.
Of course, you will use a thermometer to check the internal temperature, and you can tent it with aluminum foil or a brown paper bag if you want to avoid too much color…once at the proper temperature, take it out!
I let the bird rest for 20-30 minutes when done.
After that, all you need to do is carve and serve – I add a couple of slices of the crispy bacon along the side for extra flavor…oh, and if you REALLY want to be an overachiever, here is what someone did with the bacon:
That’s a very intricate weave, so you are on your own with that…
And if you want some amazing stuffing, try this recipe:
White Castle Stuffing!
This is no joke – White Castle burgers make a great stuffing! Listen, it tastes great, is easy to make and is a funny thing to talk about as well!
Another great new side dish to make is a variation on mashed potatoes – make a roasted “potato cake” instead!
This classic preparation is from Chez L’Ami Louis in Paris and it’s also a showstopper!
See the recipe for both here:
Let me know if you try any of these recipes!