| 1 |
Wash turkey and remove all remains of feathers. Burn off if necessary. Be sure if your using a store bought turkey to take out the packing in both the body crevice as well as the throat cavity. Frozen turkeys should be thawed in the refrigerator not in your kitchen sink... but I do find sometimes the packing are still frozen and warm water run into the crevice will help you dislodge them. Be sure that the water runs clear from the insides of the turkey before preparing it.
Leave the legs tied together so you do not have to re-truss them. |
| 2 |
Mix seasonings into a bowl and rub into crevices as well as all over the carcass and under the skin on breast and thighs as best you can. |
| 3 |
Tuck wings behind themselfs so they do not flop down on the turkey breast. Place turkey breast side down in large roaster. (if you do not have one use a 13 x 9 baking pan lined with aluminum foil be sure to cover the ENTIRE pan so it is completely sealed. NOTE: It is believed that aluminum may cause Alzheimer's.) |
| 4 |
Cover the top of turkey with 1/2 the bacon, draping the pieces of raw meat over it so that it covers the turkey. This will completely do away with your needing to baste the turkey and letting the steam out of your oven. |
| 5 |
If you used aluminum foil to line your pan you will now make a tent with two sheets folded together so that it does not touch the turkey but covers it completely and seals with the pan bottom. If you used the roast pan be sure the lid fits securely so it will hold in the moisture. IF you are unsure of your fittings... I have lined my lid with foil in order to create a seal with the lower roasting pan. |
| 6 |
Total cooking time for turkey is 18 - 20 minutes per pound, depending on how hot your oven cooks. I use 350° oven. After it has cooked 1/2 the time remove the lid and take the bacon from the turkey. Turn turkey over and sprinkle the remaining seasoning from the bowl over the breast and put the last half of the bacon strips over the breast and legs etc of the turkey. Reseal the pan as you did for the first half and allow to cook for all but 30 minutes of the remaining time. |
| 7 |
30 minutes before the turkey is due to be done I remove the lid and the bacon and allow to cook to a nice brown color. |