Serves a Crowd
Bacon Bird With Turkey Neck Gravy
Popular on Food52
82 Reviews
Caroline N.
November 2, 2022
I have always roasted the turkey this way, and made stock from the turkey neck and bits to make gravy with. You can also lay some chipolata sausages around the turkey in the pan (if you can find them), they end up a delicious addition.
Susanna
November 22, 2021
Wow. I am not making a whole turkey for Thanksgiving this year, but I’m going to try this soon with a whole chicken. Sounds fabulous.
cookinginvictoria
October 12, 2020
I’m making this turkey today for Canadian Thanksgiving. It’s now my favorite way to roast a turkey! Thanks for such a great recipe, Abbie. Hope you are well.
AntoniaJames
September 8, 2020
After years of spatchcocking or taking apart the bird and cooking ahead (Paul Virant's recipe in the "Genius" collection here), I'm seriously thinking about going roasting a whole bird, this way. (And yes, I'm already planning Thanksgiving. With snow in the forecast later today, I'm getting into the mood a bit early!)
Hope you're well, Abbie. I miss you. ;o)
Hope you're well, Abbie. I miss you. ;o)
aargersi
September 8, 2020
Hello AJ how are you? It’s never too soon to plan Thanksgiving ! I’m doing it too!
Hallie1
November 5, 2019
Should I cover the turkey with foil too? Or cook totally uncovered? Except for a bacon blanket of course!
aargersi
November 6, 2019
Unless the bacon blanket it looking too brown, no need to cover. Kinda depends on how big your bird is and how long roasting time is …
Hope you like it!!!
Hope you like it!!!
Melissa C.
November 25, 2016
THIS. WAS. AMAZING. I have made Alton Brown's "Good Eats Roast Turkey" for years and it was the turkey against which all others are measured. THIS was unbelievable and the gravy was among the most sublimely delicious things I've ever eaten.
tamater S.
December 27, 2015
I would love to hear from all the people who did make this Christmas!
We didn't 'do' Christmas this year, after all, so I'm still wondering if it's going to be worth it to buy a bottle of brandy hanging around for, 2 T. used from it 3 or 4 times a year?
We didn't 'do' Christmas this year, after all, so I'm still wondering if it's going to be worth it to buy a bottle of brandy hanging around for, 2 T. used from it 3 or 4 times a year?
Chris G.
December 27, 2015
Jesse Mojica & aargersi
Chris' Comments & I hope this does not sound "Snarky" but the "experts say something else about the alcohol@
If you do the web research, almost all the "experts" say there will always be some residual alcohol when you use it in cooking, not just the flavor but some of the alcohol as well! (probably almost all the alcohol in the wine will burn off during the roasting of the turkey..not the brandy, though.
*
Questions and Answers - Alcohol Burn Off in Cooking (chart included)
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/AlcoholCooking.htm
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Alcohol Substitutions in Cooking
http://whatscookingamerica.net/alcoholsub.htm
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There is a solution to using the brandy: Make two batches of gravy & use the brandy to thin the one batch and turkey/chicken stock to thin the other just prior to serving & put the gravy in different colored bowls!
Chris' Comments & I hope this does not sound "Snarky" but the "experts say something else about the alcohol@
If you do the web research, almost all the "experts" say there will always be some residual alcohol when you use it in cooking, not just the flavor but some of the alcohol as well! (probably almost all the alcohol in the wine will burn off during the roasting of the turkey..not the brandy, though.
*
Questions and Answers - Alcohol Burn Off in Cooking (chart included)
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/AlcoholCooking.htm
*
Alcohol Substitutions in Cooking
http://whatscookingamerica.net/alcoholsub.htm
*
There is a solution to using the brandy: Make two batches of gravy & use the brandy to thin the one batch and turkey/chicken stock to thin the other just prior to serving & put the gravy in different colored bowls!
Raj M.
November 26, 2015
Used this recipe for thanksgiving this year. Worked out great. Get most of the flavor of a brine without actually having to do it. Having said that, I think I will brine and follow this recipe next year. Seriously might be the best gravy I've ever had. And my kids devoured the bacon. Was a perfect snack to tide them over until dinner was ready.
alex H.
November 25, 2014
Hi- can't wait to make this. When you said it was 4 hours total, did that include the 3 hours with the bacon on it? Or did you do 3 hours with the bacon, take off the bacon, and then another 4 hours?
aargersi
November 26, 2014
Hi Alex, 4 total - 3 with bacon and then an hour to finish and get golden - also remember times vary depending on the size of your bird and your oven so check temps as well!!!
Micheline C.
November 24, 2014
Im making this on Wednesday...Have looked at several recipes but this one sounds easy and can almost taste the Bacon-Turkey...Fingers crossed I dont mess this up
jakestavis
November 12, 2014
if i wanted to make this with a 20-22 lb bird, how long should i roast it?
aargersi
November 12, 2014
Unstuffed - 4-4.5 hours - Butterball has a chart (I can never remember):
http://www.butterball.com/how-tos/roast-a-turkey#section_577
And remember to let it rest, too!
http://www.butterball.com/how-tos/roast-a-turkey#section_577
And remember to let it rest, too!
jakestavis
November 12, 2014
thank you! made this last year and it was a huge hit, hoping to pull off the same with a bigger bird
aargersi
November 12, 2014
That's awesome! I am making it too - I am going to do an apple cider brine first to add one more layer of goodness. My bird is going to be 24 lbs so - yeah, big guy.
LINDA
November 24, 2013
I really wanted to try something different this year and can't wait to try this on Thursday! Thanks for the Awesome recipe!
Kitchen B.
December 29, 2012
This was an easy recipe to make - the kids and I gathered round the bird and draped it with bacon. Such fun.
But that wasn't all. In a week of Turkey many things, the left over bacon has served a great purpose: Malta-Maple Bacon Jam. No one wanted to eat the bacon, roasted as it was - it was a tad salty (usually we desalt our bacon by giving it a couple of hot-water soaks). Anyways, Bacon Jam had been on my mind for AGES and so it was.
And is.
Delicious.
See http://www.kitchenbutterfly.com/2012/12/29/malta-maple-bacon-jam/
But that wasn't all. In a week of Turkey many things, the left over bacon has served a great purpose: Malta-Maple Bacon Jam. No one wanted to eat the bacon, roasted as it was - it was a tad salty (usually we desalt our bacon by giving it a couple of hot-water soaks). Anyways, Bacon Jam had been on my mind for AGES and so it was.
And is.
Delicious.
See http://www.kitchenbutterfly.com/2012/12/29/malta-maple-bacon-jam/
Esther G.
November 23, 2012
Really great turkey recipe. It was so nice to not have to baste but the one time.
VOS
November 23, 2012
My 15.5# turkey was done in 2.5 hours. After carving the large parts I did return them to the oven in some liquid just for a minute or two for the joints to be fully cooked. Also, I removed the bacon after one hour so it was still usable for other dishes. Other than that, great recipe.
JadeTree
November 23, 2012
We had so much fun with this bird! It was fun to prep; between the bacon wrapping and the bottle-of-wine-pouring, it felt like a holiday indeed. It cooked in about 3.5 hours, almost completely ignored, and the breast was exceptionally moist for the grateful white-meat eaters. Delicious gravy. We used sherry, which is a family tradition, and enjoyed the touch of sweet nuttiness. And it's just as tasty on the sandwich of leftovers, which is a crucial factor. The cooked bacon created two problems, however: it made people swarm the kitchen while we were trying to do the potato/parsnip mash and dressing ,and also one guest overindulged on stolen bacon and regretted a stomach still half full at dinner time. Food52 problems! Thanks for the new turkey for this year's holiday!
selena
November 18, 2012
I must add a comment here in tribute to my father, an italian immigrant. He prepared our turkey like this since I can remember (50's) sans the apple. I use applewood smoked bacon nowadays.
Oui, C.
November 15, 2012
You go girl! Everything is better when wrapped in bacon....the other other white meat.
LocalSavour
November 15, 2012
WOWZER This looks and sounds amazing! Congratulations on your fine win Abbie!
Meatballs&Milkshakes
November 14, 2012
Congrats! Sounds fantastic! Almost wish I was in charge of the cooking this Thanksgiving!
sexyLAMBCHOPx
November 14, 2012
Congrats, I would make this as well if I was doing the bird this year!
Bevi
November 14, 2012
Congrats Abbie!! I am going to love making this with Vermont maple cured bacon!
dymnyno
November 14, 2012
Congratulations Abbie!!!! You and Helen sure made this a tough contest. I have you both in my "Food52 Thanksgiving" list. Your recipe for turkey is one of most creative I have ever been about to try. Thank goodness calories, carbs and fat don't count on Thanksgiving!
lapadia
November 14, 2012
Congratulations! Wow, that is some picture in my mind = a turkey encased in bacon!! :)
arielleclementine
November 9, 2012
congratulations, aargersi!!! sage polka dots + a bacon pashmina = the most deliciously fashionable turkey eva!
NakedBeet
November 9, 2012
Wow, this is so hard to decide on which one, but this is going in the keeper pile; I love the sound of this recipe!
EmilyC
November 9, 2012
Hooray! I'm SO happy to see this as a finalist, Abbie! LOVE the idea of a self-basting bacon-cloaked bird. Congrats!
Kukla
November 9, 2012
Congratulations aargersi on being a finalist!! A great recipe and a very delicious looking bird, as always!!
AntoniaJames
November 8, 2012
Congratulations, aargersi! I've been drooling over this one since you first posted it. Cannot wait to try the bacon + sage combo. Brilliant! ;o) P.S. This is such an unselfish recipe. I always hoard and nibble away at the neck meat (i always roast it), as it's my favorite part of the bird.
aargersi
November 8, 2012
Thanks AJ! Yours is fantastic too! And seriously - if my mother in law is even in the neighborhood I have to hide the neck from her
Madhuja
November 8, 2012
If my husband hadn't turned vegetarian this year, I think this would be on my table for Thanksgiving dinner! Congratulations, aargersi!
mrslarkin
November 8, 2012
If a turkey and a pig had a baby, it would be this beautiful bird, swaddled in bacon! Congrats, aargersi!
Midge
November 8, 2012
Congrats aargersi! Makes me wish I was in charge of the bird this Thanksgiving. Next year!
darksideofthespoon
November 8, 2012
I need this in my belly, now - darn Canada for having their thanksgiving in October! This'll be on the Christmas roster for sure... Good luck!
MarshaC
November 8, 2012
This looks delicious. I will have to try it out! Congratulations on being a finalist.
zieker
October 24, 2012
This year I'll be making T-day dinner for 2 (I'm making my younger sister eat at my house for a change) and you can be darn sure my turkey's going to be wearing a thick sweater of bacon this year! — I've always basted my birds in dry vermouth and drank the white wine. :-) Nice one, Abs!
aargersi
October 24, 2012
:-) A pork pashmina if you will. Buy two bottles, one for you and one for the bird. Well, and one for each sister too - you will need 4 bottles. Ha ha!!!
AntoniaJames
October 23, 2012
Divine. Utterly divine. Especially the sage-flavored pieces of bacon. Love this! ;o)
aargersi
October 24, 2012
Thanks! yeah - the bacon never survives long enough to make it into the gravy, but if it did I would add it! Our kitchen vultures are - um - vulture-y!!!
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