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.
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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.
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