Lemon Bacon Turkey
- 20-24 lb.
Turkey - 4-5 Lemons
- ¾ Loaf Day old French Bread (or whatever bread you like to use)
- 1 Lg Onion
- 10-12 Cloves Garlic
- Salt & Pepper (or favorite seasoning mix- I like McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning)
- 3 Stalks of Celery
- 3 Carrots (or 10-12 Baby Carrots)
- 1/3 Cup Butter
- 5-6 Cups of Chicken or
Turkey - 5-7 Strips of Bacon
- 3-5 Tbl. Flour
Prep: (This can all be done the night before if you prefer)
- Slice Bread into bite size cubes and lay out on tray to dry [This needs to be done the night before!]
- Make sure turkey is defrosted.
- Slice 3-4 of the lemons for nice thin circular slices, quarter the other lemon (Remove seeds).
- Finely Dice Onion and Mince Garlic
- (In a small container combine ½ of the onion and about 7-8 of the minced cloves of garlic, add S&P or your own seasoning mix)- this is the base for the rub.
- Finely chop celery and carrots.
- (In a larger container combine celery carrots and the rest of the onion and garlic, and add seasoning)- this is the base for the stuffing.
Pre-Oven Prep: (Best done the morning of)
- Add ½ Cup of Stock to the Rub Base.
- Add dry bread to Stuffing Base. Melt 1/3 Cup butter and add to stuffing base with 1 ½- 2 Cups of Stock (depending on how dry or soggy you like your stuffing). Stir to combine and add more seasoning if needed.
- Before I start touching the turkey I like to set everything out that I will need.
- So grab a dish for the neck and the giblets (which I spray lightly with non-stick and sprinkle with seasoning), turkey twine (if your turkey doesn’t already have the little leg locks on it).
- I also grab a 5” square piece of foil and about 5 toothpicks (we’ll talk about this later) and some paper towels to pat dry the turkey and a small sharp knife.
- Grab turkey pan and roasting rack I usually put this on top of a cookie sheet to avoid spillage in the oven.
- Set up a clean working surface for the turkey, I like to use a large cookie sheet.
- Put everything you need (including the Rub, Stuffing and rest of Stock) in arms reach if you can so that it’s easily accessible.
- Remove turkey from packaging.
- Remove giblets and neck from either the neck cavity or the main cavity. Rinse giblets and neck and place in prepared pan.
- Rinse (with cold water) and pat dry turkey, both inside and out.
- Start with breast side up. Right near the cavity opening make slits in the skin on each side of the bird (long enough to fit your hand in, but on the edge so the skin doesn’t rib on the top). Take about ¼ of the rub and work it in between the breast and the skin on both sides. Then slide in 3-4 slices of lemon on each side.
- Next stuff the bird. I start with ½ of the quartered lemon and put it all the way in the back of the cavity (if the lemon mixes too much with the stuffing the stuffing will be really lemony). Then fill the rest of the cavity with stuffing, and end with another quarter of a lemon. [Some turkey experts say not to stuff your turkey for safety concerns, but as long as all my stuffing ingredients come straight from the cold fridge I haven’t had a problem- your call.] I usually have a little left over stuffing that I will use in a bit.
- Replace the legs in a leg locks (or tie with twine). Here is where I use the foil. I stick one end of it under the leg locks and use the toothpicks on the other end, so that cavity opening is completely covered (essential since I will the flipping the bird over). I sprinkle a little seasoning over the top of the bird.
- Flip the turkey over and repeat the rub process on the thighs. (Make a slit, work in the rest of the rub, slide in lemon slices all between the skin and the meat). Sprinkle a little more seasoning over the top. I place the rest of the stuffing in the neck cavity and attach the skin with a couple of toothpicks (make sure to remove the toothpicks, before serving).
- Pour 1 ½ - 2 Cups of stock in the bottom of the roasting pan and place the turkey (BREAST SIDE DOWN) on the roasting rack.
- Put turkey on the bottom rack of a 325 degree oven. Cooking times depends on the size of the turkey, but with a large bird, stuffed I plan on 4 ¾ hours- 5 ½ hours. Check out the FDA website for turkey cooking times and safety tips.
- I roast the giblets in the oven for the first hour the turkey is cooking, just sprinkle a little seasoning on the top. My husband likes them as his appetizer.
- At half way through (2 ½ hours for a 24 lb. turkey), remove turkey from oven and flip it so breast side is up. (I wrap hot pads in foil to put on each end of the turkey and usually enlist the assistance of my much stronger husband). Return to oven.
- When there is about an hour left. Remove turkey one more time (which does increase cooking time just a bit) and lay the strips of bacon across the top the bird. (If you want to be healthy don’t add the bacon, but really if it’s the holidays, splurge a little, it tastes delicious)! Return to oven
- When time is up, check with a meat thermometer. It should read 165 degrees in the thickest part of the meat. When temperature has been reached remove from oven. Place turkey in a different pan or a cutting board (with indentations, because there will be juices). Scoop stuffing from both cavities (discard foil and toothpicks) and put into an oven safe pan.
- Cover turkey with foil and let rest for 20 minutes.
- I like my stuffing a little crispy, so I put it under the broiler for about 5 minutes.
Gravy:
- In a sealable container put flour and about a cup of stock. Shake vigorously until flour dissolves. Pour about ½- ¾ of the juices left in the roasting pan into a sauce pan (I don’t add any butter or oil, because there is enough bacon drippings in the juices).
- Over medium heat bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add about ½ of flour mixture, stirring constantly, until gravy thickens.
- Slowly add more of the flour mixture until you’ve reached desired consistency.
- Season as needed.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
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