BACON HERB ROASTED TURKEY
1 pound bacon, chopped
2 sticks butter
1 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup, chopped flat leaf parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, stems removed, chopped
3 sprigs fresh tarragon, stems removed, chopped
15 pound turkey, rinsed, drained and innards removed and reserved for gravy
1 medium red onion, peeled and quartered
1 large lemon, rested and quartered
1 blood orange, quartered
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh ground Himalayan salt
2 teaspoon fresh ground tricolor pepper
5 large carrots, washed and trimmed
5 stalks celery, washed and scraped
- Pulse together the bacon, shallots, garlic, sherry, green onions, mustard, tarragon, thyme and rosemary until you have a smooth paste.
- Refrigerate until chilled through. I like to make this part on Tuesday so it is well chilled.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lower oven rack to bottom.
- Arrange carrots and celery on bottom of roaster in a basket weave pattern.
- Place onion, lemon and orange quarters in turkey cavity.
- Tie legs with food grade twine or baking bands.
- Whisk together the lemon zest, avocado oil, salt and pepper.
- Carefully separate skin from the body without tearing or piercing the skin.
- Insert the bacon paste between skin and meat, massaging into an even layer.
- Coat the outside of the turkey with the oil.
- Pat brown sugar over oil.
- Place the turkey in the roaster on top of carrot and celery grid.
- Tent loosely with foil.
- Bake 20-25 minutes per pound or until turkey reaches 150° (in the thigh). Baste ever 20 minutes or so.
- Remove foil and bake uncovered until skin has browned and temperature has risen to 160°. Continue basting every 15 minutes or so. You want the skin to crisp, but NOT dry out.
- Remove turkey from oven, tent with foil and allow to rest 20 minutes or so.
