Victoria began hosting Friendsgiving celebrations as a way to get all of her (and later, Andrew’s) college friends together. This turkey made an appearance the first Friendsgiving in 2015 and was a big hit with everyone! It became a requested menu item the second year, and every year after. This turkey requires a little bit of prep time, so plan accordingly!

Each year, Victoria buys a bigger and bigger turkey to be able to enjoy the leftovers throughout the week, but there is never anything left no matter how big the turkey or how many people.

Salt

1 – 2 lbs. bacon

2 – 3 sticks butter

Herbs (Rosemary, thyme, sage, etc. but Italian Seasoning will work in a pinch)

1 medium onion, cut in half

17 – 20 lb. turkey

Allow turkey to thaw in the refrigerator for about a week. It is not necessary to buy a more expensive turkey (like Butterball) for this recipe.

Three days before cooking, remove the turkey from its packaging and remove gravy and giblets. Place the turkey in a large plastic bag or several grocery bags and pour lots of salt on the turkey, taking care to get into the crevices of the wings and thighs and into the cavity. Place into roasting pan or stock pot, as there will be a lot of juice that escapes, and place into the refrigerator.

The evening before cooking, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and rinse off the salt thoroughly. Move to a roasting pan and carefully separate the skin from the meat, but do not remove the skin and try not to tear it. The more skin that can be separated, the better.

For the herb butter, soften (do not melt) the butter in the microwave. Add lots of chopped herbs of your choice, salt, and about ½ pound of the bacon chopped into fine pieces. (This can also be done several days ahead of time and left on the counter to soften on the day you prepare your turkey.) Using your hands, take the butter and rub it onto the meat under the skin, getting onto as much area as you can reach. Use about ¼ of the butter mixture on top of the turkey, especially the legs.

To make the bacon lattice, alternate layering the bacon close together on top of the bird. While the lattice itself isn’t necessary, it makes for a nicer looking finished piece. Any loose pieces of bacon should be secured with a toothpick to keep them from falling off in the oven. Chop the onion in half and put inside the bird. Cover with aluminum foil and put in the refrigerator.

On the morning of, preheat the oven to 450º F. and bake the turkey for 30 minutes. Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and turn down the temperature to 325º F, cooking for about 3 ½ hours or until the white meat reaches 165º.

Main Courses, 2019