Bacon Lattice Turkey Food

BACON LATTICE TURKEY

Steps:

• To make the bacon butter: Pulse the butter, chopped bacon, and herbs until smooth in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.
• Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey's cavity. Save the neck for making stock and the giblets for making gravy. Set the turkey breast-side up on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan. Liberally rub the turkey inside and out with the bacon butter. Put the onion pieces in the cavity of the turkey. Tie the turkey's legs together with a piece of kitchen twine, if desired.
• Wrap each leg with 2 slices of bacon. Wrap each wing with 1 slice of bacon, tucking the ends underneath the bird or in the crease between the leg and the breast.
• Lay 8 slices of bacon side by side on a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Make sure the slices are as close together as possible. Working from the bottom up, weave another 8 slices of bacon into the first layer. Again, make sure these slices are as close together as possible.
• Place the woven bacon onto the turkey breasts: Set the piece of paper next to the roasting pan and line the bacon blanket up at an angle to create a diamond. Carefully flip the paper over the turkey breast. Don't worry about aligning it perfectly - you will still be able to move the blanket a little once you get it into place. Remove the parchment and tuck the blanket in and around the breast and into the leg crease. Trim any excessive overhanging bacon with scissors, if desired.
• Heat the oven to 425°F Pour 2 cups of water into the roasting pan underneath the turkey. This will create steam in the oven and prevent the bacon from rapidly shrinking and falling off the bird. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes to darken and crisp the skin.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and roast for an additional 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The rule of thumb for cooking a turkey is 13 minutes per pound, but more important than time is the temperature of the turkey.
• Use a probe thermometer to test the turkey in 3 places: the breast, the outer thigh, and between the thigh and breast. The turkey should reach 165°F in all 3 places.
• Carefully remove the turkey and the roasting rack to a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet. Rest the turkey for at least 30 minutes before carving. Use the drippings to make gravy, if desired.

BACON LATTICE BREAKFAST PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange 5 strips of the bacon in parallel rows on a baking sheet lined with parchment, the edges of the slices touching but not overlapping. Working with 1 strip at a time, arrange the remaining strips perpendicular to the first ones, weaving the strips over and under to form a lattice.
• Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Roll the puff pastry into a 12-inch square and press into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared dish. Trim the edges that overhang with a paring knife. Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Pour into the puff pastry shell. Bake the bacon lattice and the eggs until the bacon is just starting to crisp and the eggs are still jiggly in the center but slightly set, about 15 minutes.
• Use two spatulas to lift the bacon lattice and place it on top of the eggs. Continue baking until the bacon is golden brown and crisp and the eggs are set, about 25 minutes. The eggs will be very puffy (they will deflate as the pie rests). Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

BACON-WRAPPED TURKEY

Steps:

• Add 2 cups water to pan. Roast, uncovered, until bacon is lightly browned, 25-30 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350°. Bake until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°, about 90 minutes longer. Cover loosely with foil if bacon browns too quickly., Remove from oven. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.