Bacon-Coated Turkey

Curious what can make a Thanksgiving Day turkey even more flavorful? Bacon! Bear Mountain ambassador Dustin Hotaling with @FlipFlopsBBQ shows us how it’s done. 

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes 

Cook Time: 4 hours 

Ingredients: 

-Turkey (at least a 15 lb bird)  

-1 to 1 ½ lbs of Bacon 

-Rub of choice (I recommend Gulf Coast Smoke’s Southern Hospitality BBQ Seasoning and Southern Bell BBQ Seasoning) 

- John Henry's Pecan Rub 

-2 Oranges 

-2 Lemons 

-Rosemary 

-Thyme 

-3 Garlic Cloves (whole)

-2 Garlic Cloves (diced)

-Butter 

-2 cups of Fllour 

-Salt and Pepper 

-Bear Mountain Bourbon BBQ Pellets 

Instructions:  

1. Stuff the turkey with oranges, lemons, 3 whole garlic cloves, rosemary and thyme. 
2. Mix together salt, pepper, diced garlic, and butter for a butter compound. Rub under the turkey’s skin.
3. Sprinkle an even coat of the Pecan Rub and the Hospitality Rub on the turkey, then wrap the entire turkey in bacon. 
4. Add another coat of Pecan Rub over the bacon.
5. Set your grill or smoker to 250°F and fill the hopper with Bear Mountain Bourbon pellets. 
6. Place the turkey in a deep tray and put it on the grill or smoker.
7. Once the turkey reached an internal temp to 165 °F (this takes 3-4 hours), remove the bacon and place in the tray. Then remove the turkey and sit it on the grill to crisp up the skin.  
8. While the turkey is getting crisp, take the drippings and the bacon in the pan and place on the stove top at medium/high heat.  
9. Bring the drippings to a boil, add some flour and a little pepper to make the gravy.
10. After the turkey has gotten sufficiently crispy, remove it from the grill and let it rest for 45 minutes to an hour.  
11. Add your favorite family sides are for turkey day, set the table, and dig in!