Bacon-wrapping a turkey: Brine or no brine?

[Illinois Hokie]

So I'm planning on smoking my first Thanksgiving turkey this year, and I THOUGHT I had everything planned out. 24 hours in a brine, air dry overnight in the fridge, a nice turkey rub and an apple smoke. Then my mother in law, who thought my meatloaf fatty with a bacon weave was an out of body experience, discovered some info online bacon-wrapping a turkey and asked me if I'd do that.

My question: is bacon-wrapping a brined turkey overkill? Would that render a bird too salty to consume? Should I just forget about the brine and let the rendering bacon fat do the basting during the smoke? Or will the bacon grease merely crisp the skin but not penetrate the meat?

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

[JZ]

Sorry I can't help.

But if the MIL says to try it then you can always blame her if it doesn't turn out and if it does then you have a happy MIL, which means you have a happy wife. And we all know that a happy wife means a happy life. Everybody is a winner ;D

Probably better to wait for someone with more experience than me, to give you some real advice. Wouldn't want to chance ruining a family get together. :o Good luck. :)

[zueth]

How many pieces of bacon would that take

[devo]

I had to google this and found mixed reviews on it.

Want it? Not so much! All that bacon must make the skin flabby and the only part of a roasted turkey worth eating is the crispy skin! And the gravy, over lumpy mashed potatoes, but that's not really part of the turkey, is it?

wrong about flabby skin for chow's version, here's why: the skin is crisped up before the bacon is put on, so not only do you get crispy skin, but you get crispy bacon AND meat will be slightly baconesque and moist AND the gravy, too, for the taters has that extra something special.

Yes, this is kind of gross...but I'll bet that if you just close your eyes and chew, it tastes pretty good. WRONG

Best turkey ever...my aunt has done it for years, and hers is the only turkey i eat!

We tried it 11/23/2011 & the turkey does not "soak" in the flavor. I presume thats because the skin blocks it but my point is why go through the trouble when you don't taste a difference? Bacon wrapped turkey is a fail.

So if I was doing this I would brine it like you planned. Smoke it till almost done (165°F internal temp) Transfer to kitchen oven with your new layer of bacon wrap on the bird and crisp the bird/bacon up. Sounds like a extra step that is not needed but who knows.

Not my thanks giving turkey thank you very much  ::)

[Habanero Smoker]

I generally don't like the combination of poultry and bacon. Bacon wrapped turkey must be trending.  :) Yesterday in the Food & Wine newsletter one of the recipes was pancetta wrapped turkey. This recipe the turkey is not completely wrapped; only two reviews and both highly rate it.

Pancetta-Wrapped Turkey

[muebe]

Now if I were going to try this I would remove the turkey skin completely and then wrap it with the bacon. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. I want to see pictures ;)

[Ka Honu]

I've inserted bacon under the skin and used it in a butter rub (both successful) but this one just looks like a gimmick with no redeeming value.

[Illinois Hokie]

Thanks everyone.

Whenever I oven roast a turkey I always lay strips of bacon over the breast. It's a tip I picked up from my dad a whole back that he said keeps the breast meat moist. I've always had success with it but figured with brining it wouldn't be necessary in the smoker.

The way I look at it I don't expect this to really add any dimension to the turkey, but I also don't expect it to hurt anything. I'm sure the skin will be delicious and the meat will taste like it otherwise would have and maybe be a little moister. I'll chalk it up to a favor for my MIL.

Pics to follow. :)

[KyNola]

this one just looks like a gimmick with no redeeming value.

Ditto!