This Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast was the perfect entrée for any small holiday meal, and it’s made its way into our regular rotation for our family. Wrapping the turkey in crispy bacon makes it juicy, succulent, and so tender!
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What’s in This Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast Recipe?
I’m kind of obsessed with wrapping things in bacon around here. Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin… I just really love bacon! So it seemed only fitting that I’d try covering turkey breast in bacon too, and it turned out perfectly!
- Turkey Brine: Soaking the turkey in cold water, kosher salt, granulated sugar, and peppercorns helps it retain moisture as it cooks.
- Turkey Breast: A boneless, skinless breast works best for this recipe. Mine was 3 pounds.
- Bacon: Besides the fact that it’s delicious, the layer of bacon actually helps to keep the turkey moist while roasting in the oven. It’s like an extra layer of protection for extra juiciness!
Variations To Try
You can add other flavorful ingredients to the brine, like fresh herbs or garlic. You can also use smoked or seasoned bacon to add even more flavor. Try adding wrapping your turkey in my favorite sweet and spicy bacon! We did this last year, and it was so good!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover bacon wrapped turkey breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I like to reheat it in a 350°F oven or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
How to Freeze
I prefer to freeze bacon wrapped turkey breast in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious Thanksgiving centerpiece should be accompanied by all of your usual and favorite side dishes, like mashed potatoes, candied yams, and homemade stuffing. We did it with air fryer asparagus recently, and it was a hit with the whole fam!
Notes from the Test Kitchen
Don’t skip the brining! I find that it makes such a difference. I leave it to brine for 24 hours if possible.
5-Star Review
“Such a TASTY recipe! In love with it, and will be making it over and over!” – Jennifer
Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Brine
- 3 quarts cold water
- ½ cup kosher salt
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 10 whole peppercorns optional
For the Turkey
- 1 boneless, skinless turkey breast (about 3 pounds)
- 10-12 slices bacon
Instructions
For the Brine
- Combine brine ingredients in a large bowl and stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Submerge the turkey, cover the bowl and refrigerate 24 hours. When ready to cook, remove turkey from brine, discard the brine and pat the turkey dry with paper towels.3 quarts cold water, ½ cup kosher salt, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 10 whole peppercorns, 1 boneless, skinless turkey breast
For the Turkey
- Set oven to 340°F and spray a rimmed baking sheet and metal cooking rack with non-stick cooking spray. Set the rack over the tray.
- Set the turkey on a cutting board and wrap bacon around the turkey. Be sure to cover the entire exposed surface, of the turkey, and secure the bacon in-place with toothpicks.10-12 slices bacon
- Place the turkey on the rack, bacon-side up.
- Roast the turkey 60 minutes at 340°F. Test the internal temperature of the turkey (the temperature should be 160°F on an instant-read thermometer).
- If the turkey isn’t fully cooked, rotate the turkey and bake an additional 15-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- If the bacon isn’t browned, set the oven to broil and cook the turkey just long enough to crisp the bacon.
- Transfer the turkey to a cooling rack and remove the toothpicks.
- Let the turkey rest 15 minutes before slicing.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Be sure to cover the whole surface of the turkey with bacon.
- Use an instant read thermometer to check the turkey’s internal temperature (should be 160°F).
- If the turkey hasn’t reached 160°F, rotate it and bake an additional 15-30 minutes (or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F).
- If the bacon isn’t browned, set the oven to broil and cook the turkey just long enough to crisp the bacon.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast Step by Step
Brine the Turkey: Combine 3 quarts of cold water ½ cup of kosher salt, ⅓ cup of granulated sugar, and 10 whole peppercorns in a large bowl and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Submerge a boneless, skinless turkey breast in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Prep and Wrap the Turkey: When you’re ready to cook, remove the turkey from the brine, discard the brine, and pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Set your oven to 340°F and spray a large rimmed baking sheet and a metal cooling rack with nonstick spray. Set the rack over the tray and set aside for now. Place the turkey on a cutting board and wrap 10-12 slices of raw bacon around the turkey. Be sure to cover the entire exposed surface, of the turkey, and secure the bacon in-place with toothpicks.
Roast the Turkey: Place the turkey on the prepared wire rack, bacon-side up. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. If the turkey isn’t fully cooked, rotate it and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes, or until it reaches temperature.
Broil the Turkey: If you’d like the bacon brown and crispy, set the oven to broil and cook just long enough to crisp the bacon. Watch carefully, as it can quickly burn.
Rest and Slice: Transfer the turkey to a cooling rack and remove the toothpicks. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing to seal in the juices.
It can be a hassle cooking a whole turkey on Thanksgiving. Timing is everything and it can be really easy to under- or over-cook parts of it. A turkey breast cooks much more evenly and it’s a great option if you don’t have a big crowd to cater for.
Generally speaking, there is no quality difference between fresh or frozen turkey breast. Just remember to allow enough time for your turkey to thaw before brining it.
This recipe requires about 60-90 minutes of cooking time in the oven. Find out how long to cook turkey breast per pound.
There’s no need to cover it with this recipe.
You certainly can if you prefer. Wrap it then keep it refrigerated until it’s time to cook. However, keep in mind that you’ll be brining it first, and that requires up to 24 hours ahead of time as well. But if you are prepared a couple days before cooking, then you certainly can wrap it the night before.
Do you not season the turkey before adding the turkey?
The turkey is seasoned by the brine!
Yum! I made this for thanksgiving and it was incredible 😋
Looks delicious, Arwen!
Hi! I was interested in making this recipe, but using an air fryer. I saw another Turkey breast recipe of yours and the recommended temperature was 360*F (for non bacon wrapped) for 45 minutes with a 3 lb breast. This oven roasted recipe says 340*F for 60 mins. What temperature and cook time should I use for air frying a bacon wrapped 3 lb Turkey breast? Thank you! And I look forward to making this for thanksgiving!
I would try in the middle and keep checking every 10 minutes for the temp.
URGENT REPLY REQUESTED………I’ve got a 9.62 lb frozen bone-in turkey breast that I plan on making for Mother’s Day for my family……..can I use this recipe for that size turkey breast, just increase the brine amounts & bake according to weight?
I haven’t done it that big before with this recipe, but I imagine it will take quite bit longer for those steps!