Ingredients
1 8-10-pound turkey
Salt to taste
10 thickly sliced strips of bacon
1 recipe Liver and Walnut Stuffing or Rice


Method
Set the baking rack at the lower level of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash the turkey inside and out and dry with paper towels. Rub with salt inside and out. Stuff with one of the dressings but not too tightly; there should be room for the dressing to expand. Sew up the cavity or close it with skewers. Truss the bird. Line each side of the breast with 3 strips of the bacon and secure with string. Wrap each leg with a bacon slice and tie in place. Use the remaining 2 bacon strips to line the spot in the roasting pan where the turkey back will rest. Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh, not touching the bone. Place the turkey, breast side up, in the pan, cover loosely with foil, and roast for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F and continue to roast for 21/2-3 hours more, basting every 30 minutes with the pan drippings. The more often the turkey is basted, the juicier it will be. Remove the foil when the meat thermometer registers 145°-150°F and continue roasting. The turkey is done when the meat thermometer registers 175°F. When the thigh is pricked with a skewer, the juices should be transparent and colorless, not pink. Remove the turkey from the oven and, while it is resting for 15 minutes, pour the pan juices into a cold shallow container and place in the freezer so the fat can be removed more easily. Open the turkey cavity, remove the stuffing, and serve in a separate bowl. Carve the turkey and arrange the pieces on a heated platter. When the fat has solidified on the juices stored in the freezer, spoon it off, reheat the juices, and pour over the turkey.