Heritage Turkey with Crisped Pancetta and Rosemary

This recipe is ingenious. We used a heritage turkey raised less than 10 miles from us. The only thing we changed was using locally raised pepper bacon instead on pancetta to keep it more, well, local. Do not skip the braising step! It isn't that much more work and well worth the extra bit of effort. Plus that bold step is what makes this recipe so unique. You get this incredible gravy from the braising liquid and the dark meat is incredibly tender. This will be our go-to heritage turkey recipe for many years of holidays to come.

The family LOVED this recipe. I omitted the leg removal and gravy part of the recipe for simplicity sake, and served the cooked pancetta along side the turkey as we typically remove the skin prior to cutting and serving. The turkey was flavorful and moist. Just perfect!