Prepare the turkey. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator about 30–45 minutes before cooking. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels. Do not rinse the turkey.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Carefully loosen the skin over the turkey breast using your fingers. Spread the softened butter underneath the skin, covering as much of the breast meat as possible. Rub any remaining butter over the outside of the turkey. Season lightly with black pepper. I would skip additional salt because the bacon will add plenty of saltiness.

Place the quartered onion, garlic halves, thyme, rosemary, and sage inside the turkey cavity. Tuck the wings underneath the turkey and tie the legs together with kitchen twine.

Make the bacon lattice blanket. Lay a large piece of parchment paper on your countertop. Arrange about 6-8 slices of bacon side by side, tight together. Weave additional bacon slices horizontally through the first layer to create a lattice pattern. Continue until you have a large rectangle big enough to cover the turkey breast. Weave the bacon like you would for a lattice pie crust.

Carefully transfer the bacon lattice onto the turkey breast using the parchment paper to help. Gently remove the parchment and tuck the edges of the bacon around the sides of the turkey. Wrap the remaining bacon slices around the legs and wings, covering as much of the turkey as possible.

Place the turkey breast-side up on a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan. Pour 1½ cups of water or chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan. This helps prevent the bacon drippings from burning.

Roast uncovered for approximately 2½–3½ hours, depending on the size of the turkey. If the bacon starts browning too quickly, loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil.

Glaze (optional, highly recommended for delicious bacon!). During the last 20–30 minutes of cooking, brush the bacon with the maple syrup and melted butter mixture for a beautiful glossy finish. Watch carefully so the glaze doesn't burn.

Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the breast, innermost part of the thigh, and innermost part of the wing. All three areas should reach 165°F. Avoid touching the bone with the thermometer.

Rest and serve. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 30–40 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, make the bacon gravy

Strain the drippings: After removing the turkey from the roasting pan, carefully pour the pan drippings through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup or bowl. Separate the fat from the liquid using a fat separator or spoon. Reserve ¼ cup of the fat.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the reserved drippings. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and lightly golden.

Slowly pour in the chicken or turkey broth, whisking continuously to prevent lumps.

Add the pan drippings: Stir in ½ cup of the strained turkey drippings. Add more as needed for flavor and consistency.

Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer and cook for 5–8 minutes, whisking occasionally, until thickened.

Add black pepper and taste before adding any salt. The bacon drippings can be salty, so you may not need additional salt. If the gravy is too thick, whisk in a little more broth.

Serve warm alongside the bacon-wrapped turkey and enjoy!