Let's talk turkey

Two years ago we cooked the turkey with the rotisserie attachment on the BBQ. It was the best turkey we have ever done. It was nice and moist...

It's the first Thanksgiing in 8 years I'll be home for, not counting the one I spent in ICU after a car accident. We are having my wife's family over and smoking a turkey. Shooting the bird full of apple cider and filling the cavity with apple pieces and rosemary. Tonight my wife is meeeting me after work with my nephew to see the balloons get blown up for the thanksgiving parade.

In a couple weeks my family is coming for dinner and we will be making my favorites, a sauerbraten, spetzles and red cabbage, and smoking some chickens for the people that complain my sauerbraten is too strong.

We usually do 2 birds, one conventional, sage stuffing etc. The other I do on the grill. For a 20 lb. bird I will baste it with a mix of 1lb. melted butter, half cup of lemon juice. 2 table spoons of orange rind. half cup chopped fresh parsley and use this mix for the entire time the bird is cooking on the grill. I also stuff the bird with 1 lb. of chopped cranberries, 2 limes quartered. 4 apples quartered 4 oranges quartered. A bag of whole carrots and a stalk of celery. What ever does not fit in the bird I put in the roasting pan and then fill it 3/4 of the way to the top with water. Cooking time on a Weber about 4-5 hours. The nice thing about this mix is that the bird does not dry out and you get a nice flavor from the fruit. When the bird is done, dump the fruit and enjoy. Just remember when using a grill to cover the wings and drumsticks with foil so they don't cook faster then the rest of the bird.

Margie, why do the sink soak? I heard that breeds bacteria. If it's in plastic, can't you leave it out at room temperature for while?

We do a fresh-kill burd every year.

Last year I had my family here, five brothers, one sister, all married, all dragging kiddies, 30 in all. I did the traditional 22 pounder in the over and smoked a 12 pounder using apple wood.

My wife grew up near Canada where they made a dressing with hamburger, breakfast sausage and mashed potatoes together. I grew up Irish with the sauteed onions, celery, bread and lots of thyme and sage. After 30+ Thanksgivings together, we've made our own dressing of hamburger, breakfast sausage, sauteed onions, celery and bread. Good stuff!

Happy Thanksgiving all.

Dan

Smoking a 14 pounder on the Primo grill with some Lotta Bull rub, stuffed with a few apples slices and applewood on the smoker.

By the way, don't brine a butter ball turkey if it has been injected(it will say on packaging) because you will get a double salt load- i.e. Lots wife turkey as above. There's always lots of arguing about brining any meat depending on who you talk to.

cardiacdog wrote: Smoking a 14 pounder on the Primo grill with some Lotta Bull rub, stuffed with a few apples slices and applewood on the smoker. By the way, don't brine a butter ball turkey if it has been injected(it will say on packaging) because you will get a double salt load- i.e. Lots wife turkey as above. There's always lots of arguing about brining any meat depending on who you talk to.

Butterballs are coming pre-brined? Wow- didn't know that.

Funny, I have enough beer for a frat house, 3 kegs, and there are only 14 of us. Guaranteed that we run out though.

cardiacdog wrote: By the way, don't brine a butter ball turkey if it has been injected(it will say on packaging) because you will get a double salt load- i.e.

Brining ought to even out the concentration of various flavors, including salt. That said, I don't buy Butterballs. I get the 37-cent/pound store-brand turkeys, and brine them in vegetable broth, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and ginger.

For cornbread, I like THIS. Don't be fooled by the "Sweet" and "Pudding" in the name, it's very tasty cornbread.

The bad news: went to bake the cornbread for stuffing today, and the oven quit working - it'll get up to maybe 250 after an hour set at 425. Repariman can't make it for a week. Worked fine baking biscuits yesterday. Go figure.

The good news: we have a couple of old reliable portable electric roaster ovens that we use for community dinners, so we're good to go.

Thanksgiving tip: if you're making a typical yams/sweet potato mash dish, add a healthy slug of bourbon before cooking. The flavor is very nice. We're constantly asked by teetotaling acquaintences for the recipe. We just tell 'em it's an old family secret (which it is) and that we took an oath to protect it (which we didn't).

Everyone enjoy.

Jim, you're a genius. Going to give the sweet potatoes I made up yesterday a little pop right now. Should work fine, since they go back in the oven with their sugar/nut topping this afternoon. Yum.

Happy turkey day, everyone!

Margie

My parents are doing everything this year, we usually go visit family/friends every year, but Tuesday I had ACL reconstruction surgery... So my helpfulness is at an all-time low.

On the other hand, I'm thankful for medical insurance.

About to go fire up the deep fryer. yum yum.

my mom stopped cooking Thanksgiving dinner ~ 20 yrs ago... said she was tired ... (she was only in her late 60's then) ... my cooking consists of PB&J or mac and cheese...

we go out... for the last several yrs it's been to the Black Forest ( a German restaurant in south Asheville) ... Mom will have the traditional turkey , Sis .. prime rib, BIL (born and raised in Germany) will have their German platter, me... either the prime rib, the lamb chops or their "hunters" special ... duck/pheasant/quail/etc... haven't decided yet

happy Thanksgiving to everyone

see ya-all at the Rolex

We decided against the traditional turkey fry this year and are doing a big Boars Head ham with there glaze. Should be yummy..

My uncle has the best Thanksgiving. He's a cattleman, so no turkey for him, nope, he only serves prime rib from his 100% grain fed registered Black Angus. Is it funny that beef means Thanksgiving to me more than fowl?

moparman76_69 wrote: About to go fire up the deep fryer. yum yum.

Yep, same here. Got 2 birds waiting their turn in the "hot tub"

Sadly its raining here today which is playing hell with the logistics of it.

I am thankful that my wifes nieces arent our kids! they stayed the night with us last evening,needless to say i retired early...I am also thankful for PUMPKIN PIE of which I will consume quantities that will exceed the fda's recommended daily allowance. I am thankful that i have a wonderful wife ,a beautiful daughter and the possibility of another child that is warming in the oven.

I am thankful for Thanks giving being at my inlaws.

I am thankful that the Cowboys will play today following two much needed wins.

i am thankful for whip cream and eggnog

skeze wrote: I am thankful that the Cowboys will play today following two much needed wins.

how's that working out for you so far ?

Woot -- a dear friend is an American ex-pat -- we celebrate tomorrow with lots of terrific food. What's better than Thanksgiving? Answer -- two Thanksgivings, one in October (you know, the real one ), and one in November (the fake one ).

Javelin wrote: Well, my new wife is Vegan. We make a Tofurkey, and before you judge it that little plant bastard is better than every one of the poor dry turkeys my family ever made growing up Anyways, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, a carrot and onion broth, stuffing, butter rolls, blackberry pie, and a chocolate cake! I am thankful for the wonderful year. Got engaged and married, left my old career for a new one after graduating college, re-connected with old friends and made some new ones. It's been a damn good year.

Woo Tofurky! That was my Thanksgiving, along with some REALLY good brussel sprouts, mashed taters, etc.