Thanksgiving Hacks

[TN Jed]

now that they serve beer there

 

[Mr_houston]

I love turkey on TG day. But growing up, we ate leftover turkey for a week, and I hated that.

We don’t do that at my house. Instead, on Friday we take all the leftover meat and carcass and make Turkey Bone Gumbo. It’s an Emeril Lagasse recipe.

 

[Egg Shen]

Damn, I have no staff at all. But that gorgeous setting looks- from the portraits- in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving.....

Do you even Baroque?

 

[TN Jed]

Well hell's bells they've been serving alcohol since February '22. Apparently I haven't been to a Cracker Barrel in a while. Time to remedy that.

 

[bullet08]

Cover the turkey with bacon. No, I haven't tried it, but that sounds so good. Potatoes and yams are baked instead of being boiled. Turkey's cooked inside of oven bag, never dry. Put fully cooked stuffing into cavity after the turkey's cooked.

 

[Egg Shen]

I recently heard of putting the turkey in the oven the night before but at only 200 degrees, thus keeping your kitchen not hot as hell and also keeping the bird moist. I’d like to try it, but I’m not cooking this year

 

[Merton]

I have to roast the turkey and make the stuffing. I brine the turkey for 48 hours in an apple cider, 4 Granny Smiths puréed, 32 cloves of garlic, red pepper flake and some herbs and of course salt and water brine. No bag, roast open, pull when thigh is 163 degrees, cover and let rest for one hour. The stuffing is a Parmesan artichoke sourdough stuffing.

Sounds great! I brine very similar. Dressing includes diced Granny Smith, sausage (sage and spicy), onion, celery, diced fresh sage, dried cranbeerries,butter, turkey stock, and cider....

 

[Laurent]

Sounds great! I brine very similar. Dressing includes diced Granny Smith, sausage (sage and spicy), onion, celery, diced fresh sage, dried cranbeerries,butter, turkey stock, and cider....

Is the sausage cooked or raw?

 

[OverMountain]

Meanwhile at my X’s

If anyone shows up at 2pm she removes their plate. Yes, she’s insane.

No soup for you….

 

[jpmcwjr]

Do you even Baroque?

Dunno! I was taught to not verb nouns! Maybe, when I was drunk.

 

[renfield]

Spatchcock the bird. Rub herbed butter under the skin. Salt and lightly oil the skin and let it go overnight in the fridge. Cooked on the Weber (charcoal) with apple smoke wood. Tasty and cooks in about 90 minutes. It also frees up the oven so the sides are all done at the right time. I used to brine but this gives me better results with less mess. YMMV.

 

[Zero]

No soup for you….

Can you pour the soup in my hand for a dime?

 

[sablebrush52]

The only real family tradition is eating. This will be my first family Thanksgiving since 2019. Everyone knows how to cook, and the desserts are truly insane. I've volunteered to make the mashed potatoes, and to offer kitchen duty.

In the past I've done the whole nine yards, from home made breads and rolls, stuffing, various and sundry cassaroles, THE BIRD, pretty damned good scratch made cranberry sauce, etc, etc, etc. Did it for years, so it's kinda nice to be able to help out, but not be the whole brigade.

BTW, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[kcghost]

My wife and I have reached advanced senior status so most of the kids know it's their job to handle the onerous task of preparing either the bird or the ham for Thanksgiving. All I have to say is "We'll be there"'

 

[Silverback]

The four of us draw slips of paper out of a hat that have the dishes and other table items written on them. It ranges from side dishes and desserts to cocktails and table treatments. What ever you get you make...no complaints or swaps. The turkey isn't in the draw so the young's won't need to stress and we'll have a proper turkey. This makes for a good bit of creativity with still needing to stick to tradition...somewhat. When someone gets a dish or side that they don't really like or eat usually it can give them the opportunity to make something amazing or it can be hilarity. The most fun happens in the kitchen. Everyone has their dish and their own timeline...not much is co-ordinated between us other than when the bird will be done. Complete MAYHEM! It's fantastic! We don't have a large kitchen but somehow everything turns out amazing and gets to the table perfectly (kinda) on time and we have a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. Our favorite meal of the year! This year I have corn, corn bread, charcuterie board and the center piece. I got off easy.

My hack is...have fun...let the good times roll. Memories are precious!