Thanksgiving Hacks

[Buckeyestime]

Title edited for caps and brevity. Original:
"Thanksgiving hacks (for those celebrating the holiday)"

We will brine a turkey for 24 hours, then cover it with a 1 to 2 ratio mix of maple syrup and butter. Stuff some of the maple butter under the skin to really get a nice moist meat. Cover the bird with aluminum foil if it starts to brown too early. The maple syrup flavor comes through in the meat. Key is to use the drippings to make gravy. It adds a nice maple undercurrent.

Long time family tradition my mom passed on the me is Tomato pudding instead of relish. Simply take approximately equal parts of tomato purée, brown sugar, and butter. Add in some torn up bread to hold it together and bake until slightly browned.

Any hacks, tricks, or traditions you all follow?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Any hacks, tricks, or traditions you all follow?

Catering

 

[jpmcwjr]

Sounds like a winner.... turkey dinner!
I used to love cooking up a T-giving dinner, and still may do after the holiday. Going to my favorite restaurant for dinner at 5:30 this time.

What do you do for stuffing?

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Nothing fancy here - will roast the turkey (butter and herbs between the meat and skin) and usual sides. Gravy is a labor of love.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Thanksgiving Eve? Individual pheasant pies with homemade pastry crust.

 

[Hillcrest]

Bringing a dish or dessert to a relative's house this year ! Not a bad trade as they dislike leftovers so we will come back with leftovers.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Sorry Mom, but one of my favorite Thanksgiving dinners was the year a volunteer firefighter friend and I fried a turkey. It was done in a half hour or a bit less, and was amazeballs. Highly recommend.

 

[ashdigger]

I haven’t had Turkey for thanksgiving in roughly 20 years.

Instead, I make a nice big elk/beef roast with all the trimmings.

I also make biscuits and sausage gravy.

The biggest hack is I do not have a schedule for thanksgiving.

I tell any people that want to come over that they can arrive any time after 8am and leave any time before 8pm.

Stay for 5 minutes or five hours. I do not care.

Since there is no pressure on times it works great for everyone.

 

[username]

All im ever in charge of is baking the pumpkin pie. I do it the night before.

 

[Streeper541]

W

Catering

We're gonna cook this year, but a couple years ago we had Bob Evans. It was yummy.

Bob Evans | Dine in, Takeout and Delivery!

www.bobevans.com

 

[Chasing Embers]

W

We're gonna cook this year, but a couple years ago we had Bob Evans. It was yummy.

Bob Evans | Dine in, Takeout and Delivery!

www.bobevans.com

We're doing Cracker Barrel this year. The lady of the house and I just wanted quiet time to ourselves and the kids (four legged ones included) versus a mountain of dishes to deal with over the weekend.

 

[Zero]

We're doing Cracker Barrel this year. The lady of the house and I just wanted quiet time to ourselves and the kids (four legged ones included) versus a mountain of dishes to deal with over the weekend.

Love Cracker Barrel, and now that they serve beer there...I drink Blue Moon with my meals when dining in. It's what my daughter wants for Thanksgiving and I'm fine with that.

 

[Laurent]

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.

 

[Buckeyestime]

Laurent - you have this process well planned, it sounds delicious.

Stuffing wise - I do a fairly straight forward corn bread stuffing with sausage and herbs. MIL does a traditional sausage herb stuffing, thus all the guests have options.

 

[Laurent]

Laurent - you have this process well planned, it sounds delicious.

Stuffing wise - I do a fairly straight forward corn bread stuffing with sausage and herbs. MIL does a traditional sausage herb stuffing, thus all the guests have options.

Always a good stuffing also.

 

[OverMountain]

I haven’t had Turkey for thanksgiving in roughly 20 years.

Instead, I make a nice big elk/beef roast with all the trimmings.

I also make biscuits and sausage gravy.

The biggest hack is I do not have a schedule for thanksgiving.

I tell any people that want to come over that they can arrive any time after 8am and leave any time before 8pm.

Stay for 5 minutes or five hours. I do not care.

Since there is no pressure on times it works great for everyone.

This sounds like a relaxing Thanksgiving.

 

[georged]

I've found that if you let the kitchen staff and waiters know in advance that they'll get an extra hour off the next day, both the service and food seems a bit more inspired and the flowers better arranged.

 

[ashdigger]

This sounds like a relaxing Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile at my X’s

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

 

[jpmcwjr]

I've found that if you let the kitchen staff and waiters know in advance that they'll get an extra hour off the next day, both the service and food seems a bit more inspired and the flowers better arranged.


View attachment 263048

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

 

[tracerbullet]

Love love love cranberry in a can. And have to consume stove top stuffing