Thanksgiving, who's cooking what and how

frankenyoter

frankenyoter

No Rain, No Rainbow
Joined
Mar 17, 2009
Location
DARK CITY
Every year enjoy the holiday with eat, drink and family. Been smoking a turkey for the last half dozen years or so. Best way IMHO and I've been lucky enough to have mine turn out edible, even delicious. Going to do a 10 lb prime rib on Saturday. I'd like to hear other peoples ideas for food, sides and expand my narrow mined menu.

I made a brine yesterday evening and let it chill out in the fridge for a day to blend all the flavors. Popped a 15 lb turkey in it tonight. I'll pull it Thursday and get it all dressed up for a big date with the Egg.

For the brine I used: a cup of kosher salt, two cups of brown sugar, 4 veggie bouillon cubes, rosemary, sage, peppercorns, 6 bay leaves, thyme, 6 or 8 garlic cloves diced, lemon halved and squeezed, cup of apple cider, and two cups of apple cider vinegar along with somewhere around a gallon of water. Got it to a low boil and turned it off. Let cool and refrigerated it.
 
Ganna rotisorate one turkey over an open flame. Deep fry a turkey, and my wife is ganna oven cook a turkey. Three birds should be enough for 30 people
 
We do the egg smokin, turkey fryer, oven bake ritual for our herd of about 50 people. My favorite is a Cajun injected turkey rubbed with slap your mama then deep fried to perfection.
 
Traditional turkey in the oven and a good ham Thursday. Prime rib Friday night; my favorite!

Oh, and a couple bushels of NC oysters!
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I couldn't wait until Thanksgiving to give the oysters a try. ;)
 
Getting together with friends on Friday. Bought a bunch of turkey breasts, and will grill them. Got some fancy herb-infused olive oil to marinate/baste. Good meat, cooks fast, hard to screw up, and don't have to mess with a whole turkey.

From one of our recent camping trips:

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Gonna deep fry a whole turkey for the first time. Going to do a brown sugar brine Tomorrow and soak it overnight. Wanted to smoke one but we do dinner at 12, so that puts me up all night tending to the smoker. I like sleep, so fryer it is.


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Salmon and some other stuff. Fuck cooking a turkey for 3 people, one of whom isn't from this country so doesn't have a sentimental Thanksgiving tradition. We've done chili, and gumbo, and other stuff various years too when I'm not around family (like this year).

Probably go to the Italian market and get some Speck and Prosciutto and Soppressata and smoked Provolone for munchies.

I might make marshmallows tomorrow, if I can find some decent coconut to toast up and roll them in. Gives the mixer a good workout, it gets a little warm.

We are having pumpkin pie though, because we're not that weird. I have to go buy whipping cream, good reminder. Cool Whip is banned from the house, just on principal of things are only barely classified as food.
 
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Excellent thread!
Gonna do our feast on Saturday so both my kiddos and their future ex husbands can attend.
15 lb bird will get injected with meth, rubbed in Tony's and bathe in hot oil for exactly 52 minutes.
12 lb spiral sliced ham will get covered in dijon mustard and brown sugar as it hits the smoker.
Then sprayed with pineapple juice every hour til Hillary is serving a life sentence at Gitmo.
Or 4 hours, what ever comes first lol!
 
Going to try a dressing recipe which seems similar to the one that died with pops in '94 (my grandad on moms side) RIP R.L. I miss you more every year. Otherwise not much on my cooking list.
 
I think the kids voted for ham... I hope. That turkey can gobble or feed the neighbors for all I care. One time a year is one time too many. Kinda too much like chicken imnsho. Probably green bean casserole and butternut squash. Yum. I'd rather go veg than eat dark turkey or chicken. Wife's starting to learn I will not eat chicken legs or wings or anything else that can fry itself in its own fats. Skin? Take it. Probably one of the few that eat legs and wings with fork and knife... At least here n the USA. Don't matter if it's fried, boiled, broiled, smoked or baked. Too jelly like for my palette.
 
For many years, even when I was married, I did the cooking. Making sure there was something there everyone liked.
we always had it on Sunday after Thanksgiving due to them having to go here and go there to eat in one day. Worked out good, considering I always had to work on thanksgiving.

fast forward to a few years ago when my son bought a new home. More room, so it's done there. My daughter, and, adopted daughters, do all the do, except I have to make twice baked potatoes, potato salad, and the mashed potatoes.
I kinda like it LOL lot less trouble for me!

This year on Thanksgiving day, I will most likely join some friend and go out to eat at Abele's in Morganton. Have done this before and they hinestly put on a pretty good feast. I have had as good, but can honestly say, never had better.
 
Just reading this thread is making me feel fat (and hungry :D)!
 
77GreenMachine said:
Gonna deep fry a whole turkey for the first time. Going to do a brown sugar brine Tomorrow and soak it overnight. Wanted to smoke one but we do dinner at 12, so that puts me up all night tending to the smoker. I like sleep, so fryer it is.


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Make sure and put the turkey in fryer when it is still frozen ;)
 
BigClay said:
Make sure and put the turkey in fryer when it is still frozen ;)
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And just in case you don't know any better, DO NOT PUT THE TURKEY IN WHILE IT'S STILL FROZEN. The hot oil will cause the frozen water on the outside to rapidly expand, resulting in steam and oil going everywhere and the turkey dropper likely getting burned. But if you sensed the sarcasm of BigClay's post, then carry on.

And if the oil is cold, you can get away with putting the turkey in, but that's not the right way to use the fryer.
 
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We're hosting this year for the first time. My mom is bringing sweet potato casserole, chicken dressing (my dad's mom's recipe), & spiral sliced ham. Turkey is in the brine, we'll roast it tomorrow in the oven (I want to smoke one or pit roast one, maybe next year). Neck and giblets are simmering for the gravy. We'll have mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, hoppin' john, rice, glazed carrots, & yeast rolls. Sausage balls and mimosas for morning snacks and pumpkin pie & apple strudel with whipped cream for dessert.
 
Mekhi sure y'all buy butterball or prestge turkeys and Smithfield hams, keep me on the job.
 
77GreenMachine said:
Gonna deep fry a whole turkey for the first time. Going to do a brown sugar brine Tomorrow and soak it overnight. Wanted to smoke one but we do dinner at 12, so that puts me up all night tending to the smoker. I like sleep, so fryer it is.


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Click to expand...
Go for it. Prep bird, dry it VERY well and let it set for 30 minutes.
Heat oil to 350 degrees, Turn off burner, lower bird in oil and relight burner. 3 minutes per pound + 5 minutes= perfection!
Must drink beer during cooking process or the turkey Spirits will be pissed off.
Remove and let rest 30 minutes. Drink another beer and serve the fried turkey.
Carve and enjoy!
And enjoy the satisfaction of doing it the hard way.
Happy Thanksgiving you bunch of losers.
Who happen to be my friends!
:beer:
 
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