What are you cooking for Thanksgiving?

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  • snorko

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    Apr 3, 2008
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    Well we are just a little over two weeks away and my planning has begun. Most of my family will be out of town so I am cooking the turkey for a gathering of friends. The sides will be up to them mostly. I am focusing on the bird. Last year I boned out and stuffed a 17# bird and it turned out very well. The thing was huge. The stuffing is pretty minimal in this application so I used a sausage and dried fruit mix that was more for flavor, not a starch.

    This year I plan on something similar but will be doing a 12-14# bird. Gonna try a hybrid stuffing of barley, bacon, mushrooms, trad. veggies and herbs. I am going to do a practice large chicken this week to see how I like the stuffing. Boning out the turkey is surprisingly easy if you have a good knife and take your time. 15-30 minutes depending on the bird.
     

    kirtar

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    I'll probably hammer down specifics of the main protein when I know what's on sale other than turkey and ham since I'm probably cooking for 1-2 at most. I might just spring for a decent steak, but I could see myself roasting a chicken or turchetta to pair with the side dish leftovers. In terms of sides, I'm probably making green bean casserole off the serious eats recipe and pressure cooker butternut squash soup.
     

    alabasterjar

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    No one in my family are big turkey fans. We will smoke a bacon wrapped pork butt and pork ribs or brisket for Thanksgiving. Add all the traditional sides (mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, cranberry something or other, Apple crisp, pumpkin pie), and we will be good to go!
     

    thunderchicken

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    I mostly enjoy cooking. But so far I have never been asked or felt the need to cook the turkey. We always have a large family gathering at my parents house. We usually have 20-25 people there. So grandma makes a traditional oven roasted turkey, dad fries a turkey, my uncle smoke 3 or 4 turkey breasts and everyone else is on sides or dessert. This year I grt to make corn and a sugar free dessert
     

    Timjoebillybob

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    Probably a a few pies and maybe a sheet cake, at least for Thanksgiving day. My church does a Thanksgiving meal and for the past few years my family has went and helped out with serving/cleanup/etc. They make everything but the pies.

    For the family Thanksgiving which is at a yet undetermined date, probably my usual smoked turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and unknown.
     

    WebSnyper

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    I'll be frying a turkey as usual. Bird will only be 13 or 14 lbs due to my fryer size (I get to fry even when we travel, I get to take the fryer, etc so that gets fun sometimes I end up frying 2), and this year we are staying at home which is good (travelled last 2 years due to my son being away at school and met up with him at part of my in-laws in GA. My son will still be heading to GA from AL as it is closer and he wants to be back on Saturday for football game). I believe my wife is also cooking a ham. My wife invited a friend and her family to come over this year, so not sure what else there will be.
     

    JettaKnight

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    Oct 13, 2010
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    Stuffing is evil!

    There's no good way to cook the stuffing to food safe temp without overcooking the turkey.


    One word for you: Spatchcock.

    Put your "stuffing" in a pan under the bird, splayed out on a rack.


    stuff39.jpg
     

    4651feeder

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    Spatchcock was unknown to me prior to last month. Now that I have a pellet smoker and what seems like endless hrs. of Youtube smoking tutorials. Got the new poultry shears this weekend and gonna have a go at it, wish me luck.
     

    thunderchicken

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    Sure there is, pre-cook the raw elements.

    Couldn't you theoretically remove the stuffing when the bird is done and if the stuffing isn't up to temp just add a small amount of broth, toss it in a pan and bring it up to temp like stove top?
    Otherwise if dressing is done right its just as good as stuffing
     

    Libertarian01

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    For the beginning we have two (2):

    Salad (I haven't decided what kind yet)
    Chicken Soup with matzo balls

    For the main course:

    Baked Turkey with spices
    Slow cooked ham, bone in
    Au-gratin potatoes, with a white cheese and heavy cream
    Stuffing
    Garlic mashed cauliflower (for a healthier side)
    Steamed broccoli with cheese
    Southern style cornbread

    For some side condiments:

    A homemade red wine vinaigrette salad dressing
    A chasseur sauce for the turkey
    A thick whipped cream with a touch of bourbon

    For dessert:

    Spiced pumpkin cheesecake
    Flan
    Arya's snitched tarts (a recipe from a wonderful Game of Thrones cookbook)
    and candied pecans (Thanks again BBI:yesway:)

    For drinks there will be:

    Water
    Red wine
    White wine
    and for a dessert drink either a sherry or tawny port

    I have been taking an introductory cooking class at Ivy Tech and am looking forward to having almost 100% of everything being made from scratch. The only thing that won't be (so far) is the corn flakes used in the stuffing. Other than that, all will be mine for pride or remorse. I look forward to making the chicken stock and beef stock from scratch.

    Note that a long nap will follow with much gaining of weight.

    Regards,

    Doug


     

    GLOCKMAN23C

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    Feb 8, 2009
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    I'll probably be doing a brined turkey and sides. I use Alton Brown's recipe for the brine. It makes the best bird I've ever eaten. Sides will be fairly traditional: green bean casserole, sausage stuffing, angel biscuits, maybe some corn pudding. Dessert will be pumpkin pie and sugar cream pie, perhaps a lemon meringue pie (depends on how froggy I get).
     

    9mmfan

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    Apr 26, 2011
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    I usually cook a spiral sliced ham. Mashed potatoes, carrots, sweet corn bread.
    Dessert is usually purchased pre made. Usually a pie of some kind.
    It's just the 3 of us now so there is no need for a buffet.
     

    hoosierdoc

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    Apr 27, 2011
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    I picked up a turkey tonight at Kroger and am defrosting it. Not sure why but the $24 bird was only $10.60. Going to try it on the smoker as a trial run before the family gathering. We may end up eating pizza...
     

    Vigilant

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    Jul 12, 2008
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    Just ordered a fresh turkey, which will be brined, and smoked on the BGE. A whole beef tenderloin is going on the Traeger, and the smaller Traeger is going to be the peach cobbler oven. Wife has the stove top and oven inside for all the stuff that food eats, and all the wonderful home made bread that will comprise the base for my turkey sandwiches for days to come after Thanksgiving.
     
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