Your Thanksgiving Plans?

[TxRad]

Personally, I like the other white meat, HAM!

[soflabbwlvr]

Traveling to my sister's house, about an hour away. Typical turkey, stuffing, potatoes and gravy, cranberries, pies, etc. And a whole lot of wine, cocktails, and Belgian beer. We get along fine, so no drama is expected.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by TxRad

Personally, I like the other white meat, HAM!

I'm with you! My mother makes a small ham for me and my sister because we both hate turkey.

although for some reason, on a sandwich with a lot of mayo I don't mind it.

[loquere]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

I'm with you! My mother makes a small ham for me and my sister because we both hate turkey.

although for some reason, on a sandwich with a lot of mayo I don't mind it.

Hate Turkey WHAT????

[annanova]

I'm inviting a couple friends over since they'll be on their own with their respective children. Of course, I have no idea whatsoever what I'll be serving. It likely won't be turkey, because my family did salmon for years and years after all the cousins outgrew family gatherings.

Last year, one of these friends invited me to join her family for Thanksgiving, and her partner left her recently. Since I missed Canadian Thanksgiving, she can come over to my place for the one I grew up with.

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by loquere

Hate Turkey WHAT????

I don't much see the charm of turkey either--but I'm willing to go with the tradition of it for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If I was asked, though, I'd probably opt for a honey-glazed ham or Cornish game hens.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by loquere

Hate Turkey WHAT????

Shit's dry as hell, doesn't have a whole lot of flavor and makes you tired. What's not to love?

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

Shit's dry as hell, doesn't have a whole lot of flavor and makes you tired. What's not to love?

Then you haven't had it cooked properly. And the dark meat tastes better, has more flavor. If it's dry, it's overcooked. I have heard -- although have not tried myself -- that the deep-fried turkey is really good.

I'd do cornish game hens as well, but please God, no more ham. I'm sick of it.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by PennLady

Then you haven't had it cooked properly. And the dark meat tastes better, has more flavor. If it's dry, it's overcooked. I have heard -- although have not tried myself -- that the deep-fried turkey is really good.

I'd do cornish game hens as well, but please God, no more ham. I'm sick of it.

Even when its cooked well its still dryer than anything else. I've probably had it cooked by at least a dozen people and I refuse to believe none of them are cooking it right.

I just don't like it and I don't have to, so there!

People think its very selfless of me to always donate the turkey my job gives me every year to a homeless shelter, but I'm sort of helping me out as well

[annanova]

Originally Posted by PennLady

I have heard -- although have not tried myself -- that the deep-fried turkey is really good.

My last office, we'd organize a Thanksgiving potluck and one of the guys would bring in his turkey deep-fryer. It's amazing.

[MSTarot]

Dry turkey? Secret to that. Brine.

I take the bird two days before it time to cook it and place it into a food grade container with water and salt...a few other spices. Put this in the spare refrigerator till time to cook. It's thawed out and has taken on about a pound of the water. Make a kind of shield out of heavy aluminum foil and cover the breast with it for the first hour and a half then uncover and cook to finished. Within the last ten minutes give it a light bast with butter then hit the broiler and crispy skin. I sit it right on the oven rack to cook and put a pan under it to catch juices.

I've had several people tell me it's the best they have ever had. It's so juicy it just leaks when you cut it.

Country grandmother. Shrug.

I could cook a full Christmas dinner at fourteen. That includes the German chocolate cake with the homemade icing.

But my Mom's chicken dressing is still better than mine. And she makes this buttered sourdough bread that is heaven per slice

M.S.Tarot

[R. Richard]

I will start (continue) writing Wednesday, but start a beef stroganoff in my slow cooker. I will continue writing Thursday, and probably have supper with a neglected wife, washing the beef stroganoff down with a bit of Merlot. I will continue writing Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by MSTarot

Dry turkey? Secret to that. Brine.

Sounds good to me. I don't know if I've had one cooked in brine (which I just saw today in a jar in the store; not sure I've ever seen it before, or more likely didn't notice), but mom and my MIL all make good turkeys. The only dry ones I've had were dry because they were overcooked.

[RjThoughts]

Originally Posted by PennLady

Sounds good to me. I don't know if I've had one cooked in brine (which I just saw today in a jar in the store; not sure I've ever seen it before, or more likely didn't notice), but mom and my MIL all make good turkeys. The only dry ones I've had were dry because they were overcooked.

Kosher turkeys are brined.

[3113]

Originally Posted by RjThoughts

Kosher turkeys are brined.

Indeed. I remember the first time I had a kosher turkey (my step-grandmother brought one over--she only bought Empire Kosher Turkeys; till then I'd only had my mother's turkey, standard from the market). I remember being astonished. It wasn't like my mom's turkey--this was meltingly delicious; buttery, moist, flavorful.

The secret of why it was so good remained a secret until brining became the "in" thing for Thanksgiving turkeys some ten or fifteen years back.

Currently, the "in" thing is dry brining. I haven't tasted two turkeys (one wet, one dry brined) together and so can't say which is better (or if they're equal)--but the dry brine is certainly easier, and avoids the risk of some wet brined turkeys of tasting salty. You rub some salt on the outside of the turkey, wrap it up tight and let it sit in the refrigerator for a good 72 hours (plus 8 more after you release it from the plastic). Then you roast as usual.

The Dry Brine recipe (from L.A. Times):
1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey

Kosher salt

1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).

2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.

3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.

4. Place the turkey in a 2½-gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.

5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface, and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.

6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).

8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2¾ hours total roasting.

9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.

Video here.

[RjThoughts]

Originally Posted by 3113

Indeed. I remember the first time I had a kosher turkey (my step-grandmother brought one over--she only bought Empire Kosher Turkeys; till then I'd only had my mother's turkey, standard from the market). I remember being astonished. It wasn't like my mom's turkey--this was meltingly delicious; buttery, moist, flavorful.

The secret of why it was so good remained a secret until brining became the "in" thing for Thanksgiving turkeys some ten or fifteen years back.

Currently, the "in" thing is dry brining. I haven't tasted two turkeys (one wet, one dry brined) together and so can't say which is better (or if they're equal)--but the dry brine is certainly easier, and avoids the risk of some wet brined turkeys of tasting salty. You rub some salt on the outside of the turkey, wrap it up tight and let it sit in the refrigerator for a good 72 hours (plus 8 more after you release it from the plastic). Then you roast as usual.

The Dry Brine recipe (from L.A. Times):
1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey

Kosher salt

1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).

2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.

3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.

4. Place the turkey in a 2½-gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.

5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface, and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.

6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).

8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2¾ hours total roasting.

9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.

Video here.

This recipe is so totally bland..No "ish" or "about that much" in the descriptions LOL

[RjThoughts]

I was introduced to Empire Kosher turkeys by my father-in-law. It was the only ones he'd actually eat. Now, my wife and I will pray to get one for Friday's home for leftovers meal. If not, I'll have to put a compound butter under the skin before roasting over onions, celery, and carrots.

[topace]

I work 1-5 then I go grocery shopping for the next two weeks.