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Post by Mark O on Nov 22, 2010 11:55:12 GMT 9
I like to brine mine first. Last year my son wanted us to smoke it, and the weather cooperated, so that's what we did. I really liked it, but it wasn't my favorite. Two years ago I used Alton Brown's brined roast turkey recipe from his Good Eats show on Food Network. LOVE IT!!! That's what I'm planning on again this year, but I got another brined turkey recipe that came with the new electric knife Penny bought me, and I'm considering that very highly. This new recipe starts with a brine, then you put a rub on it before roasting. Sounds good.
Then again, as much as I've read about -- and am very interested in trying -- I'm still holding out on deep frying one. The NWS is calling for a high temp of 46 degrees here on Thanksgiving, so this year is out for outside cooking as far as I'm concerned.
So...
What plans do y'all have this year for your feast?
Mark
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Nov 22, 2010 13:33:02 GMT 9
De and I are going to Austin to spend the day with our youngest daughter and her family.
Sara is going to roast the turkey the old fashioned way.
For us it means no mess in our kitchen, no dishes to wash and come home before it gets dark.
We will bring our two grandsons, 2 1/2 and 4 1/2, home with us until Saturday.
We are blessed.
Frodo Lives.
Jim Too
:god_bless_usa
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marv2
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Post by marv2 on Nov 22, 2010 13:34:17 GMT 9
We are going to use the Char Broil Big Easy again this year. It is a oil less cooker. I use Olive Oil, just coat the skin, then put my secret rub on it and drop it into the cooker. I like it because the rub doesn't cook off like it does in the oil cookers, and I like to think it is healthier also. Takes aout 10 minutes per pound and no oil to mess with afterward. There is a pan to catch the drippings for gravey also. We have been really happy with it. :2thumbsup
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MOW
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Post by MOW on Nov 22, 2010 17:11:15 GMT 9
I do mine using the "Two-handed Fingers" method like this guy... and lots of napkins :2thumbsup (face masked to protect the guilty)
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Post by lugnuts55 on Nov 22, 2010 23:52:55 GMT 9
Sue and I are going to Iowa to visit my folks and take them out for turkey dinner. There is absolutely no mess but also no left-overs. At least they won't be alone for the holiday.
In the past, I have cooked a whole turkey on the Weber over charcoal using the indirect method. The bird doesn't dry out and it tastes wonderful. No secret recipes but a coating of butter, or olive oil, and maybe a rub if we buy one. Just cooking over charcoal gives it a great taste.
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Post by Jim on Nov 23, 2010 6:43:14 GMT 9
Start EARLY in the AM (6:30)
I do our birds (2 large turkey breasts) the OLD fashioned way...... Make our own stuffing by drying out 3 loaves of bread and cutting it up myself.. Add to the bread, onion, a bit of celery, ground up cashews, Ritz crackers- crumbled, some chicken broth, salt and pepper, mix (make a mess doing so) and pack into the birds and seal the end with foil......... Rub butter over the breast bone area and put each bird into a roasting bag (keeps them juicey and makes cleanup easier), put the birds into a roasting pan and put the rest of the stuffing into loaf pans and set the oven for 225-250 degrees for about 5 1/2 hours.......... No green bean cassarole in our house............ Baked acorn squash, sweet potatoes,mashed potaoes, creamed peas, and of course- cranberry sauce............... Lot of work, true, but it is the Thanksgiving of my grandparents from more than 70 plus years ago (long before I was born) and it is the way I have been doing it for more than 50 years ( unless I was overseas)........ But, I am sure that the tradition will die with me.... Played lot of pinochole after dinner - learned when I was about 9 or so................ Happy Thanksgiving guys, and may the Good Lord be present at your table, no matter where it might be.....................................The Old Sarge
All sorts of home baked pies as well ......................
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Post by lugnuts55 on Nov 23, 2010 11:54:31 GMT 9
I forgot about the dresing. I like bread dressing but I really like it with cut-up giblets. You know, the stuff that comes in that little plastic bag. I like the heart and gizzard so sometimes I buy an extra package of giblets at the store. I cut it up and use a mix of seasonings my mom uses. I don't remember what they all are but I could eat a bowl of that with a couple pieces of turkey and gravy. Of course there are sweet potatos along with mashed potatos and corn.
The bad thing about the dressing is that not many other people eat my kind of dressing. The good thing is that when someone makes it with the giblets, I usually get to eat as much of it as I want.
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Post by kilroy on Nov 24, 2010 3:59:57 GMT 9
Sliced, put on my plate ready to EAT!
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Post by pat perry on Nov 24, 2010 5:56:47 GMT 9
A Thanksgiving joke A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird's mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary. Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even more rude. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior." John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird spoke-up, very softly, "May I ask what the turkey did?" Pat P.  |
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Post by steve201 (deceased) on Nov 24, 2010 12:38:28 GMT 9
we usually cook for the wife's brother and sister in law....but we've been on the outs with him for a few yrs..(his loss) but I get a butterball turkey...being italian makes me cook one with a few spices..  first after getting it prepped...I stick it into a baking bag.....then smear butter all over this thing.....and then stuff a few table spoons full into the cavity....sprinkle some garlic powder all over it.......some salt and pepper.......some italian seasoning....add a cup of water...close the bag...and cook until golden brown and almost falling off the bones....don't forget to close the bag.....after it's started turning color....start basting it...a dry turkey is nothing more than disgusting than turkey jerky...  however you fix it...enjoy the time with family and friends.. Steve :us_flag :salute :  |
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Post by Mark O on Nov 24, 2010 13:51:54 GMT 9
Brine a turkey just once and you will never baste again! Really! Even when I decide to smoke a bird, I always brine it first. Gets the moisture "inside" the bird, not rolling off the skin!
Trust me on this one!
Mark
The famous Good Eats Turkey. This is part one of four, so look for the S1E14P2, P3, and P4 parts after this. They should pop up as the next video when you finish this one, but sometimes you have to look for them in the column on the right.
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Post by oswald on Nov 24, 2010 22:21:23 GMT 9
 Start out with a Butterball completely thawed ,stretch out some maple flavored bacon and drape it on the entire breast and legs and wings surface. put in the oven in a tin roaster pan at 400 degrees for twenty minutes, remove it then shake on some poultry seasoning an a little oregano. Drop the temp down to 225 degrees and slow roast it for6 or 7 hours. (15 lbs) . The smell will drive you into an eating frenzy and the bird doesn't dry out if you use a baster occasionally. BTW, I cooked one yesterday for my wifes companies dinner and everyone loved it. :2thumbsup
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Bullhunter
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Post by Bullhunter on Nov 25, 2010 3:45:55 GMT 9
When I was a younger lad my Dad and I would go wild turkey hunting on the family farms in NE Pennsylvania in Early November. Grandma would not allow any store bought turkey in the house. If we did not get a turkey or two then my Dad would have too go to the chicken coops and catch two chickens. Dad would chop off the heads. Never forget the first time as a young boy I witnessed a chicken running around with out a head.  Dad would then clean and pluck them for my grandma to cook. My Dad and I hunted hard for wild turkey as they tasted better. Sure miss them olden days hunting with my Dad on the farms. So, my idea of how to do a turkey starts with hunting you own bird. |
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Start out with a Butterball completely thawed ,stretch out some maple flavored bacon and drape it on the entire breast and legs and wings surface. put in the oven in a tin roaster pan at 400 degrees for twenty minutes, remove it then shake on some poultry seasoning an a little oregano. Drop the temp down to 225 degrees and slow roast it for6 or 7 hours. (15 lbs) . The smell will drive you into an eating frenzy and the bird doesn't dry out if you use a baster occasionally. BTW, I cooked one yesterday for my wifes companies dinner and everyone loved it. :2thumbsup 
