Thanksgiving!

[cheezydemon3]

I remember when we used to get together for the big meals and someone would always have CANS of gravy. "Making gravy is too hard and it's not as good anyway!"

Well, I respectfully disagree. Making gravy is not hard AT ALL. I prefer the roux method now, but I still usually add just a bit of cornstarch.

You should see the gravy conversation going on in the tap room.......bizarro to see non foodies discuss food!

*shudders*

 

[Randar]

GRAVY.....must be made on the spot, no packets!

I start with a little butter and the giblets. Brown the giblets a little bit in the butter.

Remove the giblets and add more flour than seems needed. Brown the flour slightly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Stir in chicken stock (or turkey if you have it) slowly, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps.

Add garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and the giblets back in and allow to steep on LOW while everything else cooks.

Add more stock or even flour as needed, but keep in mind to add the juices after the turkey rests and is carved.

You should see the gravy conversation going on in the tap room.......bizarro to see non foodies discuss food!

*shudders*

Non-foodies? Says they guy not making a proper roux and using powdered garlic and onions? Do you use powdered carrots, giblets, and bouillon cubes too, Mr Foodie? Might as well stir in some giblets with a package of powdered gravy if that's what you call being "foodie"

 

[Melana]

Non-foodies? Says they guy not making a proper roux and using powdered garlic and onions? Do you use powdered carrots, giblets, and bouillon cubes too, Mr Foodie? Might as well stir in some giblets with a package of powdered gravy if that's what you call being "foodie"

Point to Randar.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Non-foodies? Says they guy not making a proper roux and using powdered garlic and onions? Do you use powdered carrots, giblets, and bouillon cubes too, Mr Foodie? Might as well stir in some giblets with a package of powdered gravy if that's what you call being "foodie"

A proper roux????? The flour is a tool which I can control as I see fit. We are making gravy, not gumbo.

I can make a proper roux all day. I can make a dark chocolate roux without burning it.

I use fresh onions and garlic whenever called for. In my gravy? NO THANKS.

There will be real onions, garlic, carrots and celery in my stock which goes into the gravy, but onion and garlic powder are, in fact, different ingredients than the fresh, not substitutes.

I suppose you grind up fresh onions to rub on a pork butt?

NON FOODIE!

 

[Melana]

I dont know... I'm not a fan of any onion in the finished gravy. As yousay CD I like onion in the stock. Flame me all you want... Gravy is not my favorite.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Maybe because there is no ONION powder in your gravy!!!!lol.

Garlic and onion powder go into ANY gravy.

Beef, chicken, sausage. Hell, they go into most anything, even if it has fresh in it too.

 

[Kittyfeet]

Ok so I think this is as good a place to ask as any. To brine or not to brine? Thoughts please

Brining is definitely good; we've done it like that the last few years.

This year, just to do something different, we'll try just salt and herb rub on the bird.

 

[BigDaddyBeard]

I am about to dunk my bird in the brine now a little short on time but better late than never. Added rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic and bay leaves to the liquid and boiled it for ten minutes. Added salt and sugar then topped up with cold water.

 

[JonM]

Bird is in the brine, giblets (except the liver) and the wings are in the crockpot to simmer overnight for the gravy, not much left to do tonight except have a homebrew.

 

[HoppyDaze]

back to gravy. Would you guys consider drippings from the pan the same as turkey stock? I see recipes that call for both but in all of them it only provides the amount of stock to use. I haven't mastered the gravy yet, but I got the bird dialed. I've been salting it the night before like the dude in the article that cheezy posted.

I could certainly make a nice stock tonight, but then I'm not sure what to do with the drippings of the bird? I used just stock last year and very little drippings and the gravy was little bland.

 

[Cider123]

BRINE

That link is almost laughable.

Make your brine YUMMY, and you are good.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f19/turkey-conspiracy-444626/

Be careful. A brine can be a dangerous thing!

 

[Cider123]

back to gravy. Would you guys consider drippings from the pan the same as turkey stock? I see recipes that call for both but in all of them it only provides the amount of stock to use. I haven't mastered the gravy yet, but I got the bird dialed. I've been salting it the night before like the dude in the article that cheezy posted.

I could certainly make a nice stock tonight, but then I'm not sure what to do with the drippings of the bird? I used just stock last year and very little drippings and the gravy was little bland.

I'm goin with this guy's recipe for gravy (although I'll use dry vermouth instead of marsala, never liked that stuff):


Anyway, it's the wet bottom shoo fly pie that makes Thanksgiving.

 

[ChefRex]

back to gravy. Would you guys consider drippings from the pan the same as turkey stock? I see recipes that call for both but in all of them it only provides the amount of stock to use. I haven't mastered the gravy yet, but I got the bird dialed. I've been salting it the night before like the dude in the article that cheezy posted.

I could certainly make a nice stock tonight, but then I'm not sure what to do with the drippings of the bird? I used just stock last year and very little drippings and the gravy was little bland.

Definitely use the drippings but you salted (dry brine) you will need to limit the amount as to not make it too salty.

 

[JonM]

Thought of one more task to tackle tonight: spend some time carefully sharpening the carving knife with the Spyderco. And some other the other knives, as long as I'm at it.

 

[jimdkc]

OK... I know it's a bit late for Thanksgiving, but Christmas is coming, too! Here's my recipe for cranberry sauce:

Jim's Bourbon-Vanilla Cranberry Sauce

1 Pkg. (12 oz.) Fresh Cranberries

1 cup Orange Juice

1/2 Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1 1/2 oz. Bourbon (or 1 - 50 ml miniature bottle)

1 small Jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced (optional)


Wash the berries. Heat the berries and orange juice over medium heat in a saucepan. Stir occasionally.

When the berries come to a boil and are cracking open, reduce the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and dissolve the sugar.

Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat. Sauce will be thick and will thicken further on cooling. Let cool. Stir and fish out the vanilla beans before serving. I like it chilled.

Inspired by cranberries made by Bobby Flay on the Iron Chef Thanksgiving 2008 episode on the Food Network.

I make these every year since I came up with the recipe, usually a double batch, and they're always a big hit. I like it with the Jalapeño, but I make it without for my family (wusses!) If you include it, be forewarned: the leftovers get HOTTER every day!

For a Thanksgiving dinner beer, I like a Tripel or Belgian Golden Strong Ale.

Have a great holiday, everybody!

 

[unionrdr]

We maske the traditionaly season turkey with southern style stuffing recipe from wife's grandma. Came from her mother as I heard the story. Very old recipe...gotta have those tradditions. Adding your own from your/our gneration helps make memories. she makes her grandma's cranberry dressing as well. And southern style candied yams from the Frugel Gorhmet's Cooks American book I bought years ago. Came from an old black lady & is as simple as it gets. But bloody good. sometimes simple is better.
This year,I'm going to see which IPA goes better with turkey-Maori IPA with all NZ hops. Or my Cougar country IPA with warrior bittering & mosaic,simcoe,EKG & ahtanum for flavor & drt hop additions. The NZ hops in the Maori IPa have tropical flavors with some lil bit of oaked berries. We'll see which one goes better with it.

 

[Rhumbline]

I'm a brine convert when it comes to turkey.

Also, don't take this the wrong way, but am I the only one having unwholesome thoughts due to Melana's avatar?

Just for interest, I grew up in N. Attleboro.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

 

[Glynn]

Ok,I'm looking for some Celebration again this year. I didn't get any last year.

You need to come out by me, cant go into a store around here without tripping over it

 

[cheezydemon3]

We maske the traditionaly season turkey with southern style stuffing recipe from wife's grandma. Came from her mother as I heard the story. Very old recipe...gotta have those tradditions. Adding your own from your/our gneration helps make memories. she makes her grandma's cranberry dressing as well. And southern style candied yams from the Frugel Gorhmet's Cooks American book I bought years ago. Came from an old black lady & is as simple as it gets. But bloody good. sometimes simple is better.
This year,I'm going to see which IPA goes better with turkey-Maori IPA with all NZ hops. Or my Cougar country IPA with warrior bittering & mosaic,simcoe,EKG & ahtanum for flavor & drt hop additions. The NZ hops in the Maori IPa have tropical flavors with some lil bit of oaked berries. We'll see which one goes better with it.

OK. Sorry to bring up the "stuffing/dressing" crap again, but in a post like this (no offense my friend!) I imagine that he is shoving grandma's old recipe up a turkey's carcass, despite the fact that I am pretty sure he is NOT.

I'm sorry. It matters.

 

[Melana]

OK. Sorry to bring up the "stuffing/dressing" crap again, but in a post like this (no offense my friend!) I imagine that he is shoving grandma's old recipe up a turkey's carcass, despite the fact that I am pretty sure he is NOT.

I'm sorry. It matters.

Hey, we all have different words for the same thing. Doesn't make it wrong! As my aunt packed the STUFFING into loaf pans to bake next to the spatchcocked turkey she called it stuffing. Dressing is what you put on salad in my family. And believe me, we are foodies.

 

[Melana]

I'm a brine convert when it comes to turkey.

Also, don't take this the wrong way, but am I the only one having unwholesome thoughts due to Melana's avatar?

Just for interest, I grew up in N. Attleboro.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Glad you like it. I'm blaming Cheezy. Because... Well why not? Now if only I looked like her too!

Glad you got out of North Attleboro.

 

[ChefRex]

Hey, we all have different words for the same thing. Doesn't make it wrong! As my aunt packed the STUFFING into loaf pans to bake next to the spatchcocked turkey she called it stuffing. Dressing is what you put on salad in my family. And believe me, we are foodies.

I see you have a new word

 

[Melana]

I see you have a new word

Not new....

 

[ChefRex]

Sorry, thought spatchcock was a new one to you, must have been some one else

 

[Evets]

20 pounder from the wood-fired oven.

 

[Melana]

Sorry, thought spatchcock was a new one to you, must have been some one else

No. I just like having the opportunity to insert it into... Conversation.

 

[Hello]

20 pounder from the wood-fired oven.

Looks amazing. I've never had wood fired turkey.

 

[cheezydemon3]

No. I just like having the opportunity to insert it into... Conversation.

Inserting your spatchcock can be quite fun......in conversation.

 

[niquejim]

BRINE

That link is almost laughable.

Make your brine YUMMY, and you are good.

I'm sure you know more than a MIT grad who studies food science, and works at times on America's Test Kitchen

I salted my turkey and smoked it at 235 for 5+/- hrs, finished with a apple/orange sriracha glaze, also garlic/carmelized onion mashed potatoes, sweet potato gratin(OMG), apple/sausage/sage stuffing(with 3 kinds of bread), fresh cranberry sauce(with granny smith apple and homemade hard cider) and pumpkin cheesecake.
I've never had such a stress free busy cooking day in my life. Everything went exactly as planned

 

[Rhumbline]

http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/11/the-food-lab-the-truth-about-brining-turkey-thanksgiving.html

He puts an enormous amount of work into something that isn't likely to change one person's mind.

He starts off well, but then lists the two biggest reasons for not brining as "You need a big pot" and "It doesn't taste as good". Taste is subjective, and, as a beer brewing guy I already have a big pot or two.

I always brine turkey, no amount of pseudo-science is going to change that.

My completely non-scientific research supports my continued brining of turkeys.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I'm sure you know more than a MIT grad who studies food science, and works at times on America's Test Kitchen

I guess I do.

I do not simply put salt and water in my brine, adding "water" to the turkey.

A lot of roasted garlic and onion, fresh sage and rosemary and apple go into mine, and it was hailed as the best turkey anyone had ever had.

He puts an enormous amount of work into something that isn't likely to change one person's mind.

He starts off well, but then lists the two biggest reasons for not brining as "You need a big pot" and "It doesn't taste as good". Taste is subjective, and, as a beer brewing guy I already have a big pot or two.

I always brine turkey, no amount of pseudo-science is going to change that.

My completely non-scientific research supports my continued brining of turkeys.

Exactly.

 

[HoppyDaze]

I do the dry brining (kosher salt) and my birds have been amazing. I used to brine, but I agree with the watery meat texture with no added flavor (unless it's a long smoke). I accidentally got my bird up to 180 yesterday and was still juicy and tender as ever. But then again, I'm amazing.

 

[Melana]

Inserting your spatchcock can be quite fun......in conversation.

I'm all for fun.

 

[niquejim]

I guess I do.

I do not simply put salt and water in my brine, adding "water" to the turkey.

A lot of roasted garlic and onion, fresh sage and rosemary and apple go into mine, and it was hailed as the best turkey anyone had ever had.

I dry brined mine and added all the seasonings while cooking, "and it was hailed as the best turkey anyone had ever had."

 

[niquejim]

He puts an enormous amount of work into something that isn't likely to change one person's mind.

He starts off well, but then lists the two biggest reasons for not brining as "You need a big pot" and "It doesn't taste as good". Taste is subjective, and, as a beer brewing guy I already have a big pot or two.

I always brine turkey, no amount of pseudo-science is going to change that.

My completely non-scientific research supports my continued brining of turkeys.

He does, so that people like myself don't have to. The debate forum doesn't change anyones mind but we still put in all the effort for that.
Most people don't have that second beer fridge and have enough other things in the fridge and no room for the turkey in a pot
I don't think a MIT grad does "pseudo-science"

 

[Randar]

I don't think a MIT grad does "pseudo-science"

I know more than a couple and I think that's a generalization as easily refuted as saying Notre Dame grads can't be heathens.