Thanksgiving!

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Melana said:
Culinary semantics. Anything that is cubed bread, herbs, veg, etc to me is stuffing.
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Isn't it ALL semantics? It just depends where you draw the line.

I concede. If NO ONE stuffs the bird anymore, then stuffing it is. (even though it isn't ;))
 
the BigHair started coating the bird with garden vegetable CREAM CHEESE

OMFGZIES, is that f**ing tasty. skins gets nice and crispy and the white meat is nice and moist.

sides I have to choose between mashed taters and dressing (trying to keep carbs to a minimum, but I get to "splurge" for Txgiving) so I'll usually make my grandma's dressing/stuffing. we used to stuff the bird, until we learned it causes cancer/liver disease/gout/autism/conjunctivitis/cold sweats/water retention/cotton mouth/gonorrhea/pus-ridden anal sores/whatever
 
^^ Oddly enough, this isn't the first thanksgiving-related thread where the phrase "pus ridden anal sores" has come up.
 
Have we discussed sweet potato souffle yet? With pecans and brown sugar crumble crust on top? And marshmallows?
 
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.
 
Not a side, but an appetizer/snack. Traditionally, my uncle would bring his cherished cheese ball. He never revealed his recipe, but he mixes different soft cheeses together into a ball, rolls that in some roasted nuts, and it's served with crackers. My favorite.

For beer, I don't have a standard. Don't want anything really heavy that will compete with food. Celebration sounds like it would be good. I have a German Pilsner on tap that I'll be bringing along.
 
cheezydemon3 said:
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.
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I start making the gravy before I ever cook the bird. I cook my bird(heavily rubbed in an herb blend) on a rack in my roasting pan. In the pan I add a stick of butter and a IPA so the butter and beer steam up all while the fat and herbs fall into it which then gives me the base for my gravy. You have to separate a lot of fat off but the flavor is amazing. I and braised kale is my favorite side.
 
BigDaddyBeard said:
I start making the gravy before I ever cook the bird. I cook my bird(heavily rubbed in an herb blend) on a rack in my roasting pan. In the pan I add a stick of butter and a IPA so the butter and beer steam up all while the fat and herbs fall into it which then gives me the base for my gravy. You have to separate a lot of fat off but the flavor is amazing. I and braised kale is my favorite side.
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i do say to let the gravy steep "while everything else cooks". I may not start it first, but if the bird is in the oven, the gravy is simmering!

:mug:
 
Good gravy is key no matter how it is made. The first year I went to Thanksgiving at the in-laws I noticed there was no gravy going on the table! I found the flour, butter, drippings and giblets and got to work quickly. Ever since I am in charge of gravy.
 
I usually take the neck, the first two joints' worth of the wings and all the giblets (except the liver - no one in the family likes that organ meat flavor it provides) and put them in the crock pot on Wednesday night with onions, celery leaves, and concentrated chicken bouillon and let it simmer overnight. That becomes part of the gravy.
 
JonM said:
I usually take the neck, the first two joints' worth of the wings and all the giblets (except the liver - no one in the family likes that organ meat flavor it provides) and put them in the crock pot on Wednesday night with onions, celery leaves, and concentrated chicken bouillon and let it simmer overnight. That becomes part of the gravy.
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That is fine! I am sure that would make good gravy too...........that said ;), concentrated chicken stock is just as easy to make!
 
Melana said:
What is this... Gravygate?
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Sorry my dear! Did I jack this thing? I think not.

Gravy will (as has been stated) make or break the meal.

The better the gravy, the better the turkey.

The better the gravy, the better the "stuffin" ;)

The better the gravy, the better the mashed potatoes.

The better the gravy, the better the conversation.

The better the gravy,.....ahem.......THE BETTER THE EFFING THANKSGIVING.





lol.:p
 
cheezydemon3 said:
Sorry my dear! Did I jack this thing? I think not.

Gravy will (as has been stated) make or break the meal.

The better the gravy, the better the turkey.

The better the gravy, the better the "stuffin" ;)

The better the gravy, the better the mashed potatoes.

The better the gravy, the better the conversation.

The better the gravy,.....ahem.......THE BETTER THE EFFING THANKSGIVING.

lol.:p
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Last time I checked, gravy doesn't make it easier to deal with the in-laws; beer does.
 
Melana said:
Cheezy my darling... I was teasing you. Take it like a man.
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;)

thatjonguy said:
Last time I checked, gravy doesn't make it easier to deal with the in-laws; beer does.
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It is easier to deal with the inlaws because they are busy SUCKING down side dishes coated in gravy, their mouths far too clogged to complain, nag, or make small talk.

Also, with properly administered gravy, they get FULL and need to leave early to take a nap...

In extreme situations, a separate batch of PROZAC gravy is called for.
 
roastquake said:
Ohh I've seen this backfire. They could just nap on your couch! :cross:
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This is why hosting a holiday will never be on my to do list. Well that and a number of other reasons!
 
Melana said:
Naughty Halloween is fun!
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Exactly.

Thanksgiving is non-religious, but there is the expectation of lots of cooking and lots of company.

Christmas is almost non-religious, but the expectation of consumer decadence that it has come to represent is pretty ugly.

Yep!

Halloween is the best. I do like to cook though!
 
mashed potatoes with good rich gravy and a turkey leg

sausage stuffed mushrooms

Brown ale

and my favorite dish: dessert. My wife's side have traditionally had Shoo Fly Pie. I love it so much that I have perfected my wet-bottom version of this totally awesome, sugary, diabetic coma pie. It has to be dripping with lots of black strap molasses. A big blob of vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream and a glass of milk.
 
Gravy, home made only! on everything. I'm a huge fan of giblets so we always have to buy extra to make sure there is enough for the gravy.

Oyster dressing.

And I wouldn't be me if I didn't have bacon somewhere and that is included in our green bean casserole with homemade cream of wild mushroom soup and (storebought) onion strings.

Single malt scotch.
 
Anyone here baste the turkey with beer? I recently heard about this technique and it supposedly yields great results.
 
My Wife is in AZ for 2 more weeks, so I am doing Thanksgiving with her Brother and his family. We decided to break with tradition and are having grilled moose steaks and snow crab, penne pasta in a garlic cream sauce with reconstituted morel mushrooms (from spring picking and drying) and grilled asparagus. My sister in law is making creme brulee for desert. We will be drinking some of my 3 year old simple mead, Angry Orchard Cider and some oaked stout homebrew.

Unfortunately, this will use the last of our dried morels so we will have to wait for Spring for some more.
 
Subsailor said:
My Wife is in AZ for 2 more weeks, so I am doing Thanksgiving with her Brother and his family. We decided to break with tradition and are having grilled moose steaks and snow crab, penne pasta in a garlic cream sauce with reconstituted morel mushrooms (from spring picking and drying) and grilled asparagus. My sister in law is making creme brulee for desert. We will be drinking some of my 3 year old simple mead, Angry Orchard Cider and some oaked stout homebrew.

Unfortunately, this will use the last of our dried morels so we will have to wait for Spring for some more.
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AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

Surf and turf might have been more historically accurate anyways!!


LOVE me some snow crab.

People that really know crab love snow crab. My favorite, hands down.

My dear departed mom did something similar 10 or so years ago....well, at least she did NO turkey and TONS of snowcrab.

Awesome.
 
Melana said:
Culinary semantics. Anything that is cubed bread, herbs, veg, etc to me is stuffing.
Click to expand...

Those freaks in Pennsylvania call it "filling."

BigDaddyBeard said:
Good gravy is key no matter how it is made. The first year I went to Thanksgiving at the in-laws I noticed there was no gravy going on the table! I found the flour, butter, drippings and giblets and got to work quickly. Ever since I am in charge of gravy.
Click to expand...

Same thing happened to me one time. Except everyone was panicked and yelling if anyone knew how to make gravy. I had to order everyone to get the **** out of the kitchen and let me work.

cheezydemon3 said:
Sorry my dear! Did I jack this thing? I think not.

Gravy will (as has been stated) make or break the meal.

The better the gravy, the better the turkey.

The better the gravy, the better the "stuffin" ;)

The better the gravy, the better the mashed potatoes.

The better the gravy, the better the conversation.

The better the gravy,.....ahem.......THE BETTER THE EFFING THANKSGIVING.
Click to expand...

Truer words have never been spoken...




Menu this year:

2 smoked turkeys
2 types of stuffing: wild mushroom & bacon, sage & sausage
green bean casserole
swiss medly vegetables
cranberry sauce (from the Thug Kitchen blog)
roasted garlic & parmesean mashed potatoes
maybe a salad (like anyone eats salad on Thanksgiving)
rolls

Someone else is making/brining dessert because I don't eat dessert. Well, dessert is smaller portions of the above menu. :p

Turkey carcass soup will be made over the weekend unless I get too lazy.

EDIT: oh, and I need to cook an epic Chinese feast on Wednesday night: lettuce wraps, pot stickers, spring rolls, char siu bau, and Singapore noodles.
 
Subsailor said:
My Wife is in AZ for 2 more weeks, so I am doing Thanksgiving with her Brother and his family. We decided to break with tradition and are having grilled moose steaks and snow crab, penne pasta in a garlic cream sauce with reconstituted morel mushrooms (from spring picking and drying) and grilled asparagus. My sister in law is making creme brulee for desert. We will be drinking some of my 3 year old simple mead, Angry Orchard Cider and some oaked stout homebrew.

Unfortunately, this will use the last of our dried morels so we will have to wait for Spring for some more.
Click to expand...

Truly a most awesome Thanksgiving Day feast! :ban:
Regards, GF.
 
Ok so I think this is as good a place to ask as any. To brine or not to brine? Thoughts please
 
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.
 

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