Cathy2 wrote:I created a list of podcasts specific to Thanksgiving for an email blast, in case you interested these may make your cooking and driving more interesting.

Hopefully, you're not doing both at the same time.

Making a few items -- gravy, bread & sausage dressing, a couple of different casseroles -- to take to my sister's house tomorrow. And there are a few ingredients in there for tonight's dinner, too. Figured I should do as much prep as possible all at once . . .


Day-Before Morning Prep & Konosuke Fujiyama FM Blue #2 Gyuto, 210mm
Japanese eggplant*, sliced creminis, homemade sage sausage (made yesterday), celery leaves, diced honeycrisp apple, crushed garlic, grated ginger*, scallion bottoms*, celery ribs, scallion tops*, minced garlic*, sliced shallots** and diced yellow & red onions**
(*=dinner, **=dinner and Thanksgiving side dish).

I have a few more things I may make. It really just depends on time and my energy level.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

=R=

I am in London this Thanksgiving being sous chef for my daughter who permanently lives here and brings US Thanksgiving to many of her friends every year.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

lougord99 wrote:I am in London this Thanksgiving being sous chef for my daughter who permanently lives here and brings US Thanksgiving to many of her friends every year.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

I prepared a traditional T’giving dinner in London in 2008 for I think around 12 people, none American, in a kitchen that, let’s just say, wasn’t intended for the purpose. Still don’t recall how we cooked the bird in the oven that was closer in size to a toaster oven than a real oven. It was hilarious but still delicious.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Turkey came out great today.
Spatchcocked yesterday made a rub with buttermilk powder, a half bottle of Spice House gateway to the north too add a little sweet and salt (didn't need much salt on a butterball), my favorite Potrero sun-dried chile powder, cumin and oregano. Cooked a little over 2 hours on the WSM, then a little time under the broiler to crisp the skin.

Gravy was a quart of turkey stock reduced to almost nothing (didn't mean to) then watered down to two cups, after browning the neck, back, extra skin and giblets (all they gave me was heart and oysters), carrot, celery, onion, mushrooms, sage, thyme, s&p; thickened with roux.

No better way to have turkey than smoked.

boudreaulicious wrote:

lougord99 wrote:I am in London this Thanksgiving being sous chef for my daughter who permanently lives here and brings US Thanksgiving to many of her friends every year.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

I prepared a traditional T’giving dinner in London in 2008 for I think around 12 people, none American, in a kitchen that, let’s just say, wasn’t intended for the purpose. Still don’t recall how we cooked the bird in the oven that was closer in size to a toaster oven than a real oven. It was hilarious but still delicious.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Our 10.1 lb. Bird barely fit into my daughter’s oven.

This Thanksgiving we were guests. Our hosts bought a complete T-Day meal from Stefani Prime in Lincolnwood. Was more than a little skeptical though ended up pleasantly surprised. Well packed, nice presentation. Turkey had crisp skin, moist flesh, good to ok sides. (Green beans in cream sauce- so-so, sweet potato mash delicious.)

I carved the turkey and our hosts had surprisingly well kept knives, one of which I gave them. Wing tips and 'Pope's nose' disappeared before coming to the table.

Was told pickup easy, pull up, give your name, pop the trunk and on your way.

Not something I'd personally do, but the company was grand and food better than expected. A win all around.

Happy T-Day to all.

Revelation from my Thanksgiving, where everything was homemade aside from the deserts and turkey gravy from Foodstuffs, was the pumpkin pie from Hewn. I preferred it to Hoosier Mama from about a decade of Thanksgivings before this one. I still like HM for all other pies, but I don't think trying to capture the more intense pumpkin flavor is really what the dish is about. Getting a smooth texture to the filling with a buttery crust is the more important part to my taste, and Hewn does a better job. If you do want the strongest pumpkin flavor possible, stick with HM, I just don't feel like that's really necessary after the large meal.

Our gifted Alinea take-out meal was really good (as David Hammond described here).

I did decide to go with the dry-brined bird instead of their recommended slow-roasted version, with no regrets.

I lift my eggnog-fortified cup of morning coffee to all the tired but victorious home cooks out there!

I know turkey is traditional but, let's be real, steak is better...
We opted for an inflatable turkey this year.
Appetizers: Crudites, cheese plate, jalapeño popper dip
Main: Koji marinaded steak, sous vide at 129 degrees, quick sear on the grill
Sides: Brussels sprouts with pancetta and balsamic, roast carrots with tahini and dukkah, roasted potatoes
Dessert: Sbrisolona (Italian crumbly shortbread with cornmeal and almonds), affogato (chocolate gelato, espresso)

thaiobsessed -

That turkey is hysterical! Your spread looks delicious.

thaiobsessed, funny! Plus your inflatable turkey was probably tastier than 50% of the bone dry birds presented for the holiday meal.

We were only 10 family members this year, which for us is smaller than years past. But this year especially we were truly grateful to be together!

I did my usual Hoka turkey draped with bacon for the first two hours or so (no basting required and good drippings)--moist and delicious. Gravy came out well; I made roasted turkey stock last week from a wing, a leg, and a package of Fresh Farms' turkey tails plus veg. I made my Mom's wild rice/rice/mushroom stuffing, which, yes, even though I may be the last cook in these United States who does it, I stuffed in the bird! (I make the stuffing ahead but reheat a bit so it's warm when it goes in.) Roasted brussels sprouts with a touch of maple syrup, pureed rutabaga with crispy shallots, and mashed potatoes completed the entree. I actually forgot to roast my sweet potatoes , but we really didn't miss them much.

My SIL baked a tasty cranberry upside down cake, served with plenty of whipped cream, and I made pumpkin cheesecake bars that came out really well (from this recipe). Lots of good leftovers, even though I sent some home with the guests, and, as always, I'm looking forward to the turkey soup from the carcass once we pick it cleaner.

lougord99 wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:

lougord99 wrote:I am in London this Thanksgiving being sous chef for my daughter who permanently lives here and brings US Thanksgiving to many of her friends every year.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

I prepared a traditional T’giving dinner in London in 2008 for I think around 12 people, none American, in a kitchen that, let’s just say, wasn’t intended for the purpose. Still don’t recall how we cooked the bird in the oven that was closer in size to a toaster oven than a real oven. It was hilarious but still delicious.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Our 10.1 lb. Bird barely fit into my daughter’s oven.

I don’t remember specifics but I think I may have spatchcocked before spatchcocking was cool

First year preparing Thanksgiving in the new kitchen and it was a lot of fun. My crew is the same year after year—my hubs, his mom and my two stepsons for whom this is dinner #2 that day. So my choice is always make a (boring) size/appetite appropriate meal or do a proper T’giving and know I’m going to have an extra meal or 20. Guess which always wins

This year’s feast:





Afternoon grazing on a Charcuterie & cheese platter, homemade gin-cured gravlax, one turkey’s worth of chopped liver, homemade pickles, etc.

The main event:


Shaved Brussels Sprout, Arugula & Lacinato Kale salad with bacon, Marcona almonds and lemon buttermilk dressing



Charred Green beans with crispy Prosciutto & Onions



My mom’s Stuffing recipe (and, yes, I cooked few cups in the bird-sooo good)



Sour cream & chive pull apart rolls—1st time making scratch rolls!!



Baked Mac & Cheese



Roasted cranberry & grape sauce





Da bird (Gunthorp gorgeousness, dry brined & butter-basted)



The plate



Dessert—MIL’s apple pie and my recreation of my favorite childhood dessert—my grandma’s orange chocolate Bundt cake—this one from Ina Garten. The vanilla orange syrup and chocolate ganache made it pretty but it was much heavier than what I remember and yet, not as moist. Will keep searching for a closer recipe. But it was tasty!

Not pictured: MIL’s mashed potatoes because…mashed potatoes.

Happy ‘I’m not cooking anything til next week” day” to all who celebrate.

did i imagine it, or were folks discussing options for cooking potatoes directly in milk so as to avoid waterlogging? anyone try it? we are doing a smallish friendsgiving tomorrow after small family Thursday and i am thinking through my potato game. i have been doing the boil large chunks of yukon gold, toss in hot pot to dry out, ricer, add hot butter-milk/buttermilk etc mixture method, but i'm curious about this other technique i thought i saw here?
hope everyone's turkey was perky!

Best part of T-Day. Leftovers. Turkey sandwich and wings.

click to enlarge


T-Day leftovers sandwich, count me a Fan!

annak wrote:did i imagine it, or were folks discussing options for cooking potatoes directly in milk so as to avoid waterlogging? anyone try it? we are doing a smallish friendsgiving tomorrow after small family Thursday and i am thinking through my potato game. i have been doing the boil large chunks of yukon gold, toss in hot pot to dry out, ricer, add hot butter-milk/buttermilk etc mixture method, but i'm curious about this other technique i thought i saw here?
hope everyone's turkey was perky!

There is a thread dedicated to Mashed Potatoes!

Whenever it is reasonable, I try to revive posts from the past.

For instance this thanksgiving brainstorming thread goes back to the early days of LTH. I happened to like it because it was not time stamped in the header.

Back to life in the land of LTH!

Regards,
Cathy2

Congee made with turkey bones.

click to enlarge


Congee, count me a Fan!