Why does it have to be this way?

[mtmuley]

There is definitely an art to it. It is a lot of work. You can usually buy it in the grocery store. There is a place in Opheim that makes it.

My Grandmother learned from my Great Grandmother and so on. Took that kind of thing for granted. We did have some legendary feasts as sometimes both my Grandmother's actually cooked together. mtmuley

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

Yeah I guess if you've never been in the country's good food region you might not think Thanksgiving food is any good...

Turkey? Delicious. Mashed potatoes? You must not have them with enough butter and salt. Sweet potato casserole? Literally a dessert you get to count as a vegetable. Green bean casserole? Yeah proof you're doing things wrong. Green beans are slow cooked overnight with some salted pork product, preferably a ham hock or ham bone. Mac and cheese? We always have it too.

As for dessert? APPLE PIE??????? THANKSGIVING ISNT ABOUT APPLE PIE WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU. Pumpkin pie? I'll give it a strong 'meh' because everyone who knows what's good knows PECAN PIE is the superior dessert. There is no contest. And if that pecan pie is made with sorghum molasses? Perfection.

Get this commie crap outta here.

You're from the South - how can I like more than once!

 

[QuazyQuinton]

If you need a dose of irony, I'm following this thread while standing at the stove making caramel sauce for flan to take to our gathering tomorrow. Why? I don't know. Because I know how to make flan, and I know people will eat it.

QQ

 

[Oak]

My Grandmother learned from my Great Grandmother and so on. Took that kind of thing for granted. We did have some legendary feasts as sometimes both my Grandmother's actually cooked together. mtmuley

Not to derail the thread, but this is something I have thought about recently. I'm fortunate that we still have my mom and that she lives only 1/2 mile away. I told her a couple of weeks ago that I wanted to learn how to make one of the favorite dishes she makes. She took it as merely a hint that I wanted her to make it, and delivered a big batch 2 days later. I had to tell her that I really meant that I wanted to learn how to make it.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Gonna say it…I hate the candied sweet potatoes. I love everything else about Thanksgiving dinner, but those are the grossest things ever. I refuse to make them.

I always buy a couple of turkeys for the freezer now while they are cheap. Later I’ll roast the extra ones just to use in casseroles and things. But I love a good Thanksgiving turkey! I have an apple cider vinegar and orange brine that I love, and for the love of all that is holy, rest the bird!! Tom sits 30 minutes covered in foil and kitchen towels while I finish other dishes. Juicy every time.

The only caveat for me with stuffing is I don’t like it cooked in the bird. Too soggy. I scoop it into muffin tins and bake it. Higher crispy to soft ratio - perfection!

Mashed potatoes, whole berry cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, and pecan pie or cheesecake. I can’t wait!

 

[TOGIE]

i think my ass is most chapped by the general unwillingness of people to ever consider doing anything besides a turkey. i bring it up every year amongst family and many of the responses are "over my dead body"

i mean come on be real, someone slaps down on the table 1) a professionally cooked prime rib and 2) a professionally smoked, fried, or oven roasted turkey and you're only allowed to eat one of them. which one are you choosing?

 

[Zach]

We raise our own, commercial breeds and heritage breeds. Turkey sucks because of commercial breeds raised in commercial environments.

Raised at home they are far better and the heritage breeds are like wild, but a little plumper, a little fatter and have less stringy legs.

That said, great roasted turkey is actually really hard to pull off. We have a la caja china box, and with a mojo marinade and spatchcocking it is a game changer.

View attachment 251803
View attachment 251804

Pay attention boys and girls, good info here! Learning what makes moist meat and crispy skin is a fine art. Any whole birds I put on the pellet smoker get spatchcocked. I pin my wings a little different.

I'll be doing a turkey and bone in rib roast this year.

We need a Holiday Libations thread to pair with the Holiday feast thread.

 

[FI460]

i think my ass is most chapped by the general unwillingness of people to ever consider doing anything besides a turkey. i bring it up every year amongst family and many of the responses are "over my dead body"

i mean come on be real, someone slaps down on the table 1) a professionally cooked prime rib and 2) a professionally smoked, fried, or oven roasted turkey and you're only allowed to eat one of them. which one are you choosing?

You'll be hard pressed to stop me from eating both.

I understand the chapping around unwillingness to cook something else. It's our Thanksgiving, we can do whatever we want. I'm a turkey fan but also a big supporter of adding whatever other nontraditional foods folks want. But you better be strong on defense if you think you're gonna stop me from taking turkey and prime rib.

 

[mtmuley]

i think my ass is most chapped by the general unwillingness of people to ever consider doing anything besides a turkey. i bring it up every year amongst family and many of the responses are "over my dead body"

I see some people might even watch soccer tomorrow. What the Hell for? mtmuley

 

[JT88]

My Grandmother made me lefse whenever I wanted. She was really good at it. Miss it this time of year. mtmuley

We just made a huge batch yesterday and will make another around Christmas time. Hard to beat

 

[nastynate]

i think my ass is most chapped by the general unwillingness of people to ever consider doing anything besides a turkey. i bring it up every year amongst family and many of the responses are "over my dead body"

i mean come on be real, someone slaps down on the table 1) a professionally cooked prime rib and 2) a professionally smoked, fried, or oven roasted turkey and you're only allowed to eat one of them. which one are you choosing?

If you're hosting and cooking, I say cook up a big prime rib! No need to discuss or give a choice. Your party, your rules, anyone should be thankful for that- particularly on Thanksgiving.

If you're the guest and/or relying on other people to cook the big meal... thank 'em for all the hard work that it is and stop telling them how they should be hosting!

 

[BirdManMike]

The best part of the traditional Thanksgiving meal are the leftovers turned into thanksgiving croquettes.

Recipe:

Make a roux.
Mix shredded turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing into the roux.
Roll into balls.
Dip each ball in egg, roll crushed Corn Flakes, redip in egg, roll again in corn flakes.
Fry evenly in oil until golden brown.


You’re welcome.

We are skipping the whole thanksgiving meal and just making croquets this year. Usually we host a bunchve family but no one is coming this year. Going to make mashed potatoes and stuffing today, turkey tomorrow and will immediately fry up a couple batches of croquettas for dinner. (And the rest later).

 

[Irrelevant]

i think my ass is most chapped by the general unwillingness of people to ever consider doing anything besides a turkey.

You're more than welcome to come join me at the inlaws, you too can share in the misery.

 

[RobertD]

deviled eggs? absolutely.

And they said you were a Communist! Psh

 

[RobertD]

Still concerned that some of you have never been served sweet potatoes cooked in a non-idiotic way. ☹

 

[Irrelevant]

Still concerned that some of you have never been served sweet potatoes cooked in a non-idiotic way. ☹

mashed with cinnamon and curry? Mashed with orange juice?

 

[shrapnel]

Things I love are steeped in tradition. I have my dad’s chaps that hang on the bed frame in my spare bedroom. His Stetson hangs on the other end. I have a bunch of mementos hanging around the spare bedroom and I don’t use any of them.

Everything there is a reminder of my dad and his life, which is nothing more than a memory of another life and time. None of it has any use today, but damned if I am going to throw it out.

Thanksgiving is the same, a long tradition of many great memories of family gatherings around the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. Sure there are better meals one could fix, but I just don’t see changing all the rules for something that has been an American standard for all these years.

Prime rib may be better, but I’m going to enjoy a great traditional Thanksgiving dinner that represents much more that just a meal…

 

[Redman]

Only time of year I eat store bought turkey. I always take some sort of wild game. The lady relatives are always afraid to eat any meat I bring because it didn't come from a store. Probably because one family reunion I brought southwest "chicken", they all ate it and told me how good it was but when I told them it was squirrel that I had shot a few days prior they became cautious. I also make oyster dressing.

 

[Hunting Wife]

The best part of the traditional Thanksgiving meal are the leftovers turned into thanksgiving croquettes.

Recipe:

Make a roux.
Mix shredded turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing into the roux.
Roll into balls.
Dip each ball in egg, roll crushed Corn Flakes, redip in egg, roll again in corn flakes.
Fry evenly in oil until golden brown.


You’re welcome.

We are skipping the whole thanksgiving meal and just making croquets this year. Usually we host a bunchve family but no one is coming this year. Going to make mashed potatoes and stuffing today, turkey tomorrow and will immediately fry up a couple batches of croquettas for dinner. (And the rest later).

Those sound phenomenal. Going to try it!

 

[jryoung]

Also, this is important right now. Don't experiment with some bullshit you found on the damn internet for Thanksgiving.