This is more or less my philosophy on turkey:
I just cover it in butter, salt, and some spices. Then I use a good instant-read meat thermometer to make sure I don't overcook it. It's about as good a turkey as I've ever had.
Then I make some bomb-ass gravy & cranberry sauce to go with it.
Turkey is barely worth eating. Hate it, glad I'm not the only one.
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I expected this thread to be in cyrillic.
Roasted turkey can be hit or miss depending on the preparation. Several years ago we started frying turkey for Thanksgiving. It gave a consistent result that the family enjoyed, despite their true feelings of the bird.
Enter the Big Green Egg. When the Big Green Egg came into my life it was a true game changer. It gave me that pride of ownership feeling that one gets from a custom 1911 or a Wilson Beretta 92. It arrived in October of 2013, and I had one month to master the Egg before the big show on Turkey Day. The first long cook on the Egg was a bone in turkey breast as a trial run.
After sampling some rubs, and choosing a brine, the first breast was cooked in early November 2013. We had the family over to try out our latest concoction. Everyone loved the turkey. My sister in law who is damn near a vegetarian looks forward to smoked turkey every year!
Next year my wife wants a brisket too.......and I too think it's time to add that to the menu as well. It's time to start a new tradition.
Scallops wrapped in thick bacon and broiled is my families answer to turkey. Can't stand store bought turkey, wild is a different matter....
We do duck for Christmas, though quite different from how most people make it. We do it as a Persian Fesenjan.Originally Posted by t1tan
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Going for the "picture perfect" bird is in my mind a mistake. A few years back I started basting the bird with a burgundy wine, and then tried honey whiskey. Both give it wonderful but different flavors. It's done right when you grab the drumstick and pull the bone clean out of the meat.
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I admit this thread surprises me. The turkey we make at Thanksgiving is always delicious. And the cold turkey sandwiches made from the leftovers are almost as good as the turkey hot out of the oven.
As others have said, it's all in the preparation. A good brine, proper application of spices and herbs, and care while cooking make for a great outcome. And make sure to let the bird sit for 15 minutes before carving! Yum.
EXACTLY! It's just like eating.... well, this is a family forum.... never mind.
Bacon wrapped scallops are an hors d'voeuvre prior to the main feast. Ditto bacon wrapped figs with goat cheese, and lox/chive cream cheese spindles.
That's a neat idea. We might try that one year.
For us, we put chunks of butter underneath the skin, rubbed the outside of the skin with generic store-bought spices, and cooked the bird in an oven bag.
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What time do you guys have thanksgiving dinner? My family traditionally does it as a dinner instead of supper. My better half's family does it as supper. Fortunately we compromise well and did it at 2pm these last 2 holidays.
Last edited by TGS; 11-29-2015 at 02:06 PM.
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