Thanksgiving Menu's

**Team Sergeant** · 11-12-2014, 20:03

Thanksgiving Menu's

Who's making what?

I'm thinking:

Rotisserie Turkey, Rotisserie Duck or Smoked Turkey Breast

Stuffing, Brioche-Pear Stuffing With Italian Sausage and Almonds

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Cheesy Mushroom and Broccoli Casserole

Glazed Carrots

and making my own turkey stock a few days before to make turkey gravy one day prior.

Those are my Thanksgiving ideas, and yeah, I got them off the internet after a long search. If you google them you'll find the recipes.

MR2 · 11-12-2014, 22:41

I'll have whatever my wonderful wife puts upon the table and be blessed for it - one of the many things to be thankful for each and every day.

I'm a lucky dog my friends, a lucky dog.

(1VB)compforce · 11-13-2014, 08:35

I'm only cooking for a few people so I'm going with a plated meal, but several courses. I haven't nailed down the exact menu yet, but the main features will be:

Mixed Greens salad
Pork Sausage appetizer (I grind and stuff my own sausage)
Turkey Roulade (breast with turkey thigh meat pate for the filler)
pumpkin ice cream on a vanilla/Boston cream pie or a pumpkin based tart.

I may play with molecular a bit and have an edible wishbone on each plate. It depends on whether I can get the mix right to keep it soft enough not to be dangerous/pokey, but still look like and break like a bone.

I like the idea of the gnocchi, I may borrow that.
Bones will, of course, be used for stock and turned into gravy or sauce.

Streck-Fu · 11-13-2014, 08:39

With any luck over the next week or two, I will be having a venison roast of some sort....

Quote:

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

That sounds seriously good....

**Team Sergeant** · 11-13-2014, 11:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streck-Fu

With any luck over the next week or two, I will be having a venison roast of some sort....

That sounds seriously good....

And the Gnocchi can be made a day ahead.....

2018commo · 11-13-2014, 18:06

We are headed to the OBX; hoping for fresh striped bass and a couple of duck breasts wrapped in bacon. Will have a couple of NY Strip Steaks in reserve.
Non-traditional, but very much in season.

**Roguish Lawyer** · 11-13-2014, 18:46

I'm hosting Thanksgiving for the first time in almost 20 years. It is going to be epic!

Habu-MFFI 175 · 11-13-2014, 19:23

I usually deer hunt all morning and then come home to eat. Since my deer stands are less than 300 meters from the back door, won't take me long to walk back when they call "come and get it".

Then a quick nap if all is quite, it not back to the woods and take a nap in real peace and quite. Sit back up late afternoon and finish the hunt.

So what ever the little woman puts on the table....turkey, ham, collards, and what ever else she wants to cook.

PSM · 11-13-2014, 21:10

I figure I'll just toss a turkey in the microwave for an hour or two. For veggies, I'll stir some canned green beans into canned cream of mushroom soup and top it with French’s French Fried onions. Instant mashed potatoes topped with Campbell’s canned gravy. Stove Top stuffing, and, of course, jellied cranberry sauce sliced to order. Ummm, ummm, ummm! Just like mom used to make.

Pat

(1VB)compforce · 11-13-2014, 21:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM

I figure I'll just toss a turkey in the microwave for an hour or two. For veggies, I'll stir some canned green beans into canned cream of mushroom soup and top it with French’s French Fried onions. Instant mashed potatoes topped with Campbell’s canned gravy. Stove Top stuffing, and, of course, jellied cranberry sauce sliced to order. Ummm, ummm, ummm! Just like mom used to make.

Pat

Don't forget to microwave some bacon to put on top of the beans

PSM · 11-13-2014, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by (1VB)compforce

Don't forget to microwave some bacon to put on top of the beans

No, no, no. Can't go messing with mom's recipes.

Pat

MtnGoat · 11-14-2014, 07:18

The Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter, I just looked up and they sound tasty!! I may have to make these this year. Freak out my redneck in-laws!!

InnovativeCGO · 11-14-2014, 07:58

we are going to deep fry a turkey again this year. we deep fried a bird last year for the first time and it came out great.

i used a dry cajun rub and 3 gallons of peanut oil. it left one hell of a mess in the driveway but I was able to get the stain off with some degreaser.

Streck-Fu · 11-14-2014, 08:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by InnovativeCGO

we are going to deep fry a turkey again this year. we deep fried a bird last year for the first time and it came out great.

i used a dry cajun rub and 3 gallons of peanut oil. it left one hell of a mess in the driveway but I was able to get the stain off with some degreaser.

You either used too much oil or put the bird in too quickly.

First, make sure the bird if fully defrosted before trying to fry it.

Determine how much oil you need first by putting the bird in fryer pot and cover with water (no heat obviously). Remove the bird and mark the water height. That is you oil fill line.

When you do get the oil hot and go to put the bird in, go very slowly as the water in and on the bird evaporates explosively. Drop it in slow enough that it doesn't boil over. It takes a minute or two.

Frying a turkey is my favorite way to cook it but I don't want to go to the hospital over it...

Snaquebite · 11-14-2014, 08:42

Turkey cooking tips..... Waiting on TS to weigh in

1. Don’t buy a frozen turkey. A fresh bird will always have flesh that is more moist and tender.

2. Don’t preheat your oven to a temperature lower than 350 degrees F or the turkey’s skin won’t lock in enough juices to ensure a moist bird.

3. Don’t cook your brined turkey before rinsing the meat. Without a good rinse, excess surface salt and any herbs or sugars that could potentially burn will be left on the skin.

4. Don’t leave the bird’s tips uncovered while grilling. If you don’t cover the wing tips and the tips of the drumsticks with foil, you will end up with charring.

5. Don’t pierce the turkey’s skin when putting fat (truffle butter, duck fat, etc.) between the flesh and the skin; but do consider this method, as it imparts even more flavor to your bird.

6. Don’t stuff a bird ahead of time or you will increase the chances of promoting the production of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Better yet, cook your stuffing in a separate casserole. I usually stuff mine with carrots, onion, and lemon.

7. Don’t carve the bird directly after cooking. Let it rest for 30 to 40 minutes to redistribute the juices before you carve.

8. Don’t carve the white meat before the dark meat. The dark meat (legs and thighs) should always be carved before the white meat (turkey breast), since the latter dries out faster.

9. Don’t throw raw flour into pan juices to make gravy. Lighter and more flavorful methods include blending the chunks of carrots, turnips and other winter vegetables that have roasted beneath the turkey and adding the puree to the gravy, or whipping generous dollops of truffle butter into the pan juices for a taste of luxury.

10. Don’t serve your gravy without tasting it first. Always make sure to sample gravy to adjust the seasoning.