Let’s See Your Thanksgiving Menus

lousubcap

Not driving the menu other than the Big change up- duck instead of turkey.  Haven't wrestled with a duck in 40 + years.  (I think that encounter was a draw...🦆).  Very much looking forward to it.  

JohnInCarolina

All I know for sure is that I’m in charge of the turkey, and my mother is making several white sweet potato pies.  We are expecting a full house here, as several of my former students and postdocs are coming into town for the dinner with us.  We will be just shy of 20 around the table, and have several continents represented.  I love it.

Ragingirishman2

We are going to my in-laws so our small family Thanksgiving will follow about a week or two after the holiday. 

caliking

lousubcap said:

Not driving the menu other than the Big change up- duck instead of turkey.  Haven't wrestled with a duck in 40 + years.  (I think that encounter was a draw...🦆).  Very much looking forward to it.  

I braved HEB today, and paused for a moment when I saw the duck(s). Maybe next year.

tbutleriv

Two smoked turkeys, two oven roasted turkeys, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mac n cheese, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, stuffing, rolls, cranberry celebration, and holiday old fashioned. 

Bellavista52

One deep fried turkey and oven roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, corn pudding, broccoli and mushroom casserole, dinner rolls, spinach salad and pumpkin pie.

CTMike

tbutleriv said:

Two smoked turkeys, two oven roasted turkeys, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mac n cheese, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, stuffing, rolls, cranberry celebration, and holiday old fashioned. 

Would you mind sending along the recipe?

CTMike

Our menu has been finalized:

- Raichlen’s Maple Smoked Turkey - spatchcocked
- Herbed Mashed Potatoes with Labneh
- Mashed Turnip
- Maple glazed carrots
- Broccoli with cheese sauce
- Sausage stuffing
- Celeriac salad posted above
- Potato rolls
- Individual Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Puddings
- Strawberry rhubarb pie
- Apple pie
- Key lime pie
- Chocolate cream pie

PS: (All of the pies or bought from a local bakery). 

Canugghead

I'm drooling just reading the menus.

Ragingirishman2

I agree canugghead.  SWMBO told me that her mom got the Honeybaked ham and turkey for Thanksgiving again this year. I tell myself that it’s about the people around the table, and not the food on the table that matters the most. 

Botch

Have my cooker standing by:
 

 
And since I'm cooking for myself, have downsized a bit:
 

 
And this year am foregoing any pies, for this delicious-sounding treat!
 

 

RRP

This wild bird in my woods is proof they don't have the breast domestic turkeys do.

ColbyLang

My only requirement for cooking. 

johnmitchell

Don’t forget to take the Nappy packet of gizzards out your bird pre cook 😉

CTMike

CTMike said:

Our menu has been finalized:

- Raichlen’s Maple Smoked Turkey - spatchcocked
- Herbed Mashed Potatoes with Labneh
- Mashed Turnip
- Maple glazed carrots
- Broccoli with cheese sauce
- Sausage stuffing
- Celeriac salad posted above
- Potato rolls
- Individual Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Puddings
- Strawberry rhubarb pie
- Apple pie
- Key lime pie
- Chocolate cream pie

PS: (All of the pies or bought from a local bakery). 

I forgot to include the spiral ham / brother-in-law can’t stand turkey. 

kl8ton

I'm going to try deboning the turkey. I have two fresh, never frozen birds from a local farm. If I massacre one, I'll try again. Will probably brine overnight using the Raichelen recipe that @CTMike posted. 

Paolo

caliking said:

Paolo said:

Love to read about your Thanksgiving plans! 

I am considering myself giving a try to turkey but have no idea how to get a full bird, let alone how to cook it

Start a new thread. I promise you people will chip in, and get you through to a home run. 

If whole turkeys are not available in your area, turkey breast turns out very well on the egg, too. Or, forget turkey, and cook up whatever protein you want! My sis roasts Cornish hens for Thanksgiving, and they are delicious.

Thanks for your suggestions @Caliking. An update on this: I found a good poultry shop in Milan (open since 1955) that supplies the local American expat community with turkeys for Thanksgiving. And got myself a 14 pounds bird for the occasion that is currently sitting in my fridge.

No festivity here, but a great excuse for firing the Egg and trying a new cook!

kl8ton

Are we using this thread to "show and tell" as well?  

I had my son hold my phone, pause, play, rewind, play, pause, play as Pepin did his thing.

19.5 lbs prior to deboning.

I did truss it up but forgot to take a pic before it went in the maple bourbon salt bath.  PVW is all I had, so that is what it is bathing in.



j/k about PVW.  It was Buffalo Trace.

RRP

johnmitchell said:

Don’t forget to take the Nappy packet of gizzards out your bird pre cook 😉

That reminds me of our first Thanksgiving way back in 1966. My new bride who was not an experienced person in a kitchen was preparing to cook our first feast just for the two of us. She had called her mother for instructions. Well that packet inside was not something her mother told her about. When she reached in the cavity and begin to put out the packet she freaked out when she saw it and ran to our neighbor lady crying that our turkey had a dead baby turkey inside and was too upset to go any further!

U_tarded

We take this serious.  I ran out of space but you all get the idea.  All breads are house made.  Only main ingredients bought (veggies, turkey, herbs etc).  Making stock and all the baking starts about 2 weeks before with a lot of extendeded ferments, brines, drying etc.  

Ragingirishman2

U_tarded said:

We take this serious.  I ran out of space but you all get the idea.  All breads are house made.  Only main ingredients bought (veggies, turkey, herbs etc).  Making stock and all the baking starts about 2 weeks before with a lot of extendeded ferments, brines, drying etc.  

Great menu

alaskanassasin

That’s awesome @U_tarded

CTMike

kl8ton said:

Are we using this thread to "show and tell" as well?  

I had my son hold my phone, pause, play, rewind, play, pause, play as Pepin did his thing.

19.5 lbs prior to deboning.

I did truss it up but forgot to take a pic before it went in the maple bourbon salt bath.  PVW is all I had, so that is what it is bathing in.



j/k about PVW.  It was Buffalo Trace. 

Just re-read Raichlen’s recipe and I’m not seeing it call for bourbon. Is that for basting your own liver, or is there another Raichlen recipe you’re using?

Link please. 

Legume

I love the hidden bits of commentary in there, "because Utah" 😂

kl8ton

CTMike said:

kl8ton said:

Are we using this thread to "show and tell" as well?  

I had my son hold my phone, pause, play, rewind, play, pause, play as Pepin did his thing.

19.5 lbs prior to deboning.

I did truss it up but forgot to take a pic before it went in the maple bourbon salt bath.  PVW is all I had, so that is what it is bathing in.



j/k about PVW.  It was Buffalo Trace. 

Just re-read Raichlen’s recipe and I’m not seeing it call for bourbon. Is that for basting your own liver, or is there another Raichlen recipe you’re using?

Link please. 

https://barbecuebible.com/recipe/bourbon-maple-brined-smoke-roasted-turkey/

I searched this on my phone. The ads were annoying. I went to my laptop to snag the "print recipe" link and it turns out he has at least 3 versions and I couldn't arrive at the link that was on my phone. I just used my search history to search again and had to scroll around a lot to find it again. Turkey day algorithm is evolving rapidly. 

And yes.... I'm marinating my liver right now with the leftover bourbon. 

I would appreciate a link to the recipe that you are using WITHOUT bourbon. 


My plan is to put the raging River rub on and frequently coat with melted butter and maple syrup.  

CTMike

kl8ton said:

CTMike said:

kl8ton said:

Are we using this thread to "show and tell" as well?  

I had my son hold my phone, pause, play, rewind, play, pause, play as Pepin did his thing.

19.5 lbs prior to deboning.

I did truss it up but forgot to take a pic before it went in the maple bourbon salt bath.  PVW is all I had, so that is what it is bathing in.



j/k about PVW.  It was Buffalo Trace. 

Just re-read Raichlen’s recipe and I’m not seeing it call for bourbon. Is that for basting your own liver, or is there another Raichlen recipe you’re using?

Link please. 

https://barbecuebible.com/recipe/bourbon-maple-brined-smoke-roasted-turkey/

I searched this on my phone. The ads were annoying. I went to my laptop to snag the "print recipe" link and it turns out he has at least 3 versions and I couldn't arrive at the link that was on my phone. I just used my search history to search again and had to scroll around a lot to find it again. Turkey day algorithm is evolving rapidly. 

And yes.... I'm marinating my liver right now with the leftover bourbon. 

I would appreciate a link to the recipe that you are using WITHOUT bourbon. 


My plan is to put the raging River rub on and frequently coat with melted butter and maple syrup.  

https://rmeineke.github.io/recipes/main_i-q/MAPLE%20syrup%20turkey.doc

CTMike

Rub applied, then covered with foil and in to the walk-in for a nap. 

caliking

U_tarded said:

...

We take this serious.  I ran out of space but you all get the idea.  All breads are house made.  Only main ingredients bought (veggies, turkey, herbs etc).  Making stock and all the baking starts about 2 weeks before with a lot of extendeded ferments, brines, drying etc.  

I so dig this. NFA.

caliking

Botch said:

Have my cooker standing by:
 

 
And since I'm cooking for myself, have downsized a bit:
 
..
 
And this year am foregoing any pies, for this delicious-sounding treat!
 
..
 

Something's wrong when the first thought is "wait... that's not Botch's kitchen. Did he move?" before the rest of the setup registered. 

caliking

Paolo said:

caliking said:

Paolo said:

Love to read about your Thanksgiving plans! 

I am considering myself giving a try to turkey but have no idea how to get a full bird, let alone how to cook it

Start a new thread. I promise you people will chip in, and get you through to a home run. 

If whole turkeys are not available in your area, turkey breast turns out very well on the egg, too. Or, forget turkey, and cook up whatever protein you want! My sis roasts Cornish hens for Thanksgiving, and they are delicious.

Thanks for your suggestions @Caliking. An update on this: I found a good poultry shop in Milan (open since 1955) that supplies the local American expat community with turkeys for Thanksgiving. And got myself a 14 pounds bird for the occasion that is currently sitting in my fridge.

No festivity here, but a great excuse for firing the Egg and trying a new cook!

Giddy up   I'm impressed that you were able to source a turkey that big in Milan. Be sure to post pics!