Thanksgiving recipes

Zooey wrote:

So I recall a big thread some years ago where people posted their Thanksgiving recipes, and I’ve searched and not found what I’m looking for. zn, I recall, had some Swear-by Turkey recipe.

My brother was going to host at his house, but he’s still not back in his house due to the Camp fire, and they have asked us to host. I’ve never cooked a turkey in my life because I’ve never cooked a Thanksgiving meal before.

Any favorite tips?

My recipe, I haven’t done it in a while. It’s not a roast turkey, it;s turkey parts basted in a broth.

If that interests you I can try and dig it up.

A witch I know has a great recipe for little children…

You know, kid friendly meals (kid as in baby goat).

If you have a Weber kettle charcoal grill here’s a fool proof recipe.

It’s simple, tastes and looks fantastic… I’ve been doing this every year for Xmas and Thanksgiving since 1996

1) brine the bird on Wed. Get the brine mix from cost plus. It’s not expensive and very effective and provides a nice aroma to your kitchen the day before Thanksgiving.

2) follow the brine directions on package.

2a) But at a high level boil a large pot of water

2b) stir in brine mix and simmer let brine water cool.

2c) place bird in large plastic bag (eg large trash bag) place bag in cooler pour brine mix in bag in cooler with ice in cooler

3) Thursday AM grill the bird. I grill mine at 350 degrees Which results in cooking time of about 12 Min per pound.

3a) grill prep 60 charcoal briquettes. Get them hot to prep for indirect grilling. (30 briquettes on each side of the grill.

3b) place aluminum drip pan in between the 2 piles of briquettes. Add a small amount of water to pan.

3c) put your grate on the grill. Make sure you positioned the grill grate to allow you to add briquettes to each side of the bird during cook time

3d) remove bird from brine. rinse bird. Pat dry with paper towel. rub with butter and olive oil.

3f) place bird on grill over drip pan

3g) add 9 briquettes to each side of the grill ever 50 min to maintain 350 degree heat in grill

4) cook bird until 160 to 165 degrees, remove from grill and let stand for 20% of your cooking time.

5) carve and serve.

I use this recipe below for gravy, but cheat a little bit.

I add canned gravy instead of the flour bullshit.

Very tasty.

Giblet Gravy

* Giblet Gravy

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons olive oil


Giblets, liver, and neck from 1 turkey

1 cup diced onions

1/3 cup minced celery

1/3 cup peeled and minced carrots

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 sprig fresh thyme


Salt and freshly ground black pepper
*
* Giblet Gravy:
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
Giblets, liver, and neck from 1 turkey
1 cup diced onions
1/3 cup minced celery
1/3 cup peeled and minced carrots
2 garlic, peeled and minced
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 sprig fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Giblet Gravy:
In a medium, heavy pot, melt the butter and the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the giblets, liver, and turkey neck, and cook, stirring until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic, and saute an additional 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring to incorporate any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock, thyme sprig, and any reserved juices from the bottom of the roasting pan, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Strain. Adjust seasonings with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm with Emeril’s Big Bird.
Yield: about 3 cups
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, 2004

3)

I’m sorry, Z, I haven’t cooked that recipe in years and I can’t find it. Margo doesn’t like Turkey so we never have it. That means the last time I did it was more than a decade ago,

From memory, it is a mix of white wine, chicken broth, honey, and soy sauce. I would say 2 cups of wine, 2 TBLs of honey, 2 TBLs of soy sauce, and then enough broth so the turkey is nearly covered. It has to be in a big pan to cook that way.

I looked up a basting recipe and this sounds right. Bake at 350 for something like 1 1/4 to 2 hours, or until instant-read thermometer registers 165°. Pour off the juice (and strain it to use or to make a gravy) but meanwhile put the turkey parts back in the over to brown real quick on broil (you have to watch it do this, it’s like at most 2? 3? minutes).