Stuffing Balls on NPR’s What’s Cooking
npr.org/2022/11/20/11360/72763thanksgiving-dressing-balls-recipe
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Happy Thanksgiving!
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Would love to hear these if you’re willing!
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Apparently, Grandma would make slices (about an inch apart) in the skin all over the duck, then rub it with plenty of salt. Keep it elevated in the pan, so all the fat could drain out of slits in the skin. Start cooking it breast side up, then flip it over when the (breast) skin just started to get dark. She wouldn’t pull it out until the bottom side (which was now pointing up) until it was almost burnt (very dark). I don’t know why she cooked the bottom longer and darker than the breast area, I imagine she had a reason, but my mother can’t remember why.
My mother couldn’t remember the temperatures/times Grandma used, but after some discussion, we are thinking 1/2 hour at 425 (F), then down to 350 (F) for an hour and back up to 425 (F) for the last half hour. I’ll flip the duck over at the hour mark. I’ll also be temp checking it with an instant read thermometer. I’ll pull it at 165 (F) internal.
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How does this compare to other recipes peeps on HO posted for you?
I love my Swingaway fat separator. You wait a bit until drippings aren’t hella hot, pour into device, wait a couple of minutes to settle, then you’ll see the fat in top part and will be able to squirt out liquid at bottom until you get to fat part, save that part separately.
Use a big enough pan for all the fat coming out of the duck.
You’ve done well. My own “rule” now for less-stress holiday meals is to never make a recipe for the first time. Those always take me twice as long to assemble as shown in the recipe, and I fret the whole time whether they’ll come out right (over/under baked, release from pan, etc.). I also worried about taste (too sweet? too much salt?) since you can’t taste-test before presenting it to guests.
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FYI:
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Made a huge batch of stuffing, no recipe, improvising but also using up CSA stuff. Brussels sprouts, onions, mixed lettuce. 
cook with a little water and seasonings, no fat, love Better than Bouillion. Added two bundles of Thanksgiving-centric herbs. Then added stock, a little butter, and cut up ciabatta rolls. Added more water toward the end and raisins and pumpkin seeds. Did not make it to the casserole dish (yet…) but had a small bowl. Super happy with the results even if this was just me ad-libbing in the kitchen, 
.
Thursday is Thanksgiving at my neighbors house; still deciding whether to go to another Thanksgiving at a friends house this weekend.
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One utilized garlic, I’ll probably add a little garlic powder to the salt, maybe some onion powder, as well.
Being this is my first duck, I’m going to keep it simple. If all goes well, I assume my confidence will grow & I’ll start trying more involved recipes.
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I’ve learned that my first try isn’t always perfect but it’s good to just do the best you can, write notes on the recipe for the next time.
What are the sides?
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Orange Sauce for the duck, Cornbread Stuffing (stove top), sweet potatoes (butter and brown sugar), corn, peas, cranberry sauce (jellied out of a can), brown & serve rolls and some type of gravy for the stuffing.
I’ll probably make an apple cobbler for dessert with some vanilla ice cream.
The sides (and dessert) are probably not traditional for duck, but these are Sunshine’s favorites and the ones she wants. She had a little “mis-step” with her health, so I want to make her Thanksgiving extra special this year.
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Yes, best to do the favorites. Love the smell of apples baking!
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Thanksgiving is, IMO, for making family favorites. You can experiment another time after this roast duck comes out perfectly. 
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this is a great recipe, but Im not making it this year because my son is coming who prefers the family recipe of sweet potatoes sauteed with a;pples. butter ,brown sugar, and sweet spices. I made some cider syrup on Sunday, and will see if this enhances the recipe - its intensly apple - y wih significant acidity and spice (didnt add any) along with the sweetness,
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So often it’s just the sentiment of making things you know people love that’s important, whether or not they “go with” other things.
And even if the duck isn’t perfect, but perfectly edible 
, you’ll have scaled a new dish and brought your grandma (and mother)’s memory and love to the table with you.
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My MIL is visiting and here’s how meal plans are shaping up:
Nibbles:
-Relish tray (Midwestern tradition) - pickled okra, giardinera, giant black olives, home-pickled green beans and cukes
-Boursin shallot and chive cheese spread and multigrain crackers
Gruet bubbly
Meal:
-Spatchcocked turkey (just a regular ol’ grocery-store brined bird I scored for $.29/lb…came out to $4. Spent the balance saved on wine b/c priorities 
)
Might try this boiling water method for crispy skin.
-Peg’s rolls (family recipe milk and butter dinner rolls)
-Aaron’s salad (family recipe by request - jello, cream cheese, cottage cheese 
, canned pineapple b/c tradition.)
-cranberry-apple-clementine sauce
-green bean casserole with TJ’s portabella cream soup
-roasted butternut squash cubes (for the kiddo)
-Velveeta mac n cheese (ditto) - crock pot
-brown butter riced mashed potatoes - crock pot
-turkey gravy - using drippings + chicken stock I made tonight. Not sure if I’ll go roux or cornstarch. The latter is traditional in my family and I think the roux looks grainy and gloppy.
-Alison Roman’s sourdough dressing
-mixed greens with shaved fennel, orange, and dried cranberries with cider vinaigrette
Decoy Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir Limited 2021
L’Amandier Cinsault 2021
Desserts:
-Watergate salad
-Penzey’s superb pumpkin pie - in a purchased crust
-cranberry custard pie in a prepared pecan crust
And yeah this is way too much for three adults and a kid, two of whom are light eaters.
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Sounds fantastic
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Yes… you are 100% correct.
Thank You!!
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Has anyone tried the Popeye’s cooked turkey that you can get frozen, defrost and then reheat?
I bought two them, and they are hanging out in my chest freezer downstairs. My friendly and awesome mechanic told me it was a good idea - we were taking turkey when I had a vehicle inspection a few weeks ago. 
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If I were doing my usual Thanksgiving routine of making absolutely everything on the table myself, I’d follow that rule. But in this case I am OK with making something new. I’m going to make the cake tomorrow and cut it into squares, so I can test out a piece right away and just put the rest of them artfully on a plate for presentation. If it’s no good, I’ll fall back on cider doughnut muffins, which I can make on Thursday morning 
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Write everything down for next time!
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