Thanksgiving, Baby!

The High Holy Day of food geekery is upon us. Can I get a “Hell Yeah!”?

Seriously, I love this holiday. Double O Sated, a license to gorge. A four day weekend! 24/7 football and food! Falling asleep on the couch with a sandwich on your lap! Thirds on dessert! Christ, how does it get better than a state-sanctioned pass on gluttony? And all anyone asks in return is a little bit of gratitude?

All I need is mention of a Hatch Chile Apple Pie and a passing thought of the four stages of turkey and I’m higher than Willie Nelson at Snoop’s house, but for anybody who want some more warming up, Sam Sifton’s piece in the Times should help:

The first rule of Thanksgiving and your best guide to happiness in the coming days and weeks: radical acceptance. Thanksgiving is coming and you know what will happen, one way or another, when the door swings open and Aunt Hildy glides in on a cloud of mall perfume. This year, embrace it with a full heart and open arms.


Thanksgiving is the ideal meal at which to do so. From its very beginning in 1621, the notion of the feast was to gather many in the interest of sharing what we had and what we liked: some sea ducks, clams, a few gourds and piles of corn, the five deer that the Wampanoag harvested on the way to the party.

We can do that again, with hearty fall vegetables and crisp fruit softened in the oven, turkeys and grains and whatever we need to satisfy everyone, no matter their preferences or idiosyncrasies. We can cook it together this year: Thanksgiving for all.

Most importantly, what are you guys doing this year?

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HELL YEAH!! I’ll even throw in a HALLELUJAH & AMEN brother MZ.

We have hosted the past couple of Thanksgivings (which I kind of prefer since I enjoy my own cooking above most others, including my stuffing) but this year due to some illness we are having it at the in-laws house. (Yes that means there will be a tray of KFC and some canned ham type products). There will still be a turkey and hopefully I will be elected to make the stuffing, which I can’t really enjoy this year, but hey it’s all about sharing.

Anyway…here is a picture of how I am preparing my turkey, I’m serious I saw this and I am 100% doing this. (This is achieved by halving a lemon and placing under the skin of the turkey. Obviously I would suggest removing as much of the flesh of the lemon as possible.) Besides my ascetic addition to my turkey this year, here is how I normally prepare. Brine the turkey over night in a sweet champagne chicken stock combination. Next morning I “massage” the turkey with frozen OJ from concentrate, give that bird a nice rub down with the oj. Next comes a coating inside and out of a combination of dry rub of, seasoned salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, sage, rosemary and thyme. Next about a (half dozen/dozen depending on size of turkey) of strategically placed tooth pics to keep the tin foil from sticking to the turkey, each tooth pick get’s a generous square of butter on it.

Throw that baby in the oven pre-heated 350, baste every hour till she is ready to be carved!! Foil comes off the last hour + to get the golden crisp skin.

As far as stuffing I’m a hot sausage and dried cranberries kind of guy.

Your bird needs a bra.

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Similar to dogs, birds can reflect characteristics of their owners as well. :neutral_face:

[quote=“NotJrvedivici, post:2, topic:1987”]
We have hosted the past couple of Thanksgivings (which I kind of prefer since I enjoy my own cooking above most others, including my stuffing) [/quote]

And amen to that. The last time I went to someone else’s house they cremated the poor bird. The skin was adhered to the meat. It had a pop up timer that they didn’t believe could possibly be right. I love me some turkey skin. My house, now and always!!!

The last few years we were invited to friends’ houses for Thxgiving, all of whom are very good cooks. The turkey (a must for me & I don’t get the haters - but we pretty much eat it only on Thxgiving) has to be the centerpiece. Fuck ham.

I’ve not had the (questionable?) pleasure of encountering a green bean casserole at any of these events, nor marshmallow topped sweet potatoes (blech), but all kinds of other lovely side dishes, including several that other guests brought along. And a shit ton of wine and other libations.

Don’t care for football at all. It’s mostly eating, drinking and being merry with friends.

I’m thankful for that :slight_smile:

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Don’t forget about Alice’s Restaurant and the Wizard of Oz (Dark Side of the Moon optional).

Already included in the merriment. Natch.

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I always knew there was “something” I just could never put my finger on it. Geeze…

Sorry, man. I can only handle baseball or hockey :stuck_out_tongue:

Sis does Thanksgiving every year and since she’s married to a turkey snob, I’m good with that. Every year he goes to the farm, gets his fresh turkey, lovingly brines it and roasts it to perfection. More importantly, it is acknowledged that I get to pick away at the crispy skin prior to carving. Sis always makes way too many sides: stuffing and mashed potatoes and corn and brussels sprouts and asparagus and rolls and salad. Oh, and there’s always lasagna too (a nod to BIL’s Italian-American roots). Other sis and her hubby bring the apps–usually shrimp, calimari, various cheeses and fruits. I’m dessert. I have to make my toffee every year; and this year I’ll make pumpkin bars and a chocolate pie. Last year I made baked pears and they were a hit, so if I can find the recipe I may do that as well.

My lowly Iggles play the early game this year, so I’ll probably watch before we head over to the feastivities. The 4:30 game is Dallas, so we’ll only watch if they’re losing badly :imp:

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I am so doing this! My boys will be so embarrassed! They already think I’m nuts, but this will be epic. Thank you for the inspiration.

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Thanksgiving is a big extended family affair - not sure how much longer it will hold out as such but it is still apparently going strong this year - lots of people lots of babies it will be a hectic mess but the food will be very good. We still do the Italian-American thing with antipasto then lasagne then turkey followed by dessert coffee and grappa it is Mom’s show she does almost the whole thing with the exception of some sides and desserts. I make cranberry dressing that is it. The fussy fussertons will be accommodated with special dishes just for them the Irish meat and potatoes folk will survive on bread and booze until the turkey makes it’s late appearance. This will be the last year in the old house, the folks are putting the place up on the market after the holidays and moving to simpler, more convenient, digs closer to the train and shops. Sad to say goodbye to the house I grew up in but excited to be helping them plan the new place (finally they get to take advantage of my education) which will have a much more open great-room style living space that should actually entertain better than the formal rooms they have now.

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It sounds like this will be a meaningful year for your mother – I hope she enjoys it!

Going to my parents’ house this year, for a change of pace. We’ll be spending the whole week there so I anticipate helping my mom with most of the prep before my siblings and their families arrive on Wednesday. My mother’s menu is very traditional, but with eight adults and three kids to feed, there’s room for a few extra dishes. I’ll be making my stuffing recipe (loose and rustic, with sausage and porcini mushrooms), some sous vide turkey thighs for the dark meat lovers, a sweet potato gratin with blue cheese and sherry, and some chicken liver pate (a must for my favorite leftover sandwich). Let’s just hope my mother doesn’t overcook the turkey like she did last time we were there (not that I really care, since I only eat the skin anyway!). Of course, my idiot cousin spilled a $50 bottle of red wine all over it, so that moistened it up a bit. Ah, family.

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Pasties? Not Cornish.

Cranberry dressing? Are you referring to some type of cranberry sauce? Or something else??

I am surprised that this thread has not been complained and therefore locked down. You put all of us in risk.

I like to live dangerously.

Yes, those turkey tits are offensive :smiley:

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