Turkey Talk - And Sides - And Beverages (1 Viewer)

[Chemical X]

Anything to dress up frozen corn?  I want to have corn and keep it simple but I'll dress it up if anyone has a really good preparation they like. 

one of my favorite things was the sweet corn cakes at cheesecake factory.  I hacked around and this is pretty easy.  I like sweet side dishes.

• 
  For Cakes
  
  
• 1 1⁄2 cups frozen sweet corn
  
• 1⁄2 stick butter, softened - say unsalted (maybe a drop of EVOO if needed later)
  
• 3 heavy tablespoons sugar
  
• 1 pinch salt
  
• 1⁄2 cup corn masa (corn flour)
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
   
2. Chop 1 cup of the frozen corn in a food processor until it's coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well.
   
3. Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels by hand.
   
4. Measure crab cake sized portions of the mixture and form into patties with your hands. Arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cakes are browned on the bottom.
   
5. Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until other side is browned.
   

 

[Buzzbait]

Fresh Thyme turkey (not frozen), brined 48 hours, spathcocked and then smoked. Will also be deep frying some pork eggrolls (my wife is Filipino).

Not in charge of the sides so no idea what's on the docket other than I'm sure to over indulge.

 

[James Daulton]

Gonna try this dry brine recipe this year:

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012869-dry-brined-turkey

Turkey salting as we speak. 

 

[RUSF18]

one of my favorite things was the sweet corn cakes at cheesecake factory.  I hacked around and this is pretty easy.  I like sweet side dishes.

• 
  For Cakes
  
  
• 1 1⁄2 cups frozen sweet corn
  
• 1⁄2 stick butter, softened - say unsalted (maybe a drop of EVOO if needed later)
  
• 3 heavy tablespoons sugar
  
• 1 pinch salt
  
• 1⁄2 cup corn masa (corn flour)
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
   
2. Chop 1 cup of the frozen corn in a food processor until it's coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well.
   
3. Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels by hand.
   
4. Measure crab cake sized portions of the mixture and form into patties with your hands. Arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cakes are browned on the bottom.
   
5. Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until other side is browned.
   

Sounds awesome. About how many cakes of that size does this make?

 

[Chemical X]

Sounds awesome. About how many cakes of that size does this make?

4...,i reduced the butter fyi.

you could use a stick, no oil.

 

[James Daulton]

You folks use the giblets and neck meat in your gravy?  Or are you simply uncouth barbarians? 

 

[RUSF18]

4...,i reduced the butter fyi.

you could use a stick, no oil.

Thanks. I'd need to probably quadruple the recipe unless I just made them bite size. 

Never actually had these at Cheesecake Factory. How close does this corn cake come to matching an arepa (without cheese) if you're familiar?

 

[Chemical X]

Thanks. I'd need to probably quadruple the recipe unless I just made them bite size. 

Never actually had these at Cheesecake Factory. How close does this corn cake come to matching an arepa (without cheese) if you're familiar?

same concept, but the arepa is corn meal and the corn cake is masa, more flour like and less grainy than meal.

you could also increase recipe and add to a square cake pan, then cut little squares.

 

[wikkidpissah]

Anything to dress up frozen corn?  I want to have corn and keep it simple but I'll dress it up if anyone has a really good preparation they like. 

Mexican street corn - burn it slightly in a fry pan, add butter, chili powder, lime juice. great way to have your corn and break up the graviness of a thxgiving meal. stir in a can of chopped green chilies and it's almost like a relish.

 

[Mister CIA]

I'm in deep this year. All this for four or five people, and right now all I want to do is skip straight to the leftover turkey sandwiches,

• Two 4.5# turkey breast, bone in.
  
  #1 is dry brining in fridge. Will roast on Thursday with homemade stuffing mix.
  
• #2 is de-carcassed, and it was filleted flat and cross-cut and rubbed with a mixture of garlic, fennel seed, red pepper, black peppercorn, and fresh sage and rolled up into a log with the skin wrapped around the outside and twined up. Turkey porchetta, I think is the name. It too is brining away in the fridge awaiting a Thursday sear and roast.
  

[*]Macaroni and cheese - the real McCoy, chilling in the fridge

[*]Mash Potatoes - also chilling in the fridge.

[*]Green bean casserole - I'm frying a pound of thinly sliced shallots in a pool of canola as I type this. FML

[*]Sweet Potatoes - will do a simple cut and roast on Thursday.

[*]Cachapas!! - did anyone say corn?  Planning to do something with cranberries and use as a cachapa filling.

[*]Brown and serves - I love these little carb bombs.

[*]Gravy - I made a ton of turkey stock this afternoon. I've never made a real gravy. Hold my beer and watch this!

And Wonder bread, French's mustard, and Ruffles standing-by for their biggest day of the year.

 

[Tony Jabroni]

I usually go simple:

Turkey with favorite seasonings, doused with butter.

Gravy

Mashed Potatoes and Sweet Mashed potatoes

Corn

Basic stuffing

Green Bean Casserole

Various "Pie"

Rolls with more butter

Sometimes a ham, depending on number of guests.

More gravy

 

[tommyboy]

I've always wet brined but I do agree that it makes the meat a tad mushy and sometimes too salty.  Have you used this method before?

i dry brined last year for the first time, will  never go back to wet brine

 

[tommyboy]

any cornbread stuffing with sausage and mushrooms, count me in for life

 

[Dan Lambskin]

I'm in deep this year. All this for four or five people, and right now all I want to do is skip straight to the leftover turkey sandwiches,

• Two 4.5# turkey breast, bone in.
  
  #1 is dry brining in fridge. Will roast on Thursday with homemade stuffing mix.
  
• #2 is de-carcassed, and it was filleted flat and cross-cut and rubbed with a mixture of garlic, fennel seed, red pepper, black peppercorn, and fresh sage and rolled up into a log with the skin wrapped around the outside and twined up. Turkey porchetta, I think is the name. It too is brining away in the fridge awaiting a Thursday sear and roast.
  

[*]Macaroni and cheese - the real McCoy, chilling in the fridge

[*]Mash Potatoes - also chilling in the fridge.

[*]Green bean casserole - I'm frying a pound of thinly sliced shallots in a pool of canola as I type this. FML

[*]Sweet Potatoes - will do a simple cut and roast on Thursday.

[*]Cachapas!! - did anyone say corn?  Planning to do something with cranberries and use as a cachapa filling.

[*]Brown and serves - I love these little carb bombs.

[*]Gravy - I made a ton of turkey stock this afternoon. I've never made a real gravy. Hold my beer and watch this!

And Wonder bread, French's mustard, and Ruffles standing-by for their biggest day of the year.

I think my favorite part of Thanksgiving is getting a loaf of the ####tiest white bread available and making open faced hot turkey sandwiches the next day

 

[tommyboy]

My favorite part is taking the turkey carcass and turning it into turkey noodle soup

 

[Mister CIA]

I think my favorite part of Thanksgiving is getting a loaf of the ####tiest white bread available and making open faced hot turkey sandwiches the next day

Liking this post is contingent on you telling me there is gravy involved with this open face sandwich.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Liking this post is contingent on you telling me there is gravy involved with this open face sandwich.

Oh yeah.  A ####ton of gravy.

 

[Mister CIA]

Oh yeah.  A ####ton of gravy.

Like fulfilled.

 

[Nigel]

The most stressful part of thanksgiving for me used to be obsessing over there not being enough gravy for leftovers. I'd sit at dinner and watch guests pour copious amounts of gravy on their food, quietly seething as I knew they were using twice as much as they could possibly need, half of it ending up down the drain when their plates were rinsed. Then I found out the farm I buy my turkeys at sells buckets of freshly made gravy, really ####### good gravy made the proper way. Now I buy an ### ton of it to supplement what I make myself and I can relax, not giving a crap how much is wasted. Total game changer, well worth the $60 I spend on it. 

 

[Godsbrother]

Turkey salting as we speak. 

Mine too 

 

[Tusken Raider]

Up your cranberry sauce game... don't mess with that gelatinous canned crap. 

Total Time: 20 mins including prep
Uses only one saucepan

• 24 oz. fresh cranberries
• 1 cup Pure maple syrup (The real stuff, not Mrs. Butterworths)
• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup almonds (slivers or slices)
• ½ cup water

1) In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, maple syrup, brown sugar, water, and marmalade. Stir well.
2) Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the cranberry mixture to a boil.
3) Add almonds, Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the cranberries pop, stirring frequently.
4) Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.

Family friend brought something similar to this to dinner several Thanksgivings ago. I raved so much about it she brought over another batch that Christmas, and has continued to do so each year since. Hers has some type of rind/peel (orange maybe?) diced into it for a nice bittersweet bite.

Usually the highlight of my meal. I eat so much of it that I forgo dessert and head for a bourbon.

 

[bosoxs45]

Do people in Turkey celebrate Thanksgiving?

 

[Judge Smails]

I've always shied away from cream corn but I never had any experience other than my mother's (puke).  What's the texture and taste like?

Pretty spectacular, goes with smoked prime rib like no other

http://i.imgur.com/UA68oD8.jpg

 

[Jules Winnfield]

I typically do something semi-traditional but edited down.  I really don't like sweet sides, for instance, so I'd never do a sweet potato casserole.

Heritage turkey

Cranberry and wild rice stuffing

Sautéed green beans with shallots and mushrooms

Mashed potatoes (giblet gravy)

roasted root vegetables (carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes, butternut squash)

Mulled wine cranberry sauce

I'm too lazy to make a pie, so apple crisp for desert.

Wine is typically an Alsatian white like Gewurtztraminer.




 




1

If anyone is looking for a red varietal that is off the beaten path, get a bottle of Zweigelt. My favorite turkey day red wine

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Liking this post is contingent on you telling me there is gravy involved with this open face sandwich.

In the sandwich maker goes two pieces of buttered bread, one in each compartment. Fill with turkey, cranberries, mashed, stuffing, and peas. Close the lid and three minutes later you have a crispy Thanksgiving sandwich. Dip into gravy as you eat it 

 

[Capella]

I've always wet brined but I do agree that it makes the meat a tad mushy and sometimes too salty.  Have you used this method before?

Never heard of mushy meat when wet brining. 

 

[Osaurus]

I brine 2 small turkey breasts.  Just Mrs. Osaurus and me so these work great.  Simple brine with considerably less salt. After cooked, one has a spicy tangerine glaze and the other has a good poultry seasoning rub.

My brine for 2 turkey breasts:

1/2cup salt (you could go up to 2/3)

Quality bottle of maple syrup

Peppercorns

2 sliced oranges

Poultry herb mix (sage, thyme, rosemary, etc...)

As much water needed to fill small bucket.

Turns out great every year once I figured out less salt for breast than full bird (duh)

The rest:

Cranberry salsa (spicy)

Cauliflower mash (meh)

Cajun dressing (sausage and shrimp)

Cheddar bay biscuits

Green bean casserole (alternate each year with Caesar green beans)

Salmon dip with dill

Veggie tray

Chess pie (think custard)

Pumpkin maple pie

We usually do a late lunch and drink much wine.  

 

[Uruk-Hai]

In the sandwich maker goes two pieces of buttered bread, one in each compartment. Fill with turkey, cranberries, mashed, stuffing, and peas. Close the lid and three minutes later you have a crispy Thanksgiving sandwich. Dip into gravy as you eat it 

Which sandwich maker do you have? I've been thinking of getting one, but there's a bazillion of those things on the market.

 

[James Daulton]

Never heard of mushy meat when wet brining. 

Mushy probably wasn't the best word.  More not as firm as a typical roasted bird.  And the benefits of brining always outweighed this small negative since the moistness of the turkey was really good. 

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Which sandwich maker do you have? I've been thinking of getting one, but there's a bazillion of those things on the market.

It's a Hamilton Beach (I think) and it's over 20 years old

 

[the moops]

Anyone got an idea for a fish that goes well with mashed potatoes and gravy? Don't really want a stand alone fish dish - want one that can substitute in for the turkey

 

[Chemical X]

for the wet brine crew and those worried aboot dry turkey, i highly recommend the reynolds turkey bag.  my MIL (RIP) used this method and we carry it on.  consistantly  moist bird.  

 

[Chemical X]

Anyone got an idea for a fish that goes well with mashed potatoes and gravy? Don't really want a stand alone fish dish - want one that can substitute in for the turkey

steaky, not flaky.  sword?

 

[James Daulton]

Anyone got an idea for a fish that goes well with mashed potatoes and gravy? Don't really want a stand alone fish dish - want one that can substitute in for the turkey

Carp is a really big fish. 

 

[James Daulton]

I was looking for another meat to go with the turkey and I stumbled onto this recipe.  I'd never made pork belly before so I tried it out over the weekend.  It was easy and superb.  The pork belly almost melted in your mouth and the glaze was really tasty without being overbearing.  This was really rich so I don't think a ton is needed to go along with the turkey.  I served it with roasted parmesan potatoes, sauteed asparagus, and the sour cream and chives shown in the recipe.  A very decadent meal.

http://www.bbcgoodfoodme.com/recipes/bourbon-glazed-pork-belly-chunks#.WDWuoLIrK70

 

[Thorpe]

My MIL's standard menu which is the greatest meal on planet earth:

Oven roasted turkey

Homemade stuffing

Corn casserole (sweet cornbread with corn and cream cheese and butter)

Green bean casserole (french cut beans with butter, bacon and brown sugar)

Sweet potato casserole (pureed with brown sugar topping)

Twice baked potatoes

Virginia buns (homemade biscuits dipped in butter and then coated with cinnamon and sugar)

She makes enough to eat on for 3 days.  My goodness I'm starting to salivate.

Throw in a couple of pies and that is close to Thanksgiving perfection.  Only thing I would change is marshmallows on the sweet potato instead of brown sugar.

 

[[icon]]

Anyone got an idea for a fish that goes well with mashed potatoes and gravy? Don't really want a stand alone fish dish - want one that can substitute in for the turkey

To fit with the traditional thanksgiving sweet sides, perhaps grilled/smoked wood plan side of salmon with a brown sugar/butter/cinnamon glaze? 

 

 

[snitwitch]

• 
  #2 is de-carcassed, and it was filleted flat and cross-cut and rubbed with a mixture of garlic, fennel seed, red pepper, black peppercorn, and fresh sage and rolled up into a log with the skin wrapped around the outside and twined up. Turkey porchetta, I think is the name. It too is brining away in the fridge awaiting a Thursday sear and roast.
  

we are doing a white meat turketta for the first time as well. i am going to grill roast it in my kamado. i did a pork porchetta a few years ago and it was epic. the turketta has been dry brining since Monday. 

in addition to that:

dark meat = leg and thigh confit, slow cooked in duck fast and blasted under the broiler prior to serving. 8 years running we have done dark meat this way and there is no substitute. 

mashed potatoes with maybe a 50/50 butter to potato ratio

bourbon cranberry sauce

dressing = whatever the sister in law has planned

brussels sprouts with bacon

potato leek soup 

green bean casserole

some type of kale dish

gravy made from artisinal turkey bone broth

assortment of pies

apps / snacks are pate de capagne, ciccioli (pork terrine), orange fennel sausage, cheese and crackers, nuts, olives, pigs in a blanket for the kids

drinks: bottles of bourbon, gin, carpano antico, campari, tonic water, club soda and bitters for various cocktails like negronis, boulevardiers etc..  in addition to champagne, beer, white and red wine

game on. 

 

[Cowboysfan8]

for the wet brine crew and those worried aboot dry turkey, i highly recommend the reynolds turkey bag.  my MIL (RIP) used this method and we carry it on.  consistantly  moist bird.  

Yes.

Wife has been using these as long as I can remember. 

Also, a great tip is to have a small saucepot of stock warm on the stove to use to spoon a lil over the turkey after carving especially the white meat (Bobby Flay)

 

[Dan Lambskin]

gravy made from artisinal turkey bone broth

 

[Cowboysfan8]

+

 

[wikkidpissah]

+

and free-range dinner rolls....

 

[James Daulton]

Savannah Chop House Creamed Corn.  Family demands that it's on our Christmas dinner menu every year to accompany the smoked prime rib.  Awesome stuff.

http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/eatingout/eating_s/savchhouse.htm

This was a big hit.  Thanks JS!

 

[James Daulton]

Mine too 

How'd your turkey turn out?  Mine was fantastic.  Juicy and the meat was extremely flavorful with a great texture.  I'll be brining this way from now on. 

 

[Godsbrother]

How'd your turkey turn out?  Mine was fantastic.  Juicy and the meat was extremely flavorful with a great texture.  I'll be brining this way from now on. 

Great!   This was so much easier than wet brining and seemed to work just as well.

 

[TJ-Raider]

Up your cranberry sauce game... don't mess with that gelatinous canned crap. 

Total Time: 20 mins including prep
Uses only one saucepan

• 24 oz. fresh cranberries
• 1 cup Pure maple syrup (The real stuff, not Mrs. Butterworths)
• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup almonds (slivers or slices)
• ½ cup water

1) In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, maple syrup, brown sugar, water, and marmalade. Stir well.
2) Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the cranberry mixture to a boil.
3) Add almonds, Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the cranberries pop, stirring frequently.
4) Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.

Big Hit!

Beat out a long-time family favorite in a side-by-side taste test!

 

[heckmanm]

Went to family's house on Thursday, so we had some folks over on Saturday to have plenty of leftovers for ourselves.

• Spatchcocked, dry-brined turkey. Cooked a 17+ pound bird in just over 2 hours and it came out fantastic.  Rubbed garlic/herb butter over/under the skin
  
• Roasted vegetables under the bird (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, leeks, plus rosemary, thyme and sage sprigs) 
  
• Cranberry salsa (recipe posted above)
  
• Sweet potato casserole with praline topping
  
• Cabbage slaw with almonds and cranberries, and a cider/mustard/maple syrup dressing (very nice to cut through the starch a little bit)
  
• Assorted other heavy side dishes
  

 

[[icon]]

Big Hit!

Beat out a long-time family favorite in a side-by-side taste test!

Awesome... Glad it worked out!

I actually worked in some raisins as well. Kinda shockingly easy to make. 

 

[Chemical X]

going sandwich tonite.......

also, taking scraps and dark meat stragglers and turning it into a turkey pot pie.

 

[[icon]]

dark meat stragglers

Do what now? You have dark meat leftover?!