Can we talk turkey??
#11
  Re: (...)
Thanksgiving is fast approaching and I do have my favorite turkey recipe: Turkey with Italian Sausage Stuffing I have made this since I was 19 years old. I am ready to branch out and see how others do their birds.

My mom did a different turkey every year. Some of her 'highlights' were:
  • Turkey in a brown paper bag
  • Turkey cooked upside down (so the breast stays moist)
  • Boiled turkey (this was an utter failure)
  • Disected turkey (the breast was removed and cooked separately, this was wierd)


These are some of the ones I remember. All of this was in an effort to 'keep the breast meat moist'. I have honestly never had trouble with this. I have always found that the breast stays moist if you don't overcook the bird .

I read the turkey recipes in the lates issue No.66, the recipes are so elegant. It seems that C@H likes to put vinegar in their gravies alot. I have found that I really like that. Adds a really fantastic flavor (IMHO).

How do you do your family turkey? dressing? gravy? mashed potatoes? sweet potatoes?
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Laura
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#12
  Re: Can we talk turkey?? by luvnit (Thanksgiving is fast...)
My dad always makes the stuffing using Jimmy Dean sausage, apples, and other goodies.

BTW, turkey may be our traditional meal for Thanksgiving, but NOT for Christmas. That would be prime rib with Yorkshire pudding.

Am glad you did not put a comma after "talk" in the subject line. LOL!
If blueberry muffins have blueberries in them, what do vegan muffins have?
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#13
  Re: Re: Can we talk turkey?? by labradors (My dad always makes ...)
"Can we talk, turkey??"


That gave me a chuckle! I had to look at my subject line again. But it made me laughSmile
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Laura
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#14
  Re: Can we talk turkey?? by luvnit (Thanksgiving is fast...)
Several years ago I stopped making a whole bird. . . .nobody would eat anything else BUT the breast! Despite there being hundreds of things to make with the other meats, it still would not be consumed. They just don't like the other meats!

Putting that aside, even when I did make the whole bird, I never stuffed it. We would have 3 different stuffings -- one was our usual favorite (sausage, roasted chestnuts, sage, etc.), and the other two would be something "new". This has been a huge success in our home.

We also have "smashed" potatoes and homemade gravy. Sweet potatoes or yams and the way those are made is decided a day or two before turkey day. Also have squash of some sort, baby asparagus bundles, homemade cranberry relishes (2 kinds), salad of baby greens and one dressing "must" be a pomagran-based, grissini, several type of rolls, mini (personal) loaves, pumpkin custard pie with a praline "dressing" on the side, NY cheesecake with a berry compote, a wine and cheese tray to kick things off and a digestivi to end them!!! A lot of food but a few take some leftovers with them for round 2 on Friday!
Vive Bene! Spesso L'Amore! Di Risata Molto!

Buon Appetito!

Linda
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#15
  Re: Can we talk turkey?? by luvnit (Thanksgiving is fast...)
I'm trying a new one this year, from Dean Fearing--probably with a capon--

Tortilla-Corn Bread Dressing
Veg Oil for frying
14-6 inch corn tortillas, halved and cut into 1/4 inch strips
6 cups crumbled corn bread (your unsweetened recipe)
2 T ev olive oil, plus more for baking dish
1 large onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 T minced cilantro
2 t finely chopped sage
2 t finely chopped thyme
2 t chili powder
1 quart tortilla broth (recipe follows)
Kosher salt

1. In a lsrge saucepan, heat 2 inches of veg. oil to 350. In batches, fry tortilla strips golden, crisp--3 min. drain. Place in bowl and add corn bread.
2. In a large deep skillet heat 2T olive oil--add onion and celery and cook over moderate heat stirring until soft--6 min--add garlic and jalapeno and cook 1 min. Stir in sage, cilantro,thyme and chili powder and cook about 1 min.
3. Add tortilla broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer--pour over tortilla and corn bread, season with salt-toss to blend. Let stand until broth is absorbed --30 min.
4 Pre heat oven to 350. Oil a 9x13 baking dish.Transfer the dressing to the dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 min. Uncover and bake 15 min more until brown. The unbaked dressing can be refrigerated for a couple of days-- bring to room temp before baking.

Tortilla Broth
3 T veg oil
2 -6 inch corn tortillas, chopped
1 med onion, minced
1 cup canned tomato puree
5 C chicken stock
1 T chili powder
1 bay leaf
1/2 T ground cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
salt

1. In a large saucepn, heat oil--add tortillas and garlic--cook until brown-3 min. Add minced onion along with tomato puree and bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced to one Qt--30 min. Discard bay leaf.
2. Puree in batches in a blender. Add cayenne and season with salt.
(Food & Wine 11/07)
"He who sups with the devil should have a. long spoon".
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#16
  Re: Can we talk turkey?? by luvnit (Thanksgiving is fast...)
One of my sisters still cooks her turkey in a brown paper bag. She says it keeps it moist. Not sure I believe it, since I've had some of her turkeys. One of my staff members (from Portugal) cuts her turkey up, then roasts it. I don't get that one.
Practice safe lunch. Use a condiment.
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#17
  Re: Re: Can we talk turkey?? by Lorraine (One of my sisters st...)
I tried the 'paper bag turkey' a number of years ago - it was fine, but never did again....

Standard holiday fare around our family -
Roasted turkey, uncovered until (or if) perfectly browned before finished cooking then lightly covered with a sheet of foil to complete cooking. Used to stuff the bird, but got away from it a number of years ago and have dressing on side.

Dressing - is homemade sausage, apples, celery, onion, seasonings, currants. Every so often I make an oyster dressing in honor of my mom who loved it.

the usual mashed potatoes, gravy (I'm with you Laura, I like the little kick vinegar gives gravies), Sweet tatoes with marshmallows on top.
Pink Salad (a gelatin with whipped cream, maraschino cherries, nuts, cream cheese/mayo, fruit cocktail
Over-cooked green beans with onions and bacon
Monkey bread (savory)
Pumpkin pie
Mince pie

Think that's it - oh no, pitted olives for the kids to put on their fingers.....celery stuffed with p.butter.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#18
  Re: Can we talk turkey?? by luvnit (Thanksgiving is fast...)
I brine my turkey (fresh not frozen) and then roasted on high for the first 30 minutes to brown it and then lower the temp and cover with foil. Un-cover it again for the last 30 minutes to crisp the skin. Crispy outside and so juicy inside that it almost falls off the bone.

Was told last year by the new in-laws that it was the best Thanksgiving they've ever had. Don't know how much my mother-in-law liked that, but we were just asked to host again.

The rest of the dinner is family classics. Sausage Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Granma's Broccoli Casserole, Stuffed Mushrooms and of course corn, gravy and cranberry sauce.

I love to cook and take great pride in it, but my pie crust is ALWAYS a complete disaster. Any suggestions on how to make a good crust? I can't even get mine rolled & into the pie plate.

Happy Holidys to all!
AJ
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#19
  Re: Re: Can we talk turkey?? by cjs (I tried the 'paper b...)
My mom always cooked the turkey in a paper bag, for hours! She would be up to get the bird in the oven by 8:00 for a 4:00 dinner. My sister is now the Thanksgiving cook and always did it "Mom's way". Last year I convinced her to brine the turkey and only cook it for 3.5 hours (for a 24 pound bird). Best turkey any of us ever had. Stuffing is still pretty standard, bread cubes with onion and celery sauted in butter with herbs. We the stuffing in casserole dishes with some chicken broth and a turkey thigh on the top. Lot's of dark meat eaters in our family.

Elise
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#20
  Re: Re: Can we talk turkey?? by eab1005 (My mom always cooked...)
I found this on the internet while looking for different ways to cook a turkey. Take it for what it's worth. It's just 'food for thought.'

[b} Q.[/b]Is it OK to use a brown paper bag to cook a turkey?

[b} A.[/b] It's probably not a great idea unless you know exactly what the bag is made of. Most brown bags these days are made of recycled paper, and include binding chemicals (and not the good kind) that would be driven into your food as the temperature rises.

There are still bags on the market specially designed and sold as oven roasting bags. We're sure they're fine, but don't use a grocery bag.…
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Laura
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