Thanksgiving menus

[MaryB]

Yup that time of year again!

My plans so far are roast turkey(picked up today, 20 pounds), homemade stuffing(bread cubes, eggs, homemade smoked turkey stock and shredded meat, sage, poultry seasoning, S&P, onion, celery), sweet potatoes in caramel sauce with marshmallows browned on top, wild rice stuffing made in a separate pan for my 2 gluten sensitive guests, mashed potatoes, gravy, 7 layer salad... and the obligatory pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream!

I have 2 packs of turkey wings, some legs, and half a turkey going on the smoker to make stock and shredded meat for the stuffing. I will peel the breast meat off for sandwiches then shred the rest and vac bag until thanksgiving. Then make smoked turkey stock for the stuffing and gravy from the bones...

[MT Gianni]

Turkey and dressing both in and out of the bird, we like a 15-18 lb bird. Sweet potatoes baked then mashed with butter, mashed with gravy, peas with pearl onions, green jello salad with pineapple and cottage cheese [it has been on our families table long before my 63 years], wheat rolls, orange flavored rolls, pumpkin pie, apple pie and I am hoping for key lime or lemon meringue.

[smokeywolf]

I always put a 10 to 12 lb. brined turkey and a goose on the smoker (a little hickory and a lot of cherry wood). Smoked birds should never be stuffed. We usually buy our stuffing from a smallish upscale local market. Mrs. smokeywolf bakes the rolls, does the mashed potatoes, candied yams and veggies. Costco does the pumpkin pie.

I save, strain and can the goose grease for frying and sauteing.

[runfiverun]

I'm thinking smoked turkey, french fries from Yukon gold potatos, pan seared then broiled back strap from one of the deer, butter milk biscuits, and some Pecan pie.
the rest is just stuff.

[DougGuy]

I looked for a turducken yesterday in the store but they only had turducken breast. We made pheasant the last few years, turducken rocks! Always make cornbread stuffing with oysters, and pecans give it a nice crunch but this year I got some wild shellbark hickory nuts and cracked them out, man talk about tough! I had to use my bench vise to crack them! Anyway if you leave them a few days the nutmeats shrink and they will come out of the shells easier. So they say, we will soon find out!

Of course there is the rest of the fixings including gf's bourbon chocolate pecan pie, and if I have enough hickory nuts picked out? We will have a bourbon chocolate hickory nut pie!

[6bg6ga]

Plan on Turkey cooked in the electric roasting pan probably 24-26lb Turkey. Stuffing home made by me. A raspberry/cranberry jello salad . Home made rolls, sweet potatoes with brown sugar. Two pumpkin pies, a chocolate pie, a coconut cream pie all home made. Potatoes with gravy. A home made grated cabbage salad with a cooked vinegar/sugar dressing. I'm sure there is more but I can't remember right now.

[Wayne Smith]

LOML usually manages the menu. Already have a turkey in the freezer, so I know I'll be smoking that, probably making an apple pie and possibly a pumpkin pie.

[Rick N Bama]

Oven roasted Turkey, smoked Turkey Breast, Ham, Chicken & Dressing (no stuffing here) plus about 16 sides (my son counted last year) and however many Deserts our guests bring plus the fresh Coconut Cake my lovely wife will bake. We will have around 28 to feed in our small house on the Saturday after the real Turkey Day. A feast at lunch then the Alabama vs Auburn game afterwards.

Roll Tide y'all!

[trails4u]

We're heading to Pensacola to cook for our Sailor who's there at A School, and any of his buddies he can round up who might not have family in the area, or able to visit. So far...I think we have 4-5 planning to come. We've rented a beach house....and plan to cook according to how many end up planning to eat with us. At the very least....a couple of smoked pork butts, couple of roasted turkey breasts, 'cat head' rolls, green beans, taters and gravy, dressing....and I'm sure the fairer half will whip up some pies, etc.... Can't wait to see my boy!! :)

[Preacher Jim]

I figure baloney sandwich and soup kids not coming so wife will not cook dinner.
you all are making me hungry.

[DerekP Houston]

Still got a leftover turkey from last year in the freezer so I'll defrost that for thanksgiving and fry it up cajun style. No idea on sides yet, but probably the standard cranberries, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Will be a small gathering for us so probably a ton of leftovers ;). If I were to smoke another turkey it'd spatchcock it and brine over night. I'll inject mine with tony's cachers butter seasoning and fire up the turkey fryer for something other than lead ;).

[375supermag]

Hi...

Oven roasted turkey with stuffing, noodles, gravy, mashed potatoes, corn and however many other side dished my wife decides to make.

[Uncle Jimbo]

I always put a 10 to 12 lb. brined turkey and a goose on the smoker (a little hickory and a lot of cherry wood). Smoked birds should never be stuffed. We usually buy our stuffing from a smallish upscale local market. Mrs. smokeywolf bakes the rolls, does the mashed potatoes, candied yams and veggies. Costco does the pumpkin pie.

I save, strain and can the goose grease for frying and sauteing.
Never smoked a turkey with cherry wood. Always use the same ratio as you but with apple/hickory. What flavor profile does cherry wood give. I think I am going to try cherry this year for the turkey.

[Boaz]

If it were in the past there would be a smoked turkey , mashed potatoes , sweet potatoes (lot of cinnamon), pea salad , homemade rolls , corn on the cob , cornbread dressing with giblet gravy , collard greens ,cornbread and one new wildcard item . Desert would be pumpkin and pecan pie with cool whip . Time tested for my bunch .

This is a great thread , we all always look forward to the holidays with friends and family .

[MaryB]

I am just having a few friends over. Maybe 7 people total. 20 pound turkey to over roast and I send leftovers home with everyone.

[smokeywolf]

Never smoked a turkey with cherry wood. Always use the same ratio as you but with apple/hickory. What flavor profile does cherry wood give. I think I am going to try cherry this year for the turkey.

For many moons, I used apple wood to smoke all pork, cherry for all poultry. Have, over the last year, come to the conclusion that both pork and fowl tastes better with a little hickory and the rest cherry wood. I use hardwood lump charcoal mostly just to do the initial heat up and sanitize of the smoker.
Beef is almost always smoked with red oak.

[MaryB]

I prefer hickory on fowl... just tastes better to me. Careful with cherry, it can make your food look like a lump of coal pretty easy!

[snowwolfe]

Deep frying a 12 pound bird with all the fixins

[Uncle Jimbo]

I prefer hickory on fowl... just tastes better to me. Careful with cherry, it can make your food look like a lump of coal pretty easy!
Would you care to explain so I don't site a lump of coal on the Thanksgiving dinner table.

[Love Life]

I'll probably go to Denny's this year.

[opos]

We have a "new" lady member of the family that has invited everyone to "her first Thanksgiving turkey dinner"...do you think we should tell her about the plastic baggie of innards packed in the turkey or just let her find out the way most folks do.....after it's been in the oven all afternoon??

[smokeywolf]

Would you care to explain so I don't site a lump of coal on the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Even when making sure that you're not producing too much smoke with a "dirty fire", cherry wood yields a more blackened appearance to the meat.

[MaryB]

To much cherry wood smoke and you go from a deep rich red color to looking black...


Would you care to explain so I don't site a lump of coal on the Thanksgiving dinner table.

[Uncle Jimbo]

Thanks for the advice Smokeywolf and Mary B. Maybe I will drop my ratio down to a 50/50 mix of cherry and hickory for the first time using cherry.
For the rest of the dinner we will be having dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy made from the gizzard, heart and neck juice juices when you make broth. Some type of veggie and that will be it. Just my wife and myself anymore so it will be small and I will be eating smoked turkey for a week.
And I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

[MaryB]

I would go 25% cherry/75% hickory myself... it is one of the woods where a light touch is way better than to much. And poultry skin seems to soak up smoke faster than say a pork butt or ribs.

[Uncle Jimbo]

I would go 25% cherry/75% hickory myself... it is one of the woods where a light touch is way better than to much. And poultry skin seems to soak up smoke faster than say a pork butt or ribs.

Thanks Mary. I will try that for the first time.

[imashooter2]

Turkey with Mama's recipe bread stuffing. Butternut squash, mashed potatoes, peas, home made apple and pumpkin pies with real whipped cream and an excellent sharp cheese.

[Hogtamer]

just took two pumpkin pies and a pecan tart out of the oven.
208226

[rondog]

My wife is always VIOLENTLY opposed to anything "non-traditional" for Thanksgiving, so that means turkey, mashed taters, dressing (baked and stuffed), corn, green bean casserole, rolls and pies. Any suggested variations are met with a samurai-like defense.

Although she did ask me to deep-fry the bird this year, so she didn't have to deal with roasting it. But nothing is allowed to be injected into it except butter.

[Boaz]

just took two pumpkin pies and a pecan tart out of the oven.
208226

Thank you sir ! Enjoyed those pictures !

[MaryB]

Moved Thanksgiving to Saturday, my neighbor and her aunt are going to MPLS to visit my neighbors sick sister(hurt her neck at work when she was attacked by a student at the school she teaches at). Work comp is fighting to not pay anything, she is in massive pain... MRI shows a ruptured disc in her neck compressing nerves. I told her she has to put her foot down and go see her doc then let her medical insurance duke it out with work comp.

[smokeywolf]

Two batches of brine cooling. House smells wonderful.

[imashooter2]

Bird and stuffing prepared. Into the oven at 11:00, then the big wait to start the sides.

[Beagle333]

Goin' to Cracker Barrel. Heck, we'd better go get in line now!

[Beagle333]

We have a "new" lady member of the family that has invited everyone to "her first Thanksgiving turkey dinner"...do you think we should tell her about the plastic baggie of innards packed in the turkey or just let her find out the way most folks do.....after it's been in the oven all afternoon??

It just adds more flavor, and the look of surprise on her part will be well worth it. Let it ride.... :shock:........ [smilie=l:

[imashooter2]

It just adds more flavor, and the look of surprise on her part will be well worth it. Let it ride.... :shock:........ [smilie=l:

No way! Make sure she knows so they make it to the gravy!

[smokeywolf]

I always put a 10 to 12 lb. brined turkey and a goose on the smoker (a little hickory and a lot of cherry wood). Smoked birds should never be stuffed. We usually buy our stuffing from a smallish upscale local market. Mrs. smokeywolf bakes the rolls, does the mashed potatoes, candied yams and veggies. Costco does the pumpkin pie.

I save, strain and can the goose grease for frying and sauteing.

Made some changes to the menu and had to work around an unforeseen. Mrs. smokeywolf said to save the goose for Christmas. She wants two turkeys for TG day. Also, wants me to make my old dressing recipe instead of buying the small batch custom stuff we usually buy. had to postpone everything (including sleep) while I spent 12 hours last night, trying to pass a kidney stone. Got her done this morning about 0530. **** kidney stones.

Dressing was finished about 1000 this AM. Two brined and injected turkeys on the smoker by 1130 hrs.

[Driver33]

Will be having turkey an stuffing, roasted deer leg ,taters, corn, homemade pumpkin pie, an shoo fly pie

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Elk tenderloin with French fries.

[Thumbcocker]

Charcoal grilled backstrap, stuffing, home canned sweet corn, salad, and carrot cake.

[RGrosz]

Wife not feeling god, so we didn't go to the SIL's for dinner and an informal target shoot. She didn't want the other relaticks getting what she's got, and versa vice. instead worked (played) in the garage/reloading room most of the day and went for some poodles & noddles for supper.
The SIL sent home some left-overs for supper tonight.
Rob