Your Thanksgiving Table

[BUCKYLE]

When I was a single guy, some of my buddies came over with a spur of the moment idea to cook a small turkey. In my fridge (besides quantities of beer) were two apples, some Jimmie Dean sausage and a big box of croutons from a long gone girlfriend. I put pecans and the sausage and apples in with the croutons and poured the water that I cooked the giblets with over it all and stuffed the bird.

It came out great. Over the years I have added cranberries to the mix, and it is usually awesome.

*cough coubullshitgh cough*

Once you have a grill baked turkey you will never put one in the the oven again. They come out with moist white breast meat, and have a slightly smokey flavor. Not "smoked" and not barbecue, but a hint of it. The bird will cook faster by almost an hour too.

How's the good stuff turn out on the grill? Legs, thighs, wings?

 

[Gatorubet]

Gator - does it make a difference it the grill is gas or charcoal?

Or do you have a "Big Green Egg"

Classic Weber Kettle charcoal grill. Never done it with gas, although it should work I guess. The intense heat (you fire up a huge pile of coals, and then spread them in a circle around the grill and put the bird in its pan on the grill and drink beer until done) turns the bird dark brown, which seals in the juices. Much like a Cajun fried turkey, but w/out the gallons of peanut oil.

I've found that I need to put a nail between the lid of the grill to allow a little more air in than just the vent holes that come on the grill, or the fire will die out. And you need to use an expensive charcoal, as a cheap charcoal will not last the 21/2 to 3 hours you need to cook the sumbitch.

I tell you, using my method it is (here, given it is me, I am redundant) a stupid proof recipe.

 

[shetuck]

Classic Weber Kettle charcoal grill. Never done it with gas, although it should work I guess. The intense heat (you fire up a huge pile of coals, and then spread them in a circle around the grill and put the bird in its pan on the grill and drink beer until done) turns the bird dark brown, which seals in the juices. Much like a Cajun fried turkey, but w/out the gallons of peanut oil.

I've found that I need to put a nail between the lid of the grill to allow a little more air in than just the vent holes that come on the grill, or the fire will die out. And you need to use an expensive charcoal, as a cheap charcoal will not last the 21/2 to 3 hours you need to cook the sumbitch.

I tell you, using my method it is (here, given it is me, I am redundant) a stupid proof recipe.

I wanted to try it on a charcoal grill but I'm too lazy to have to go back and throw in more briquets. I didn't think to dump them all in right from the start because I thought it'd be better to keep the heat low and slow-cook the thing.

The one I did last year was on a gas grill. I only turned on the burners on one side and put the bird on the other side. Put the bird right on the rack. Tried to catch the drippings, but it turned into a big mess, so this year I'm going to put it into a foil pan. That shouldn't affect the convection very much. I didn't stuff it, either, except for a little wild rice and chopped apple to soak up the Vernors ginger ale I poured into the gut.

The wings burned a little bit. This time around I'm going to cover them in aluminum foil so they don't burn again.

 

[Gatorubet]

*cough coubullshitgh cough*

nah man - it was my buddies Dennis and Mike that came over in 1983. We were working in New Orleans at a nuke plant, none of us from here, and about 4:00 pm they showed up stoned out of their minds at my door, with a 10 lb turkey and an electric rotisserie saying that as I was the only one with a house, I had to cook it. The nuts apples sausage and croutons story is true. I did have a block of slightly moldy cheddar cheese, but as it had teeth marks in it, it was not a part of the available supplies...

I microwaved the bird (they bought it at A&P as frozen as Arctic ice) and put the stuffing in a bowl and cooked it, giving us a meal start time at about 11:00 pm. I know because we stopped paused watching Erasorhead on my Betamax to fix our plates.

NEVER question me again motherfucker, YOU HEAR ME!!!???

How's the good stuff turn out on the grill? Legs, thighs, wings?

The wings are overcooked, as it is hot as a mother being on the coals, but that is the secret to it - the quick searing of the skin. But the rest of the bird is falling off the bone. Legs and thighs too. The wings are so skinny that they get overdone, I do admit.

 

[BUCKYLE]

NEVER question me again motherfucker, YOU HEAR ME!!!???

Nice story. :p

I figured you got that recipe from Emeril.

I really like the thighs. That shit is goodness.

I may try this next year.

 

[bucknut74]

Turbaconducken

 

[Gatorubet]

 

[BUCKYLE]

I'd hit it.

 

[shetuck]

Gulp!

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Gin Martinis and Blackberry-Gin Fizzes for cocktails.

Three bottles of Luneau-Papin Muscadet and two magnums of '01 Montpertuis Chateauneuf du Pape with dinner

Cognac, Calvados and Absinthe for after dinner.

Oh yeah, we'll probably have some food too.

 

[BuckeyeRyn]

We cook the turkey in the fireplace.... some damn good stuff....

2 types of stuffing (oyster and non-oyster)
homemade rolls and noodles
green bean casserole
corn pudding
sweet potatoes
mashed taters (homemade, I don't think my mom has ever made instant taters, NEVER, EVER)
cranberry sauce and a cranberry jello salad
veggie trays
pumpkin and pecan pies.....



Buckyle, you want us to pick you up?

 

[BUCKYLE]

Buckyle, you want us to pick you up?

I appreciate it, but I have to spend it with my family. :(

My mother has to work (Children's), so my dad is making dinner. It should be interesting, that's for sure.

 

[OCBuckWife]

Meh. It's only 4 of us this year and I am on a string budget so nothing fancy this year. Glazed ham, roast turkey breast, fresh green bean casserole, cranberry orange relish, brown gravy with mushrooms, dressing instead of stuffing. Cutting a lot of corners this year too. Some pre-made stuff this time. *shrug* With only 3 of the people attending being meat eaters there is no one to really appreciate the time or effort and we are unable to really afford to go all out anyway so it all works out in the end.

 

[bucknutz]

Meh. It's only 4 of us this year and I am on a string budget so nothing fancy this year. Glazed ham, roast turkey breast, fresh green bean casserole, cranberry orange relish, brown gravy with mushrooms, dressing instead of stuffing. Cutting a lot of corners this year too. Some pre-made stuff this time. *shrug* With only 3 of the people attending being meat eaters there is no one to really appreciate the time or effort and we are unable to really afford to go all out anyway so it all works out in the end.

sounds like my kind of meal. what time we eatin?

 

[OCBuckWife]

sounds like my kind of meal. what time we eatin?

Four. Bring some shrooms.