The Thanksgiving Dinner Recipe Thread

[TomAz]

since some of you people cook actual food rather than microwave Stouffer's Turkey Breast (*With Real Gravy!) post your favorite recipes here.

I'll start with my favorite way to prepare turkey. The problem with turkey is it's such a large bird it takes forever to cook. The white meat is done before the dark meat is, then it starts to dry out. Brining the turkey helps keep the breast moist. (insert bug joke here).

this recipe is not "mine" btw, it comes from Alice Waters. I've used it the last few years and love it.


2-1/2 gallons cold water
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme, or 4 tablespoons dried
1 whole head of garlic, peeled
5 whole allspice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, crushed

Place the water in a large pot that can easily hold the liquid and the turkey you intend to brine. Add all the ingredients and stir for a minute or so until the sugar and salt dissolve. Refrigerate turkey in the brine for 24 hours. If the meat floats to the top, use a plate or other weight to keep it completely submerged in the brine.

Stuff the cavity with lemons, herbs, and onions, if desired. Rub the skin with oil and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Cook uncovered in a 400-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes per pound until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh registers at least 165 degrees.

[captncrzy]

I make a sweet potato souffle every year; I am forced to make it by the family. I'll post it later when I get home.

[mountmccabe]

We used to always go camping over Thanksgiving weekend and since many people wouldn't be able to make it up until Thursday afternoon or even Friday morning we'd have our big dinner on Friday. Some years we had 30 people.

There'd be a turkey or two cooked in a dutch oven with gravy and potatos and carrots such and a ham in another dutch oven and green bean casserole and homemade cranberry sauce and homemade stuffing and more. And pies.

I don't know if we're going to be camping this year; we have not done this for several years.

[mountmccabe]

So basically what I'm asking is, should I post the recipe for the chili we'd have on the day what was actually Thanksgiving?

[disgustipated]

i have Brined the past few years as well. Almost the same recipe as Toms with a few minor changes.

2-1/2 gallons cold water
2 cups kosher salt
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme, or 4 tablespoons dried
1 whole head of garlic, peeled
5 whole allspice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, crushed
2 sliced oranges

brining also helps to start breaking down the protiens of the meat, helping the bird to cook evenly.

[miscorrections]

Foods I Can't Stand:

• Stuffing
• Cranberry yuck
• Yams or sweet potatoes

Yams actually make me instantly throw up. As soon as they're down they're right back up and on my plate.

[amyzzz]

Can you get allspice berries or juniper berries at a regular grocery store? I am extremely novice at cooking. Please don't make fun.

[J~$$$]

Boston Market on Colorado Blv. 303-759-9440.

[Wheres the beef?]

There is a turkey cook off at my parents house this year. My deep fried turkey vs. my girlfriends dads smoked turkey. Im gonna win.

[Courtney]

Foods I Can't Stand:

• Stuffing
• Cranberry yuck
• Yams or sweet potatoes

Yams actually make me instantly throw up. As soon as they're down they're right back up and on my plate.

These are my favorite things! I usually make sourdough-sage stuffing. And homemade cranberry sauce with lots of orange zest! Yum yum yum.

[invisiblerobots]

I like mine in liquid form.

[Courtney]

There is a turkey cook off at my parents house this year. My deep fried turkey vs. my girlfriends dads smoked turkey. Im gonna win.

Just don't burn the house down please.

[Courtney]

Anyone doing a turducken? Eww.

[J~$$$]

I like mine in liquid form.

My mom would be all for that if there was a bottle of Vodka included.

[amyzzz]

I am the designated pie maker because I can't make any savory foods to save my life. The pie is pretty good.

[TomAz]

Can you get allspice berries or juniper berries at a regular grocery store? I am extremely novice at cooking. Please don't make fun.

yes. spice section. be sure to get the whole allspice berries not the ground.

[samiksha]

So basically what I'm asking is, should I post the recipe for the chili we'd have on the day what was actually Thanksgiving?

yes. i love chili. a lot.

Foods I Can't Stand:

• Stuffing
• Cranberry yuck
• Yams or sweet potatoes

Yams actually make me instantly throw up. As soon as they're down they're right back up and on my plate.

i feel that.

[samiksha]

some one post a good pumpkin pie recipe!

[tricorne]

Growing up a vegetarian always meant tofu turkey. Not "Tofurkey", which tastes like asphalt, but an actual giant mountain of roasted tofu, kind of shaped like a turkey, with stuffing inside and a top crust.

I am no longer a vegetarian, but I still only eat tofu turkey on thanksgiving. I hate real turkey.

I'm not going to post my recipe because I know nobody wants it. But I will mention that for potatoes, I tend to do them homefry-style at first: sauteeing onions and mushrooms and then the potatoes with all sorts of cheese and seasonings, and then I mash them with butter and roasted garlic. They look ugly, but taste amazing.

[TomAz]

this soup is really easy and incredibly good. even people who don't like squash love this soup. i have been required to make it every year for at least the last 12 years.

Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

4 1/2 lbs butternut squash
4 large leeks, white and light green parts chopped
7 sprigs thyme
5 tbsp unsalted butter (use good butter like Plugra for better results)
5 c. chicken stock or broth
salt & pepper
sour cream
8 slices bacon fried crisp and crumbled
chopped chives

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and put cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. When it's done let it cool a bit then scrape out the seeds with a spoon. After it's cooled some more scrape the cooked squash away from the skin.

While the squash is cooking melt the butter in a soup pot on low heat. add the chopped leeks and thyme and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 40 mins. Remove the thyme sprigs.

Add the squash and the chicken broth to the leeks and simmer for about 20 mins. Then puree the soup in a blender or food processor. (this step can be a pain in the ass with hot soup. be careful. if you have an immersion stick blender this is the perfect time to use it).

season the soup with salt and pepper, ladle in to bowls, and garnish each serving with 1 tbsp sour cream, 1 tsp chives, and some of the bacon.

[amyzzz]

Damn. That squash soup sounded good until I got to the bacon part. I don't eat mammals.

I could post a pumpkin pie recipe, but I usually just use the one on the back of the canned pumpkin can. I've heard that it's not worth the time and energy to use real pie pumpkins (not canned), but I have never tried fresh pumpkins.

[samiksha]

i just had a pumpkin pie made with actual pumpkins and it was... the best pie... i've ever had. of course i don't really know how much work goes into something like that. i should call the girl who made it and get her recipe. there was something crazy delicious goin' on in the crust.

[TomAz]

Damn. That squash soup sounded good until I got to the bacon part. I don't eat mammals.

the bacon is a garnish. you can leave it out. or substitute fried snake meat or something.

[J~$$$]

If your not using actual pumpkins are you using plastic ones?

[shakermaker113]

I like mine in liquid form.

wow... where can I get one of those? I'm so taking one to thanksgiving this year.

[samiksha]

If your not using actual pumpkins are you using plastic ones?

well.................... you know what i mean.

[RotationSlimWang]

I'm pretty sure my Thanksgiving recipe this year is going to be concocted by Taco Bell.

[luckyface]

wow... where can I get one of those? I'm so taking one to thanksgiving this year.

I usually see them at Target every year. I would imagine they will be hitting shelves soon.

[J~$$$]

I'm pretty sure my Thanksgiving recipe this year is going to be concocted by Taco Bell.

Use their fire sauce to give it that extra kick.

[RotationSlimWang]

Bah, the Hot level of hot sauce is perfectly sufficient. My first job was at a Taco Bell/KFC. One day my buddy Sprak and some other kid decided to soak already hot hot wings in a cup full of the contents of Fire sauce packets. They both hated themselves for it, and complained of incredibly painful ass predictaments resulting from trying to expel those hot wings and the several ounces of fire sauce they'd ingested in the process.