Gathering was at an older relatives home. Since they host, we do a potluck.
I did mashed potatoes...inspired by Joshua Weissman this year.


Confit Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I added more liquid (1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream) since were staying heated & served in a low temp crackpot. Didn't want them to get dry. I did the rosemary, thyme, and sage in the olive oil confit. I used 2lbs of russet & 2lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 lb turnip. Russet alone seem too dry of a texture. With all of the variety people brought, there was about a pound remaining with 10 attending.

One lesson learned, the turnip was a bit underdone compared to potatoes. Next time, cut the turnip in smaller bits. A bit hard to go through the ricer.

Mashed celery root and potato is also delicious, I’ve never had it with turnips but sounds really good.

Great idea of using celery root! I got to try that sometime.

Thanksgiving part 1 was a success. I'm a guest at this one so just bring a couple sides and wine. Grandma's peanut butter pie was a hit as always. Not many takers on the cranberry jalapeno relish, but I liked it. I got to drive a Mercedes AMG convertible with the big V8 biturbo motor so that was awesome.

Thanks giving part 2 (I'm the host) was postponed until tomorrow. Bone-in turkey breast is brining, and with any luck it should come off the BGE during the half-time of the tOSU vs UofM game (also Purdue vs IU). Yes, I realize only marginal improvements possible when brining a turkey that was already mechanically injected with brine prior to the chicken processing plant freezing it, but it made me feel better that I was doing something with the day delay.

It was just Mrs. Warhorse and I this year, Bob Evans cooked and served our Thanksgiving dinner. We enjoyed it.

quote:

Originally posted by TRIO:
Gathering was at an older relatives home. Since they host, we do a potluck.
I did mashed potatoes...inspired by Joshua Weissman this year.


Confit Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I added more liquid (1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream) since were staying heated & served in a low temp crackpot. Didn't want them to get dry. I did the rosemary, thyme, and sage in the olive oil confit. I used 2lbs of russet & 2lbs of Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 lb turnip. Russet alone seem too dry of a texture. With all of the variety people brought, there was about a pound remaining with 10 attending.

One lesson learned, the turnip was a bit underdone compared to potatoes. Next time, cut the turnip in smaller bits. A bit hard to go through the ricer.

Not necessarily traditional, but I love garlicky mash potatoes. I used butter to soften the garlic up yesterday, but I think mashed roast garlic instead is heavenly. Plus, a great roast garlic hack is to just put them, skin on, in a skillet and heat them up really well for a bit. I use a non-stick, thin-bottom aluminum skillet. This works fantastic and you don't have to put them in a hot oven for 45 min, a lot easier than confit.

Thanksgiving Part II. Hot smoked a brined bone-in turkey breast at 325 on BGE. Oak lump charcoal with cherry chunks.

Also, I made Cranberry dressing as a side. The mashed potatoes were made by someone else and the gravy was just the bag that came with the turkey.

I followed this recipe from Gordon Ramsay for the turkey this year. I deviated for the gravy though, after the bird was done I removed it from the tray and took the onions and lemon out of the bird and put it in the tray juices with the bacon. I cooked it in the tray in the oven for a bit to render it down. I then transferred it to a pot, added about 1/3 cup of flour and a couple bay leaves and some rosemary and simmered it until it was thick and it was the best gravy I've ever had.

I highly recommend trying it.

12-pound turkey, brined (my wife made the brine) for 12 hours, injected with butter and herbs solution, with BBQ rub. Basted with the same butter and herb injected every 45 minutes and finished off with a Bayou Bourbon Glaze in the last 15 minutes. Started smoking at 4 AM with temperatures ranging from 180 to 240. I was aiming to finish cooking at 12:30 and started with 225. Adjusted it down to 180 after the first hour because the Meater probe said I'll hit 165 internal temp in 3 hours. About every 30 minutes, I was monitoring expected time remaining and adjusting to hit 12:30. With only two hours left and at 220 degrees, it started telling me it was going to take another 4 hours to hit 165 so I had to keep adjusting until it was up to 240.

But, I was pleasantly surprised my first smoke turkey turned out to be delicious and moist.

My wife did everything else: dressing, beans, sweet yams, beans, cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls.

Favorite after Thanksgiving breakfast:

Sausage stuffing pancakes, Thanksgiving spiral ham, and eggs over easy.

Artie, that looks and sounds good

One of the traditions I started in the late 90s is using the leftover turkey to make enchiladas. It used to be enchiladas suizas, but my tastes have changed over the years so now it's enchiladas verde. Here is a plate of this year's enchiladas:

Those look good!

I was at the grocery store this morning and the meat dept. has some turkey parts packaged up with a discounted price. I purchased three(3) trays of raw turkey thighs with the skin on. They will go into my smoker for next weekend, and the remainder will be vacuum sealed and frozen for later. I was thrilled to have found them.

Mrs. V-Tail and I were invited to join ArtieS and Deb.

Turkey, almost ready on the BGE:

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It's done!

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Needs dressing:

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Ham* and gravy:

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Mashed potatoes:

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Some CornBread:

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*Re the ham: A Rabbi and a Priest were having a conversation. The Priest asked the Rabbi, "Tell me, have you ever eaten ham?"

The Rabbi answered, "Once, when I was an impetuous youth. I wanted to find out what all the fuss was about, so I tasted a ham sandwich." He then asked the Priest, "Have you ever had sex with a woman?"

The Priest answered truthfully, "In my younger days, before I felt the calling to The Church, I did."

The Rabbi said, "Beats eating ham, doesn't it?"

Artie...that breakfast looks good. Never occurred to me to use stuffing as a pancake. Got to try that sometime. I know with mashed potato pancakes, a bit of flour and eggs are added. Does the stuffing need that too?


SSE...Your tip of garlic prep is good to know. I really didn't mind the confit method. The house was chilly and I have leftover flavored oil. That oil would be great for my pan fried potatoes.
Pevious years, I had done a head of garlic in foil wrap with oil drizzled so no burning. IIRC, about 350-400 for 15 mins.

These are some great tips in this thread for turkey cooking!

Deep fried a Turkey at my son's in New Mexico Thursday and another one today for my other son back home. Damn ain't no other way to do Turkey!!

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Artie...that breakfast looks good. Never occurred to me to use stuffing as a pancake. Got to try that sometime. I know with mashed potato pancakes, a bit of flour and eggs are added. Does the stuffing need that too?

No. I make my stuffing kind of sticky, so it holds together pretty well. Needs a bit of hot oil in the pan to not stick, though.

For those of you that cut your bird against the grain and not with it. You are true hero's and I applaude you. My in laws can't figure it out. Drives me nuts. But since they all came over to my place. We had:

1x Smoke Turkey - Spatchcocked & brined.
1x Baked Turkey - Brined & Stuffed
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Pototatoes
Green Beans
Asparagus
Rolls
Mac & Chz
and I'm sure some other stuff... But I feel like I prepped, cooked, and cleaned for x3 days straight. There were about x12 of us total if I remember right.

We don't really care for the traditional dishes so I opted for a slow cooked rib roast with tiger dill horseradish sauce and blue cheese wedge salad.
Home made from scratch apple pie for dessert.

I had my traditional Thanksgiving meal. Hotdogs.