Turkey Day Prep Begins

[lunchman]

I bought a 14 lb frozen bird last week, it's been thawing in the fridge since Friday. Prep starts today. It was nicely thawed this evening and I took the time to Spatchcock. Cleaned it up, it'll dry brine in the fridge.

I decided to follow Chef Tom's lead and make turkey stock. Backbone, bag o' parts, carrots, celery, onion. Savory herbs as he used. It's been simmering on the stove for 2 hours, a few more hours to reduce. The kitchen smells wonderful!

This will make a good turkey gravy. Last year I screwed up big time and over salted my gravy. Had to make an emergency gravy, wasn't that great.

My wife asked if I'd added salt to it. Very little with the veggies. It's unsalted stock, not the base for soup.

More prep work tomorrow. No stress. :tongue:

I hope prep for others is going well.

 

[Hoss]

Sounds like you have it all planned out.Good luck! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 

[ronbrad62]

Good luck with everything, Dom. We are having Thanksgiving with family so no prep from us, but my wife will go over early and pretty much do most of the sides. My part will probably come in the form of carving/clean up. I'll work on the "no stress" part, as well.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

I'll be prepping tomorrow to help the wife who has to work a 10 until 7:30pm.

Like you Dom, the Blackstone has actually helped my prep game as I on at least a weekly basis I am thinking ahead for the flat top (Sat/Sun) because its all about the prep, and avoiding the walk of shame for something you forgot

So its celery and onion prep for stuffing tomorrow, browning up some sage sausage, par flash cooking (either on stove pan or griddle) the celery onion in the sage fatty grease, then se t aside. Two loves bread, one peppridge Farm wheat, the other a good white bread, drying now on cooling racks, built in little playing card house teepee style....

Stopping at White Castle for the 20 pack of Sliders without pickle.

Some will get eaten during stuffing prep.

Thursday morning, pull it all together with prepped dry bread and create stuffing (un stuffed, of course).

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Sounds really good. This year my son and D-I-L are doing Thanksgiving. She got 2 dinners from Market Basket. I am paying for the alcohol. My job will be to go, watch football, and eat. Wil. help with the clean up but will watch the younger people do most of it- It is their turn
Hope everyone has a really nice Thanksgiving and that people get along

 

[Bill-Chicago]

That is slowly becoming my approach too George.


I would have fried a whole bird, smoked two full bone in breasts, then all the beans and sides and such.


Now I only do a one off, no longer fry, I think we chose to host Christmas so for TDay, most of the cooking is done by others.


I just eat!

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Sounds like a good plan Bill :thumb:

 

[Stingerhook]

What time is dinner Dom?

 

[lunchman]

I'll be prepping tomorrow to help the wife who has to work a 10 until 7:30pm.

Like you Dom, the Blackstone has actually helped my prep game as I on at least a weekly basis I am thinking ahead for the flat top (Sat/Sun) because its all about the prep, and avoiding the walk of shame for something you forgot

So its celery and onion prep for stuffing tomorrow, browning up some sage sausage, par flash cooking (either on stove pan or griddle) the celery onion in the sage fatty grease, then se t aside. Two loves bread, one peppridge Farm wheat, the other a good white bread, drying now on cooling racks, built in little playing card house teepee style....

Stopping at White Castle for the 20 pack of Sliders without pickle.

Some will get eaten during stuffing prep.

Thursday morning, pull it all together with prepped dry bread and create stuffing (un stuffed, of course).

Sounds like an awesome stuffing recipe, Bill.

 

[lunchman]

What time is dinner Dom?

2-ish, I think. All depends on how long the turkey takes on the Goldens'. It's looking pretty good in the fridge after the dry brine.

The turkey stock looks and tastes good as well. That was a nice experiment that turned out a success. I'm sure it'll make a tasty gravy.

Like many of you, in past years we've had Thanksgiving dinner at the s-i-l's and I usually make a small turkey over the weekend for Mrs lunchman and me. But this year the grandkids will be visiting, so prep work is still underway. We've gotten as much done as possible today, tomorrow should be relatively easy.

I just have to stop looking at turkey videos. :eusa_clap

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

-Dom

 

[snadamo]

Well, I found my sweatpants…so I’m prepped…


Really looking forward to seeing everyone’s feasts tomorrow

 

[lunchman]

Time to relax a bit. Prep work continued earlier this morning. I decided to make a compound butter rather than do an injection. Seasoning today was Yardbird. Turkey's on the grill.

I'm watching the grill and turkey temps with the Smoke. Dressing is made, Mrs lunchman is in charge of the potatoes.

Dinner could be ready earlier than 2, it all depends on turkey temps and how stable the grill temps remain. So far, so good.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Sounds perfect Dom. Enjoy and have fun

 

[lunchman]

Sounds perfect Dom. Enjoy and have fun

I think I'll follow your lead next year George and either buy a turkey dinner or go out to eat. Don't f get me wrong, everything turned out great. Turkey was moist and juicy, skin was crisp, color was wonderful. Turkey gravy was the best I've ever made.

But I've forgotten how much work this all is, even it it's just for four adults and three grandkids who don't eat. No surprise there. :roll: I read an article yesterday with tweets from parents who say their kids won't eat anything at Thanksgiving dinner other than buttered dinner rolls. That's about how it went here. :biggrin1:

Still fun however, but a lot of work especially with age and the need to take rest periods now and then. But a lot different than prepping a Black Friday weekend turkey for the Mrs and me.

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Sounds like you had a good day Dom. Dinner turned out great. Market Basket did a hice job. Mash potatoes, mashed butternut squash, turkey and stuffing a gravy. Stuffing was not great. Turkey was moist and pretty good. Not bad for $80. Fed a lot of people.