cook it in a bag. simple and easy way to make sure you dont dry out your turkey. probably best idea for first attempt

[Edited on November 4, 2011 at 12:10 PM. Reason : 2]

11/4/2011 12:09:51 PM

Quote :

"I bought my turkey this morning - it'll be the first one I've ever made since we're doing Thanksgiving in CT and not with our families. Hopefully I won't screw it up. "

Read the turkey cooking guide on Epicurious and you'll be hard-pressed to screw it up.

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving?intcid=epi_promobar

11/4/2011 12:19:36 PM

I wish I was having a fun thanksgiving with friends...but I'm stuck with my mom.

[Edited on November 4, 2011 at 9:25 PM. Reason : I'm gonna have to work at like 3 am the next morning anyway though.]

11/4/2011 9:24:21 PM

i'm not letting my bro-in-law do the turkey this year. what a waste!

11/4/2011 9:25:22 PM

I will make a short appearance at my grandmother's, and then dip out for a "work emergency". I always hated the family holiday functions, but they seem worse this year.

[Edited on November 4, 2011 at 9:27 PM. Reason : or i'm tempted to head to WA to see my brother. Christmas I'm attempting to plan a carribean trip.]

11/4/2011 9:27:00 PM

My mom just cooks for hours and then lets us know when the food's done. We then make our plates and go back to where we were. We don't do too much of the "family" stuff. She's tried to get us to sit down together and tell what we're thankful for, but it is always awkward.

11/5/2011 1:02:32 AM

when my niece and nephew were younger (and probably when i was younger too) my mom did this "ABC" thing where you went around the circle at the dinner table and each person said something they were thankful for that starts with whatever letter they come to. it's super lame but my nephew wanted to do it last year. they're pretty cute, but i kind of hope they're over it now.

11/5/2011 1:04:38 AM

I'm living in Alexander with international students (I know, I know...still in school at state? On MY tdub?!), so I'm having 6 of them over for their first ever Thanksgiving. Also have family coming in from Florida, Massachusetts, a family friend from Maryland, and my brothers from Charlotte and Tampa.

This is actually the first Thanksgiving in a while that I'm actually looking forward to a lot. Besides Thanksgiving itself, I think the whole group of us (like 18 or something) are going to go bowling/play cards/drink...just a ton of fun stuff. Gotta show these French/Brazilian/Danish people what Thanksgiving is all about. Can't wait.

11/5/2011 1:08:58 AM

theres a thanksgiving this year???? the corporate world skipped that holiday all together...i have seen no mention of turkey day, however i saw Christmas decorations going up on Halloween...

11/5/2011 1:35:35 AM

^ only stores that can sell you shit for Thanksgiving are supermarkets and home goods places.

^^ that's cool you're doing that. I might have some Korean students over for dinner but haven't decided yet.

11/5/2011 9:44:56 AM

I went to an early Thanksgiving from a housemate's family by accident one year. (2 weeks early) They had fish and shrimp instead of turkey. They were, also, devoid of all the stupid drama I'm used to. Aside from thanksgiving events with an ex, it my favorite thanksgiving.

I take that back, FISH for thanksgiving! FUCK YEA

11/5/2011 11:43:43 AM

Quote :

"What's everyone doing for Thanksgiving?"

Doing family gatherings in Raleigh, Cary, and Greenville, NC over the course of about a week. Can't completely rule out the possibility of adding on a Charlotte or Mt. Airy, NC family visit either.

My family and my husbands family have integrated well on most holidays and narrowed it down to 1 event for most holidays. But we still do tons of Thanksgivings. And its not like they aren't integrated, it'll be 60%+ the same people at each one of these. I like having family all over the state, but it'll mean a lot of road time. Still, I'm looking forward to it.

11/5/2011 1:17:49 PM

Why the fuck are roasting pans at Bed Bath and Beyond $120 for the kind that aren't nonstick Time to find a used one on Craigslist.

11/6/2011 6:26:05 PM

what kind of sides do yall include? i keep it pretty "traditional" i guess - mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, etc. i don't like to change things up very much for holidays, but i'm interested in a new side dish idea for this year. maybe.

11/6/2011 6:29:24 PM

I like to take a bunch of root vegetables (rutabaga, potatoes, beets, turnips, parsnips, etc), basically whatever is at the farmers market when I go, cut them into bite-sized pieces, toss with olive oil, garlic cloves, fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme, and some white wine, and roast that until everything is cooked through.

11/6/2011 6:34:49 PM

Oh yeah and I like to change up the bread. Last year I made pumpkin challah. I'm thinking bacon buns this year.

11/6/2011 9:57:32 PM

I'm doing Thanksgiving on a beach in Jamaica.

Christmas is the "stuff myself to oblivion and enjoy some quality family time" holiday in my household. Lately made slightly less traditional by my sister's irregular work schedule - we do presents at odd times, eat dinner with her missing most of the time and generally switch the traditions around as it suits her schedule (she's a nurse).

11/6/2011 10:17:48 PM

Hell yeah picking up a roaster for $10 this afternoon. Love Craigslist

11/7/2011 10:01:01 AM

Thanksgiving weekend got even better. My sister got box tickets for the State/Maryland game. First State game in 6 years!!

11/7/2011 10:06:10 AM

I'll be up theres for Clemson and hopefully Maryland too

11/7/2011 10:30:52 AM

Apparently the family wants to go out to eat for Thanksgiving. I can understand the push for it, mom is getting chemo (taxol) every monday now and it will be too much for her to have to coordinate everything for thanksgiving and have the house all ready and clean and then having to deal with family everything etc...

I told them I would take over but the whole debacle with Thanksgiving 2008 ruined that... god these people remember evvvvvvvvverything

Anyways, I want us to go to Cracker Barrel but my sister is really pushing for the place she works at "Garfields" in Lancaster, PA

11/7/2011 11:40:19 AM

So it was always a family tradition to go pick out a live tree at the Farmers' Market on Black Friday, and so I plan accordingly. Well apparently this year Mom wants us to drive to the mountains on Saturday to cut a fucker down...and of course I've made plans to be back in Raleigh on Saturday.

Epic mother guilt-trip, activate.

11/7/2011 12:10:11 PM

^ Isn't there a tree farm in Garner that you can go to cut down trees?

^^ Eh, if it's what your sister wants to do I wouldn't push it. You can eat at Cracker Barrel any time. Unless the place she works completely blows or something.

11/7/2011 12:23:37 PM

This just in!

I've finally found my official work excuse to dip out 30 minutes into the meal.

11/7/2011 9:53:46 PM

we rode up into the VA mountains/foothills last year where you pick any frasier fir you want for $22. they cut it down for you.

http://www.nesterstreefarm.com

11/7/2011 9:57:36 PM

If I was still "we", that would sound fun. Then, again, if I were still "we", I'd already have bought tickets for south or central america for thanksgiving.

11/7/2011 10:04:56 PM

How does everyone usually prepare their turkey?

Lately we've been brining the turkey.

11/8/2011 12:54:12 PM

we're doing thanksgiving early this year since the whole family will be down at the coast, and we're considering doing a seafood based dinner since there will be plenty of fresh seafood in season this time of year.

I'll buy a couple of turkeys when they go on sale and cook them later on. It's hard to beat a fridge full of turkey meat for cheap and simple meals.

^I brine my turkey, inject it with marinade, cook it in the roaster oven, and then crisp the skin with a torch.

[Edited on November 8, 2011 at 1:07 PM. Reason : .]

11/8/2011 1:06:02 PM

Quote :

"we're doing thanksgiving early this year since the whole family will be down at the coast, and we're considering doing a seafood based dinner since there will be plenty of fresh seafood in season this time of year. "

I'm making Shrimp Rockefeller and it will be glorious!

11/8/2011 1:13:30 PM

I brine my turkey and sometimes inject it

But cook it in a normal oven

11/8/2011 1:15:10 PM

I've cooked it all kinds of ways in the past.

Fried has generally been the best, though I've found brining the turkey before the fry isn't the best idea...lots of water/oil spatter. Injection is the way to go with this.

Roasting, best to go with brining with this one since this process dries out the meat the most. The more brine you can get into your turkey just makes it that much more juicy.

I've also smoked a turkey. Longest to cook, but great flavor...also stick with injection with this one.

11/8/2011 1:31:18 PM

Quote :

"and then crisp the skin with a torch. "

This makes me wish I had a kitchen torch.

11/9/2011 8:18:01 AM

Bought bread today for making stuffing at Guglhupf. Figure we'll eat some for dinner tonight then I'll cube and freeze the rest. One less thing to do the day of

11/11/2011 9:36:37 AM

Quote :

"the whole debacle with Thanksgiving 2008 ruined that"

this sounds interesting. what happened?

Quote :

"How does everyone usually prepare their turkey?"

i just follow the instructions from honey baked ham

11/11/2011 10:03:37 AM

I saw a bunch of cheap roasting pans at TJMaxx FYI.

I still have mine from World Market from last year. Was about $10 and have used it several times. I cut the turkey in half to cook the other half later, ribs on the roaster are great, chickens, etc. I also spent the extra money on a thermometer with an alarm and a probe you can leave in the oven. Best thing ever.

11/11/2011 11:38:58 AM

Are they non-stick roasting pans? Because those suck

11/11/2011 11:39:39 AM

is anyone doing a pumpkin roll??

i will PAY YOU for one

11/11/2011 11:40:45 AM

I didn't look too close because I already have one. But in general you aren't going to find a regular one unless you want to pay a lot more. Mine has a coated wire rack and I don't use the drippings for gravy, so I will put up with the non-stick pan for now.

11/11/2011 2:03:24 PM

Yeah the stainless ones are ridonkulous. I have an enamel coated one that's serving me fine for now.

11/11/2011 2:04:27 PM

Quote :

"I'm making Shrimp Rockefeller and it will be glorious! "

And it was.

11/13/2011 10:17:33 PM

We have Thanksgiving lunch at my mom's house at noon, then over to Granny's for dinner at 4 (sigh) and then cutting out early to head to his parent's house for dinner at 5. As long as no one forces me to eat or makes me feel bad for not eating, which will make me force myself to eat, I'll be good...

11/13/2011 10:20:15 PM

blowing off the fam and coming down to NC for thanksgiving with friends in Raleigh. Bringing the guy too.

And then heading to New Bern, staying at a nice b&b, and then going to my HS reunion ( kinda on that last one lol)

11/16/2011 4:14:28 PM

Bought a roasting pan. It better be worth it!

11/16/2011 4:17:12 PM

would that be similar to a broiler pan?


because a broiler pan is the greatest thing


also BTTT for my pumpkin roll request

[Edited on November 16, 2011 at 4:49 PM. Reason : h]

11/16/2011 4:49:19 PM

The sides of a broiler pan aren't as tall and not as good at keeping the drippings in.

11/16/2011 6:25:15 PM

i am SO excited to visit my family, and i'm not sure why because drama is inevitable.

11/16/2011 7:05:23 PM

might get one of those canned turkeys or chickens and cook it over the campfire.

alas no real turkey day for me this year.

11/16/2011 7:42:03 PM

i'm going to my mom's house tomorrow after work to plan the menu

hubby and i will be hanging out with my mom, stepdad, and stepbrothers for Turkey Day

11/16/2011 7:43:04 PM

Came up with the menu today. Might end up tweaking it.

Cider brined turkey
Mushroom and hazelnut stuffing
Roasted mushrooms and brussel sprouts
Gravy
Cranberry relish
Herbed mashed potatoes
Bacon buns

Still haven't decided what to do for dessert.

11/16/2011 8:05:03 PM

wolfpackgrr

please send me recipes for: cider brined turkey, mushroom and hazelnut stuffing, and bacon buns

11/16/2011 8:17:00 PM