2024 Turkey Derby Plans and Results

[BBillFleet]

Alright my friends:

It is now two weeks until Thanksgiving Day, and for many of us here in the US and elsewhere that means Big Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner!

Although many of us were raised with visions of 'perfect' Normal Rockwell family spreads of Turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes and a plethora of sides, the reality is often different, because we're people with different backgrounds, circumstances, needs, and wants.

I am wondering how the folks here are planning to do their Thanksgiving meal, if they do one at all. There are so many ways to give thanks for what we have.

So, a few questions to get this ball rolling--

1. Are you going to 'do' a turkey?
2. If so, what kind of turkey?
3. Are you planning any particular way of doing it? Smoked, roasted, fried, jullienned?
4. What side dishes will you want?
5. What side dishes will you most likely get?
6. Who's coming? (and can I come? ) or who will you go to?
7. What are your plans for the leftovers?

[Jfrosty27]

We’re off the hook this year. Our son invited us to his house for dinner. But it will be the traditional spread. That’s what he likes. And it will be great. He’s an exceptional cook.

[BBillFleet]

And I'll start with my story: I'll do a turkey, and it's already the second one of the season. The first one was smoked, and the one on the day will be oven roasted, but I'll get to those details in a moment.

My T-Day turkey will be a 18 to 21-pounder, maybe a Butterball.

1. I'll break it apart. While it's still partly frozen, I will take a power saw to it and cut out the spine, two long cuts on either side, then I'll flip it and cut apart the two breast halves.
2. I'll season the halves liberally with salt (dry-ish brine), bag them and put them back into the fridge.
3. Once thawed, I'll finish parting them up (no power saw this time), two breasts, two wings, two drums, two thighs.
4. I'll rub them well with poultry seasoning, and vacuum seal them for sous vide.
5. Sous vide for 145F for 5 hours. pull the white meat and raise the temperature to 155F.
6. Sous vide the dark meat for another 60-90 minutes at 155F
7. << optional chill day >>
8. Pull them, and either
   1. Smoke them - unbag and smoke at 225F (heavy smoke) for 60-90 minutes, then sear at higher heat until crisp
   2. Roast them - unbag and place on baking sheet. 350F until warm through (if chilled), then raise temperature to 425F until skin is browned and crisp.

Meanwhile, the spine (from earlier), wing tips, tail and any other bits, bones and trim go into the Instant Pot with a quartered onion, some carrots and bay leaves, and enough water to cover it all. After 90 minutes, drain, strain and use it to make gravy. Lots and lots of gravy.

As for sides, roast potatoes, dressing, and a variety of green vegetables round things out. Plus some good bread or rolls, and cranberry sauce. I do love a good homemade pie for dessert, with lots of whipped cream for topping.

This year, I'll be doing it by myself at home alone. My wife's cousin has terminal cancer, and she's gathering up our daughters and taking them to see her in Wisconsin. I get to stay home and feed the cats, and mind the house. I'm sure I can find someone to share with.

As for leftovers, my fave is sliced turkey sandwiches on good white bread, with mayo, salt and pepper. One bite takes me back to my childhood. And then the second bite does too.

My wife also makes Turkey Divan, which is a baked casserole of cut up turkey and broccoli in a mornay sauce (don't panic, it's just an easy beschamel sauce with cheese in it), with breadcrumbs or panko on top. This is also heaven.

[shify]

I'm hosting around 20 people total but that includes six kids between 4 and 14 years old (two of which are mine).

I cook every dish except the cranberry sauce - I hate the stuff and it is the only thing my wife can/does cook (and she also demands jellied cranberry from the can).

I'm doing turkey two (or three) ways:
- I already bought some legs/thighs and have confited them sous vide. They are in my freezer so just need to be reheated/skin crisped up on Thanksgiving
- Will buy a whole turkey probably in the 12-14 lb range. My current thought is I may part it out and flatten/spatchcock and roast the breast and then smoke/grill the legs and thighs. If I don't do that, I'll spatchcock the whole bird and roast in oven. Either way the turkey will be dry brined for 2-3 days pre-cooking.

Side dishes:
- Sausage stuffing (dressing)
- Sticky rice stuffing
- Mashed potatoes
- Green bean gremolata
- Sourdough rolls or parker house rolls

My favorite side is the sausage stuffing (dressing) and my favorite thing to eat is a leftover stuffing waffle. Sometimes I don't even wait til the following day and have a stuffing waffle after everyone leaves and I'm watching the late football game.

Besides a stuffing waffle, I don't love leftovers and generally don't eat that much. If I have a lot of turkey left, I may do a turkey pot pie but that is pretty much all I'll have unless I grossly miscalculate how much food to make (likely).

I also designate a specialty cocktail or two every year. Leaning towards a Penicillin cocktail for me and maybe a ginger spritz for the wife. I'll also help my daughter come up with her own drink - knowing her it'll probably be some sort of sparking limeade

[BBillFleet]

I do like sausage stuffing, and I especially like the idea of a sausage stuffing waffle. Do you do anything to the stuffing before it goes into the iron?

[shify]

BBillFleet - nothing! just an oversized wad of stuffing. My stuffing is pretty moist almost like bread pudding. Plus the sausage renders a bit more in the waffle iron too.

If you stuffing is drier you can always mix in an egg to loosen it up before pressing in the iron.

[captainlee]

Our start is 18 bodies, 3 kids included, grandson on leave from Air Force stationed in England and two dogs. Feeding them from Wednesday evening through Saturday evening. Help!!!

Wed night Pizza from local shop.

Thursday One roasted turkey and one smoked then fried. Real mashed potatoes, string bean casserole, Brussels, homemade cranberry relish and something to be determined. Shrimp, cheese, vegetables for hold over snacks.

Friday. Lunchmeat for lunch, have not figured out dinner yet

Saturday Lunchmeat then dinner pulled pork sandwiches with slaw and tomato slices, maybe fries

All breakfasts, not my job!!!

Some are staying here with us, the balance in a VRBO.

[LA Pork Butt]

There will be eight of us.
- Smoke Roasted Turkey
- Caramelized Onion, Apple Brussels Sprouts
- Green Bean Casserole
- Crawfish Cornbread Dressing
- Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie
- Apple Cranberry Pie

[Clawbear57]

Crawfish sounds really good.

[NumbWhistle]

There will be 15-20 of us, depending on who can make it - including 5 kids.

Historically my wife and I have hosted, but as there are more children now and our house is the farthest from everyone, our Godkids' parents will host. I also don't want anyone to accidentally step on our oldest dog, nor do I want our 170lb Saint to run over any of the children.

That said, my wife and I will continue to do nearly all of the cooking (we trust my wife's mother to bring a salad, and my brother's wife brings sweet potatoes). Our spread will include:

Me:
- Two turkeys on the LSG ACG (haven't yet done a full turkey on it, so doing a test run this weekend - thinking of spatchcocking, which I've also never done with a turkey)
- Either two pork loins, or six to eight tenderloins
- Mashed potatoes
- Homemade sourdough loaf
- Homemade cinnamon swirl loaf
- Homemade rolls


My wife:
- Macaroni and cheese
- Stuffing
- Green bean casserole with fresh green beans
- Roasted root vegetables
- Corn
- Brussel sprouts
- Homemade cranberry sauce (we also will have a can of the jellied, as a couple people will only eat that)
- Texas sheet cake
- Apple cobbler
- Pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting

[GolfGeezer]

Just the bride and me.

12-13 lb Trader Joe’s pre-brined turkey. Spatchcocked and cooked basically following Serious Eats method in the oven.
Gravy made from drippings (from the same Serious Eats recipe)
Pre-made cranberry sauce with whole berries. (Ocean Spray).
Dill pickles.
Dessert, if any, undecided.
Booze.

[DavidNorcross]

There will be 10 of us. Got a 21lb bird, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, sweet potato casserole, green beans, homemade bread, macaroni salad and broccoli salad and bread pudding.

[realdocBBQ]

I think we're probably going to have 11 if everyone shows, including my Cuban friends.

I'm still trying to decide one turkey or two. I'm compelled somehow to do a single, large, giant turkey. I want to do a 20+ lber. Wife will fight me every step, but I don't care. It's a dollar a pound, for God's sake. We'll spend more than that on butter for this meal.

I think I want to wet brine for 72 hours, then dry in the fridge for 48 hours, then cook spatchcocked on the offset. That's what I think my ideal plan is.

We'll see how much fight I have in me.

[radiodome21]

We’re hosting again. I love it. I roll my outdoor TV cart by the cookers and get to smoke my bird. This year I get to watch the Bears (probably) get smoked by the Lions as a treat too. I’m actually leaning towards doing my bird on the SNS rotisserie. I’ve been watching YouTube videos and and emailed SNS to see if I need a counterweight. Only done chickens minute this far.

My wife will do one in the oven. She makes great turkey. I don’t worry about the sides. When you marry into an Italian family cooking is a group effort.

[jfmorris]

We are hosting, and all 3 of our kids families will be here - that makes for 8 adults and 3 kids (almost 4, almost 2, and 1). And 4 dogs. And I am waiting to see if Yvonne is open to my parents and sister and nephew coming, which makes for +6. She may not go for that this year, as she is jeleous of her time with the kids, given her 2 year diagnosis.

I'm going back and forth between doing one 20+ pounder, either spatchcocked or deconstructed, since I rotisseried one last year. Or just spin it, knowing the Weber rotisserie ring has a 20 pound limit. If I don't spin the bird, I MAY go for two 12-14 pounders instead, and run them spatchcocked on the offset.

No matter what, I'm a simple man, and will prep the night before, and dry brine overnight, possibly with the rub itself if I use the Turkey Lurkey, and get up and starts smoking or spinning the morning of. If additional rub is added, it will be done at the grill.

I may bake a sourdough boule or two as well, but do that the day before, as I am sure Yvonne will make a couple of sides in the oven, and the kids and anyone else that comes will bring sides and desserts. I'm only in charge of the meat. There are years Yvonne didn't feel well (2020, 2021) that I did the dressing and gravy too.

[Starsky]

I'm doing a spatchcocked turkey in the smoker, and a traditional one in the oven.

[captainlee]

Cool reading about how many members are having large gatherings. All available grills, smokers and ovens will be cranking out great meals. Don't forget to check those LP tanks.

[Purc]

Going again to my son's home in Georgia. Last year my son's BIL said he would do a fried turkey. Long story short, his BIL and family showed up at the appointed meal time with a defrosted bird in the original bag, a huge jug of cooking oil, a propane tank and outdoor fryer rig and asked where he could set things up! Really? The meal was delayed but good. I'm going back this year and who knows.....