2024 Turkey Derby Plans and Results

[TripleB]

Smoking 5 turkeys for a community food pantry on the 24th.

1. re you going to 'do' a turkey? Yes.
2. If so, what kind of turkey? Probably a 20 pound butterball that we'll brine the night before.
3. Are you planning any particular way of doing it? Smoked, roasted, fried, jullienned? Smoking it on my Jambo. I'll use apple and cherry wood. Not sure if it will be kept whole or spatchcocked.
4. What side dishes will you want? Mashed potatoes, dressing, cranberry casserole, green beans, pecan pie and maybe a pumpkin or apple pie.
5. What side dishes will you most likely get? What is stated above.
6. Who's coming? (and can I come? ) or who will you go to? TG at my house. Wife and I + my youngest child, my brother, his wife, his son and my sisters-in-law sister. My son and daughter are having TG with their partners families.
7. What are your plans for the leftovers? As is the custom in my house (and my kids look forward to it every year) is Turkey noodle soup made from the carcass and trimmings.

[Midway]

My kids will be out of town on Thanksgiving so we are having an early celebration this Sunday, November 17.

I’m preparing our family traditional Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, bread/onion/celery stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, candied yams, an undecided vegetable and salad, the only things I don’t prepare, and my kids are bringing rolls and desert. We will have lots of great wine and my son and I might finish with a cigar and some RedBreast 18.

While the generational tradition was cooking a stuffed turkey in the oven, I’m smoking a 14.3 pound turkey whole and preparing the stuffing separately. I like to see the whole turkey on the table before carving so while spatchcock may be easier, it doesn’t present as well.

Finding a fresh turkey this early was difficult so I needed to buy a frozen Butterball. It is thawing in brine now and I may take it out for a brief dry brine before throwing on the smoker. I’m not sure if that is advised but unless the thawing process slows down the wet brine absorption, keeping it in the bag until Sunday may be too long. Thoughts?

[RichieB]

My wife and daughter do Thanksgiving. My wife, Turkey, sides and the Italy meal. It's a 2 day feast. Turkey Thursday and Friday is the Italian meal. Sausage, braciole and oxtail in her sauce with raviolis. My daughter does other sides but her expertise is sweets. I sit, watch and of course eat. A long standing tradition.

[HawkerXP]

1. Are you going to 'do' a turkey? Yes
2. If so, what kind of turkey? A dead one. Shady Grove. 12 lb range.
3. Are you planning any particular way of doing it? Smoked, roasted, fried, jullienned? PBC, PBC, PBC!
4. What side dishes will you want? The usual.
5. What side dishes will you most likely get? The usual. Stuffing, mashed taters, green bean casserole, stuffing, candied yams, stuffing, can o jelly cranberry,,....
6. Who's coming? (and can I come? ) or who will you go to? Just the three of us.
7. What are your plans for the leftovers? Sandwiches.

[PGH_RAM]

1. Are you going to 'do' a turkey? Always.
2. If so, what kind of turkey? Got an 18 pounder ordered from a nearby pasture farm.
3. Are you planning any particular way of doing it? Smoked, roasted, fried, jullienned? Dry brined with 1/4c Diamond Crystal and 1 tablespoon of baking powder. Smoke roasted on my Weber kettle using rotisserie. Apple wood.
4. What side dishes will you want? Scalloped oysters, cornbread dressing, Brussels sprout salad (apples, pomegranate seed, walnuts), sweet potato crunch, sauteed greenbeans and mushrooms, gravy, cranberry sauce with port and oranges, cranberry apple slab pie, pumpkin Basque cheesecake.
5. What side dishes will you most likely get? All of the above.
6. Who's coming? (and can I come? ) or who will you go to? Day-of, just me and my wife.
7. What are your plans for the leftovers? 2nd Thanksgiving on Friday. We share our leftovers with friends who have to endure not-so-great food on the Big Day.

[Skip]

Always a traditional meal for us on Thanksgiving Day. We'll have seven people total ranging from1 yr old to 89 yr old. I hope to do the turkey and some of the sides the day before. I know that's serving leftovers but some real good butter and slow warming up covers it up some and makes for a less stressful day. You're all invited...just let me know so I get a bigger turkey and peel more potatoes. Lol

[klflowers]

For the first time, well, ever, I am on my own. Ben is going to visit some family in Nashville, my sister and niece are going to Cancun, and my cousin is celebrating with her husband's family in NC. I am going to my daughters for Christmas, so i am not going up there. Not sure what I'll do; I thought about firing up the RV and pointing it south, but it really needs some maintenance. So maybe I'll just drink some beer and bourbon and smoke a brisket on the Bronco. And watch the Lions. And skip the bird. Yeah, I like that idea.

[LA Pork Butt]

Just get yourself a boneless turkey roll and a pumpkin pie and you are in the spirit of Thanksgiving!

[klflowers]

LA Pork Butt I don't do pumpkin pie, but i love sweet potato pie. Normally somebody else makes it but that somebody may be me this year.