Most requested Thanksgiving side?

[ecowper]

The greatest side possible with thanksgiving dinner is my grandmother’s stuffing with gravy on top. We never had canned cranberry sauce when I was a kid. Grandma, Great Grandma, Mom, and all the Aunts wouldn’t hear of it. I ran into as an adult and couldn’t believe people wanted that stuff. I’ve got my mom’s cranberry sauce recipe and use that.

[bbqLuv]

Rolaids

[snowswamp]

I never realized you could actually make cranberry sauce until I was older. We always had the canned. My wife makes sauce with fresh cranberries each year. We have gotten canned for guests who ask. Personally, I’m not a fan of cranberry so I’m not worried if it’s canned or fresh as long as those eating are happy.

[Bkhuna]

Homemade cranberry sauce for sure. I've tried making it many ways over the years but there has to be whole berry sauce on the table.

The other side requirement is homemade cornbread stuffing. I make the cornbread the Sunday before Thanksgiving. It's what my grandmother and my mother did. I add cooked sausage and plenty of sage. Yes, I still stuff the bird for the oven because that's what my wife likes. I always do a smaller bird spatchcocked and smoked with a hint of cherry for me.

[SheilaAnn]

The canned stuff makes me hurl. I make my own. Straight outta Martha Stewart.

The turkey is just a vehicle to consume the gravy.
Dressing is a must - all from scratch. I have already been saving bread (NOT cornbread). I do sausage, too. And sometimes mushrooms. I’ve never had oyster dressing, though.
Mashed potatoes is a vehicle for lots of butter and cracked pepper.
Now don’t hate me: but I can’t stand green bean casserole either. Plain green beans sautéed with butter is just fine.

One year I made a roasted cauliflower dish with pine nuts and dates. It was terrific!

[grantgallagher]

i wanna have thanksgiving dinner at your house!

no one in our house is a huge turkey fan and we arent natives so we go fairly untraditional. Im smoking a chicken and making shepherds pie as the mains. I will still make cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mashed potatoes as sides. Probably some roasted veggies too.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Man, it's crazy - this has apparently become the "How do you like your cranberries at Thanksgiving?" thread.

I don't mind... there are some things that only get eaten on a holiday like this. I think cranberries themselves (not the juice) probably are ignored by 90% of the US population except for on Turkey-day.

In my house, it's the turkey (and the cranberries). We will only do turkey on Thanksgiving, it never graces our door otherwise. We did one or two at Christmas I think, but The Wife has these days decided turkey in Nov, ham in Dec. We do sliced sandwich ham but never cook a full ham other than on Christmas.

Although I recently ordered a boneless Kurobuta ham from SRF that will be here this coming week - so I'm breaking tradition already. lol

[Debra]

Breaking tradition is how traditions are made I believe. My Grannie taught me to take from your past, and leave your own for the future.

[Craigar]

Speaking of cranberries, the bucket of cranberry jalapeno dip from Costco is pretty darn good.

[Debra]

YES it is!!!

[grantgallagher]

My wife was just talking about that yesterday, lol.

[Santamarina]

If Turkey is on the menu then cranberries are mandatory. Just don’t give me that jellied stuff that’s still shaped like the can!

[SmokingPat]

Took a poll again this year to include each family members most desired side dish for Thanksgiving Dinner.
The usual green beans, stuffing/dressing, etc.
Once again this year the only actual request from my husband is canned Cranberry. Seriously he does not consider the meal complete without a can of canned cranberries setting on the table.
Does anyone else on here have a desire for this "side dish"?

Are you talking about whole canned cranberries, or cranberry jelly (clear purple stuff)?
I grew up with cranberry jelly, but changed to whole cranberries after I got married. I think cranberry jelly is still good for turkey sandwiches.

[Debra]

I am talking about the red cranberry jelly that comes in a can. My husband will not eat fresh cranberries unless they are in the cranberry/gapes/walnuts/whipped cream salad. I don't even know for certain what that salad is called but it is an absolute must have at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

[SheilaAnn]

Debra I found this:

https://reluctantentertainer.com/best-fresh-cranberry-grape-walnut-salad/

[Debra]

That is THE SALAD at out house for Thanksgiving And Christmas. We have never missed either holiday without fixing it. Delicious.

[surfdog]

I always make my own, but if I’m doing this with my parents, I’ll have to pick up a can and hope nobody recognizes me in the store.

[tamidw]

For those that want a decent cranberry sauce that can be taken out of the jar in same cylindrical blob but without the ridges, this cranberry sauce can do that and it is really good. I actually take the whole mixture and put it in my vitamix blender and purée it so it passes the ‘jelly’ consistency that several people at my table insist on like the can. You could even take a washed can from whatever and pour some of this in to it and place in fridge just before thanksgiving and then push it out onto the plate so they have those ridges and nobody will know the difference. Haha!

[lostclusters]

For me it is roasted garlic mashed potatoes, raspberry cranberry sauce, and bacon and potato green beans. I like to use Haricots Verts for the beans if I can get them. They are better tasting.