"If the traditional Thanksgiving meal was that good, we'd have it more than once a year."
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I started thinking that as a boy.
For me, I find it annoying for all of the Christmas related things happening before Thanksgiving. Well, I used to, anyway; I have a lot other things that annoy me more these days.
I’m not a big turkey fan to begin with. So the whole thing is kind of a chore I put up with to please my wife. She is all about the tradition of having the meal. Not necessarily actually eating it. She eats like a bird and just picks at the meal. So we spend tons of time, energy, and of course money on it only to have tons of leftovers she will never eat and get trashed after a few days.
In fact last year I cooked the entire meal myself only to have her say she wasn’t feeling well and go to bed for the day mid afternoon. She slept right through and ate none of it. Not a bite.
Thankfully this year I talked her out of it completely. There you have it. How I really feel like it or not.
"It's a pity you have to have an annual holiday to remind people to give thanks which should be done everyday. A greater pity is that to many it is a day of gluttony and football rather than the giving of appreciation."
How true. How many American's have a big feast on Thanksgiving, ostensibly to give thanks for their blessings, then run out hours later and trample people to get a good deal on more stuff?
Traditional green-bean casseroles. Ugh. It's like something out of the early 70s sponsored by Kraft. Also, as I get older, I just can't do the carb and sugar overload of traditional Thanksgivings. (Although I do love a good cornbread dressing!)
Looking back, I was kind of lucky growing up. We never did traditional Thanksgiving. My dad would always carve up a turkey and cook the pieces individually on indirect heat on a grill (which was a PK clone) with some hickory wood chips, basted with Kraft Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce. I'm sure there was a side or two, but I don't remember what they were. That was some good turkey.
Retired, living in Western Mass. Enjoy music, cooking and my family.
Current cookers Weber Spirit 3 burner. A 22" Kettle with vortex SnS and OnlyFire pizza oven. A Smokey Joe and the most recent addition a Pit Barrel Jr with bird hanger, 4 hooks and cover. ThermoWorks Smoke 2 probe, DOT, ThermoPop and a Thermapen Mk4. Recently added 2 TempSpike wireless meat thermometers.
We’ve invited several people that had no where to go for Thanksgiving to our house. These aren’t strangers, just people we’ve met since we moved here that because of distance or limited time off can’t go see their families. I admit I enjoy cooking for a group especially if I catch a compliment or two. It will be two turkeys, one ham, and cornbread dressing prepared by the wife and I with the kids and guests bringing all the sides. I’m thankful that we’re so blessed with friends and family. Thanksgiving is my holiday.
As a turkey lover, I’m tired of hearing complaints about dry turkey. Smother it with gravy or cranberry sauce and enjoy. I love leftover turkey on sandwiches with mayo and bread and butter pickles or turkey salad with same. If the turkey is dry, help it out!
> Weber Genesis EP-330
> Grilla Grills Original Grilla (OG) pellet smoker with Alpha/Connect
> Pit Barrel Cooker (gone to a new home)
> WeberQ 2000 (on "loan" to a relative (I'll never see it again))
> Old Smokey Electric (for chickens mostly - when it's too nasty out
to fiddle with a more capable cooker)
> Luhr Jensen Little Chief Electric - Top Loader circa 1990 (smoked fish & jerky)
> Thermoworks Smoke
> 3 Thermoworks Chef Alarms
> Thermoworks Thermapen One
> Thermoworks Thermapen Classic
> Thermoworks Thermopop
> Thermoworks IR-GUN-S
> Anova sous vide circulator
> Searzall torch
> BBQ Guru Rib Ring
> WÜSTHOF, Dalstrong, and Buck knives
> Paprika App on Mac and iOS
I am not a turkey fan. Frankly, I'd rather have chicken, or fish, or beef, or pork, or ... never mind, I was going to say tofu but that wouldn't be true . What is true is that no turkeys (feathered ones, anyway) would ever cross the threshold if SWMBO (who doesn't like them either) didn't mandate that we suffer through at least one traditional Thanksgiving "feast" every year. She still doesn't buy my argument that we should simply change the tradition a bit. Nope. This year like every other we're going to "enjoy" another sad, soggy turkey ... steamed in a plastic oven bag just like the Pilgrims did theirs ... even if it kills us (like it probably killed a bunch of Pilgrims).
I do like the sides ... at least some of them. Not the orange ones, though. No amount of marshmallows melted on the orange ones can make them edible.
Last edited by MBMorgan; November 21, 2021, 11:53 AM.
This year like every other we're going to "enjoy" another sad, soggy turkey ... steamed in a plastic oven bag just like the Pilgrims did theirs ... even if it kills us (like it probably killed a bunch of Pilgrims).
I really don't mean this meanly but... look up how to cook it? It's not the bird's fault if you stick it in a bag and cook it poorly. (this goes for people who dry it out too).
Thank you. I shall now return to the corner where I will sit facing the wall, moaning quietly and rocking gently while another turkey (after suffering an undeserved short, crappy life) is given a hopelessly inappropriate, steamy sendoff ...
A piece of white bread on a plate rolled with as but of crumbled leftover dressing, then dark meat turkey smothered in hot gravy. Eat with a fork. This is Nirvana!
I actually cook turkey several times per year. I guess I am weird. Always purchase on sale right after Thanksgiving and Christmas, freeze and cook several throughout the year....oh well.
Our local supermarket ran a buy a ham and get a free turkey special last week, couldn't pass it up. I double smoked the ham then parceled it out and popped them in the freezer. Probably going to do the gobbler when we get home from grandma's next week.
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