Most / Least successful holiday dishes

[lemayp]

Thanksgiving is over and we have days over left overs ahead of us. What worked for you and what didn’t?

The smoked ham with apricot glaze from here was a big success. Turkey was good but I’m getting a little bored with that one. Others loved it but i gave away everything except the bones so I can get a batch of broth out of it. Might be time to get a brining bucket and play with flavors there.

It was our first gluten free cook for a big group and the bread options in this realm are just bad, so my stuffing / dressing wasn’t that good. Couldn’t give that away… I did a wild rice salad that ended up being everyone’s favorite side dish.

[Purc]

No one in my extended family likes cranberries, yet someone keeps bringing it because it's traditional.

[lemayp]

Yep, we had a couple cans of the stuff make an appearance.

[Bkhuna]

lemayp - The words can and cranberries are the tip off for disaster. Why not try making homemade cranberry relish. Quick and easy and so full of flavor and texture.

[lemayp]

Bkhuna I did make a fresh batch that I liked, it didn’t stop a couple others from bringing the cans that they grew up with.

[Michael_in_TX]

My sister did all of the cooking this year. (She's a professional chef.) She did a fried turkey porchetta (stuffed with the traditional Thankgiving herbs). Absolute the best turkey I have ever had. Every bit of it was perfect and all worked together.

[fzxdoc]

Wow. Lucky you!

K.

[lemayp]

I just read the serious eats write up on this and now I’m jealous too. I’ll probably massacre one trying to debone it, but that’s in my future!

[RonB]

lemayp - So you think you'd fowl it up?

But seriously, I suggest practicing with a whole chicken. That should be quicker and cheaper.

[ecowper]

We made fig appetizers that were out of this world good!

[captainlee]

Maybe smoked figs.

[ecowper]

Panhead John honestly, the figs are just the delivery vehicle for bacon, bourbon, butter, and blue cheese

[Panhead John]

Well, in that case…..bring it on brother!

[tamidw]

My turkey turned out pretty darn good, loaded cauliflower bake was a hit at the table and so was the deviled eggs. I roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes together that turned out good as well.

Green beans with ham and little potatoes were brought and not super great. Not sure why potatoes were added when we had mashed potatoes, but oh well.

[DTro]

I only had to cook clam chowder, mushrooms and potatoes. But these were a hit:

Leek and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 45 min Total Time: 45 min Servings: 10 Source: bettycrocker.com

3 lb potatoes (about 8 medium), peeled and cut into pieces 2 cups sliced leek with some of green top (about 1 medium) 4 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Additional whipping (heavy) cream, heated, if desired 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS

In 3-quart saucepan, place potatoes, leek, garlic, salt and broth. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until tender (do not drain). Mash potato mixture with potato masher.

In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/4 cup whipping cream and the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted. Add cream mixture to potato mixture; continue mashing until potatoes are light and fluffy. Add additional heated whipping cream for desired consistency. Stir in chives.

[RichieB]

No disappointment here. Turkey, yams, stuffing, cranberry sauce and all the desserts, my wife and daughter hit it out of the park.
We flipped for the 1st time on the Italian feast. Traditionally, it would be tonight's meal. We did it Wendsday. Lunch today was a Turkey sandwich. So tonight manicotti, sausage,braciole and meatballs in my wife's thanksgiving sauce.

[Clawbear57]

I want to come to dinner tonight lol

[DennyWoo]

Success this year:
Pan Roasted turkey breast. Crispy skin and very juicy. Everyone loved it.
Gravy. Cut the backbone out of the turkey beast to make the stock and made the gravy in the pan used to roast the turkey.
Maple-Bourbon pumpkin pie. Sweeter than a traditional pumpkin pie, but delicious.

Miss:
Roasted veggies. i went a bit overboard on the menu and had to do the veggies out on the gasser, and they just didn't roast up very well.

[JoeSousa]

Success - Ham was good. Got a small SRF boneless ham and smoked it and glazed it with a maple mustard glaze. Good flavor and it was nice and juicy.

Miss - Smoked spatchcocked turkey - It was fine I guess but wasn't anything great. I think next year I will just do a couple boneless, skinless turkey breasts Texas style. Nobody really eats the dark meat anyway and I always hate carving the turkey.

Most of the sides were fine and I usually really enjoy mashed potatoes and gravy and stuffing but for some reason neither of those really hit right for me this year.

[Jfrosty27]

It was just the two of us and we had a turkey pot pie from a small market nearby that they make in house. It was actually terrific. The Stove Top Stuffing on the other hand…. 👎

[Panhead John]

Stove Top Stuffing sucks IMO. Glad your pot pie was good!

[DavidNorcross]

The turkey was great. I also made an apple pie that was just ok in my book.

[au4stree]

My mother’s apple pie was out of this world. Dad’s smoked turkey was one of his better one’s in recent memory. Just stuck with salt/pepper as seasoning. By the way, it is next to impossible to find turkey breast without added salt.

Big miss, names withheld, but they should be barred from ever bringing black eyed peas again. Just not good, but they can bring coconut cake anytime. 😋

My wife makes the best deviled eggs, dill relish is a must.

[Draznnl]

I get organic turkey breasts from Wildfork. I just checked the ingredient list. They do not have added salt. The only thing listed is “organic turkey breast”.

[Greygoose]

OK,,,no brine, no smoke, no pellets, no charcoal,,,,no,,,,,,
You get it,,,,,no fuss, no mess,,,,
yes we had bbq boneless spare ribz,,,
Chinese food,,,,
asked my wife if she was gonna make some crab Rangoon soup…😂🤣😂

[lemayp]

That’s awesome.

[Oak Smoke]

The deep fried turkey was a big hit. Next year it will be injected with Tony Chachere roasted garlic and herb. The fresh vegetables and dip bar was great. The green beans were ok but not anything sopecial.

[SheilaAnn]

My roasted sweet potatoes were super rubbery. I had thawed some blanched ones and then roasted with a splash of maple syrup and dash of cinnamon. Yuck!

[Bkhuna]

Sweet potatoes can be hit or miss. Sometimes creamy and sweet, but at other times stringy and bland. I think that the larger ones are more prone to being suboptimal but it's only a hunch.