How are you cooking your turkey this year?

[Papa Deuce]

I won't be going home this year, but my family always fries 3 turkeys. It's far and away the quickest, most efficient way to cook the things. (Your oven stays free for cooking the side dishes.)

It *is* kind of a waste of money to only fry one turkey, however. The oil can cost you $40 easily, so it is more cost-effective to make several. Do you know any neighbors who would rather not bother with making their own birds?

But you can save the oil and use it a couple more times, I have been told.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I'm baking mine btw. I recall the thread last year where it was discussed at length how disgusting it is to cooked a stuffed bird, but that's exactly what I will be doing. Stuffing doesn't taste the same unless it's cooked in the bird and I don't care if you all can't stomach it. Everyone I know in real life does it this way and I was actually blown away at the responses last year. Heck, even my Betty Crocker cookbook tells one how to cook it this way.

I did take the temp of the filling and the bird last year (because everyone told me how I was going to get sick), and the temp was considerably higher than what was deemed to be safe. So all is good in the world for me.

I bet my family has cooked the stuffing in the bird for at least 35 of my 47 years, and NOBODY has been made sick by it.... If I am cooking my turkey in the oven, the stuffing will be inside the bird, for sure.

 

[NotUrsula]

But you can save the oil and use it a couple more times, I have been told.

Yes, you can, if you keep it cold in storage. Still, it's not good for more than a couple of months. Where you live you could probably store it outside to keep it cold, but in South Louisiana that technique is pretty unreliable, and it's a PITA to use up fridge space for a minimum of 3 gallons of cooking oil.

What we sometimes do to save some money is to get used oil from a Chinese restaurant, and run it through some cheesecloth. It still works well.

As to the sides we have, let's see. It varies a bit, but there are the usual favorites, plus extras for any special guests we might have who have allergies or such. (We have a family tradition of inviting anyone we know who cannot make it home for the holidays.)

At various times, the list has included mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli casserole, stuffed mirlitons, spinach Madeleine, glazed carrots, green salad, fruit salad, canned cranberry jelly, fresh cranberry relish, oyster dressing, rice dressing, cornbread dressing, sweet corn, cornbread, hot french bread, cauliflower w/ Bechamel sauce, parsnips, turnips, brussels sprouts w/ bacon, mac and cheese, braised cabbage, squash, peas, beets w/ onions, sweet onion pie, and gravy. Sometimes we also throw in a ham and/or a beef roast.

The desserts are MOSTLY made ahead, but there is usually someone who ends up constructing something last-minute with any unused dishes that remain. Mostly we have pecan, pumpkin, apple and lemon pies, brownies, Mississippi Mud, and fruitcake, plus ice cream.

 

[Kitty 34]

I have always cooked a turkey in an oven bag in a turkey size aluminum pan. It's always turned out moist and yummy!

 

[N.Bailey]

Yes, you can, if you keep it cold in storage. Still, it's not good for more than a couple of months. Where you live you could probably store it outside to keep it cold, but in South Louisiana that technique is pretty unreliable, and it's a PITA to use up fridge space for a minimum of 3 gallons of cooking oil.

What we sometimes do to save some money is to get used oil from a Chinese restaurant, and run it through some cheesecloth. It still works well.

As to the sides we have, let's see. It varies a bit, but there are the usual favorites, plus extras for any special guests we might have who have allergies or such. (We have a family tradition of inviting anyone we know who cannot make it home for the holidays.)

At various times, the list has included mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli casserole, stuffed mirlitons, spinach Madeleine, glazed carrots, green salad, fruit salad, canned cranberry jelly, fresh cranberry relish, oyster dressing, rice dressing, cornbread dressing, sweet corn, cornbread, hot french bread, cauliflower w/ Bechamel sauce, parsnips, turnips, brussels sprouts w/ bacon, mac and cheese, braised cabbage, squash, peas, beets w/ onions, sweet onion pie, and gravy. Sometimes we also throw in a ham and/or a beef roast.

The desserts are MOSTLY made ahead, but there is usually someone who ends up constructing something last-minute with any unused dishes that remain. Mostly we have pecan, pumpkin, apple and lemon pies, brownies, Mississippi Mud, and fruitcake, plus ice cream.

So then my only question would be is, why the heck do you all live so far away from me? I wanna come over!

 

[Chicago526]

I'm getting a fresh all natural free range bird from Trader Joes (pre-brined) and simply roasting it with it's inside stuffed with apple, sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and a cinamon stick. No bag either, just coat that skin with canola oil so it will crisp up and let it roast for 3 hours or so.

I did it that way last year and it ROCKED! It was also very easy!

 

[MAKmom]

We will be frying this year again as long as it does not rain.

 

[Feralpeg]

I'm letting the restaurant cook it.

 

[cristit14]

I have to work this year, but we are having it here so DH is smoking the turkeys so I don't have to worry about that. Then people are bringing dessert and some sides so I probably won't have to do much more than the mashed potatoes and bread.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I'm at a loss. DH brought home a 12lb turkey. I was prepared to just eat out since we did not go back to our home state to visit family. I didn't want to cook a big old turkey just for the 4 of us. But dh and the kids want a turkey.

I don't know if I've ever cooked a turkey on my own. I'm usually in charge of desserts for Thanksgiving dinner. What is involved in brining a turkey? I may as well go all out on this darn turkey.