THE REAL Thanksgiving Food Thread 2021

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don’t eat pecan pie for breakfast the next day, you’re not living life right. [/quote

I prefer apple pie for breakfast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think I cross the threshold for low class and trashy per DCum, but I loved canned cranberry (and how it's a long blob that falls out of the can) and purposely slice it (cutting it, too, is satisfying) next to the mashed potatoes on my plate so that there's a happy harmony of subtle mixing.

Anyone else have secret indulgences (that may or may not be low class or gross to others)?

Cranberry bread from a mix. We had it every year. Now it’s hard to find but my mom has found a store near her that has it. I am not even sure I actually like it anymore, but I cannot imagine thanksgiving without it.

If they stop making the mix, cranberry quick bread only takes about 15 minutes to make. I often make it if I overbuy whole cranberries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s THE best stuffing? Cornbread? Chestnut? Oyster? sausage?

I think the best is probably whatever you grew up eating. For me, Scot Peacock's cornbread dressing recipe comes closest to ideal.

I didn't grow up with any traditional dishes, so never developed a taste for anything specific! Just me and a single parent, so we typically got an invite somewhere different each year. I just loooove stuffing, and want to learn how to make the best haha!

Half cornbread half bread cubes, a ton of butter fried sage, sausage, a few boiled eggs. Follow a recipe but make those tweaks.

Oh dear God. No.

+1

[Anonymous]

We do not live in the DCUM area anymore, and for the last 20 years our kids played in a traditional Thanksgiving morning rivalry football game. So we would always eat about an hour after the game, about 1pm. Everyone is starving after the game so it works best for us rather than snacking or a light meal. I cook all the sides the day before and put the turkey in the oven before we leave for the game. I love eating early, cleaning up and having the evening to relax and watch movies as a family. I make a few appetizers to have in the evening if everyone is hungry again. But anyone who wants is also welcome to also heat up leftovers.

I love the idea of putting the sides in a cooler with towel-I might borrow that idea. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I gave up on real mashed potatoes a few years ago. I buy the packaged ones from Costco. They are the only ones I could find that used real butter and not a ton of other unwanted ingredients.

I also make my gravy ahead of time. I was not very good at making gravy when I first started hosting and the stress of making it right before serving the meal always drove me nuts. For a few years I roasted turkey legs or a small turkey breast a few days before. But even before that, when I was making the gravy with the actual drippings that day, I could never get the gravy flavorful enough for me. So now I do something people might think is sacrilegious. I make a chuck roast a few days before and combine those drippings with the ones from a chicken or turkey parts. It always turns out a very flavorful gravy. So my secret ingredient in my gravy that my family loves is beef drippings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gave up on real mashed potatoes a few years ago. I buy the packaged ones from Costco. They are the only ones I could find that used real butter and not a ton of other unwanted ingredients.

I also make my gravy ahead of time. I was not very good at making gravy when I first started hosting and the stress of making it right before serving the meal always drove me nuts. For a few years I roasted turkey legs or a small turkey breast a few days before. But even before that, when I was making the gravy with the actual drippings that day, I could never get the gravy flavorful enough for me. So now I do something people might think is sacrilegious. I make a chuck roast a few days before and combine those drippings with the ones from a chicken or turkey parts. It always turns out a very flavorful gravy. So my secret ingredient in my gravy that my family loves is beef drippings

That's brilliant. I may have to try that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gave up on real mashed potatoes a few years ago. I buy the packaged ones from Costco. They are the only ones I could find that used real butter and not a ton of other unwanted ingredients.

I also make my gravy ahead of time. I was not very good at making gravy when I first started hosting and the stress of making it right before serving the meal always drove me nuts. For a few years I roasted turkey legs or a small turkey breast a few days before. But even before that, when I was making the gravy with the actual drippings that day, I could never get the gravy flavorful enough for me. So now I do something people might think is sacrilegious. I make a chuck roast a few days before and combine those drippings with the ones from a chicken or turkey parts. It always turns out a very flavorful gravy. So my secret ingredient in my gravy that my family loves is beef drippings

That's brilliant. I may have to try that.

You can also make the base of the gravy the day before and add the drippings after the turkey is done:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015197-make-ahead-gravy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You can also make the base of the gravy the day before and add the drippings after the turkey is done:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015197-make-ahead-gravy

Roast the neck of the turkey and make stock from that. Then make gravy from that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gave up on real mashed potatoes a few years ago. I buy the packaged ones from Costco. They are the only ones I could find that used real butter and not a ton of other unwanted ingredients.

I also make my gravy ahead of time. I was not very good at making gravy when I first started hosting and the stress of making it right before serving the meal always drove me nuts. For a few years I roasted turkey legs or a small turkey breast a few days before. But even before that, when I was making the gravy with the actual drippings that day, I could never get the gravy flavorful enough for me. So now I do something people might think is sacrilegious. I make a chuck roast a few days before and combine those drippings with the ones from a chicken or turkey parts. It always turns out a very flavorful gravy. So my secret ingredient in my gravy that my family loves is beef drippings

That's brilliant. I may have to try that.

Thanks- it works good for me!

I make the chuck roast in my instant pot or crockpot with a few cups of water, spices, an onion and celery. Then I shred it, freeze it and we have it for dinner on Saturday after Thanksgiving on ciabatta rolls while watching college football games.

[Anonymous]

Love this topic. I have enjoyed reading through it. I was anxious about the holiday, and divided between 1) inviting ILs and available relatives and 2) saying we were going to do our own thing (alone) and I finally decided option #1. Ack. So now the menu. I sooooo wish I had a 2nd oven. Notes:

My DH loves to make real cranberry sauce
I think gravy is too last-minute to even consider when there is so much going on
My uncle cannot have salt, so I make his side dishes in ramekins before seasoning
We smoked a turkey a few years ago, and it was done hours before expected
I often try salad, but agree with PPs that no one wants it, but endive boats sound nice, I love them
I want a small Honey Baked Ham this year
My ILs do not like: sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, strong flavors of any kind
So I make mash potatoes, mac cheese, green beans and feel cheated

Ahhhhhh. Thanksgiving is my least favorite holiday, but it will be done.

[Anonymous]

This is the thanksgiving salad we all need. I make it all winter long, sometimes with kale and/or red cabbage. It’s bright and crunchy, can be made the day before, and is wonderful with turkey sandwiches the next day. (I make a big batch, but only stir in a proportion of cranberries/almonds for what I am about to serve.
https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-thanksgiving-slaw-237475

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Favorite cranberry sauce recipe?

I just boil a package of cranberries over medium with one cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar until they start popping, then I lower/stir/eventually turn off the heat. I like my cranberry sauce really simple. I always do this one or two days before.

I do a package of cranberries over medium with a cup of orange juice until they start popping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s THE best stuffing? Cornbread? Chestnut? Oyster? sausage?

I think the best is probably whatever you grew up eating. For me, Scot Peacock's cornbread dressing recipe comes closest to ideal.

I didn't grow up with any traditional dishes, so never developed a taste for anything specific! Just me and a single parent, so we typically got an invite somewhere different each year. I just loooove stuffing, and want to learn how to make the best haha!

Half cornbread half bread cubes, a ton of butter fried sage, sausage, a few boiled eggs. Follow a recipe but make those tweaks.

This is dressing not stuffing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gave up on real mashed potatoes a few years ago. I buy the packaged ones from Costco. They are the only ones I could find that used real butter and not a ton of other unwanted ingredients.

I also make my gravy ahead of time. I was not very good at making gravy when I first started hosting and the stress of making it right before serving the meal always drove me nuts. For a few years I roasted turkey legs or a small turkey breast a few days before. But even before that, when I was making the gravy with the actual drippings that day, I could never get the gravy flavorful enough for me. So now I do something people might think is sacrilegious. I make a chuck roast a few days before and combine those drippings with the ones from a chicken or turkey parts. It always turns out a very flavorful gravy. So my secret ingredient in my gravy that my family loves is beef drippings

Totally makes sense to make the gravy ahead and not just use the turkey bastings. My turkey drippings are always too salty from my dry brine.

I’ll never understand buying mashed potatoes. They are so easy to make in advance and can easy be nuked in the microwave before serving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTH does one do with rutabegas? My DH says his grandmother used to feed them to her horses and refuses to allow them in the house.

Slice, toss with EVOO and cayenne, roast.