AbortedWalrusFetus
Member
I don't know how many members of GAF cook for Thanksgiving, but I figured it might be a good idea for us to share our cooking knowledge and help people out.
This year I am throwing a party for my friends this coming weekend, the weekend before Thanksgiving, and then going to celebrate with family on Thanksgiving day/weekend. Here's the catch: I have never cooked a turkey before.
In some ways I have no clue what I am doing, so maybe cooking GAF can give me some tips. I got an 18lb Butterball Turkey, and I am planning on brining it for ~12 hours before I cook it. I've never brined a Turkey before so I don't really have any guidelines to follow. I have a big 5 gallon stainless steel stock pot that I use for homebrewing and was going to use to brine it in, but I am afraid it may take upwards of two-three gallons of water to make sure it's fully covered. Most recipes I see say 1/2 to 1 cup of salt/sugar/etc per gallon of water. I guess I can just multiply, but for some of the recipes that could get expensive. Especially since I was considering something like this bourbon brine:
14 Ounces salt
2 Pounds brown sugar
1-1/2 Cups bourbon
1 Gallon ice water
1/4 Cup cloves
1/4 Cup black peppercorns
Then the other part is how long I cook it. I have a thermometer, and I have read that you should cook it until the thickest part of the thigh is 170 degrees F. That's not a problem, I just wonder if that's the right place to measure the temperature and if there's a way to make sure it cooks evenly. Or even a ballpark for how long an 18lb Turkey takes to cook.
Anyway, I would appreciate tips, and I would enjoy if people would share some Thanksgiving recipes and food prep advice. I'm going to share a recipe I recently read to close out the post.
Sweet Potatoes With Honey and Lime
Makes 6 servings
5 pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Bake the potatoes until soft, about 45 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Peel, roughly chop, and puree the potatoes in a food processor, being careful not to overprocess.
4. Place the butter and sour cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
5. Stir in the pureed potatoes and remaining ingredients, adjust seasonings, and serve immediately.
— From City Cuisine (William Morrow & Co., 1989)
Per serving: 163 calories, 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams sugar, 15 grams fat, 36 milligrams cholesterol, 212 milligrams sodium, no dietary fiber.
Recipe Link
I am hoping to make this as well. It sounds delicious.
This year I am throwing a party for my friends this coming weekend, the weekend before Thanksgiving, and then going to celebrate with family on Thanksgiving day/weekend. Here's the catch: I have never cooked a turkey before.
In some ways I have no clue what I am doing, so maybe cooking GAF can give me some tips. I got an 18lb Butterball Turkey, and I am planning on brining it for ~12 hours before I cook it. I've never brined a Turkey before so I don't really have any guidelines to follow. I have a big 5 gallon stainless steel stock pot that I use for homebrewing and was going to use to brine it in, but I am afraid it may take upwards of two-three gallons of water to make sure it's fully covered. Most recipes I see say 1/2 to 1 cup of salt/sugar/etc per gallon of water. I guess I can just multiply, but for some of the recipes that could get expensive. Especially since I was considering something like this bourbon brine:
14 Ounces salt
2 Pounds brown sugar
1-1/2 Cups bourbon
1 Gallon ice water
1/4 Cup cloves
1/4 Cup black peppercorns
Then the other part is how long I cook it. I have a thermometer, and I have read that you should cook it until the thickest part of the thigh is 170 degrees F. That's not a problem, I just wonder if that's the right place to measure the temperature and if there's a way to make sure it cooks evenly. Or even a ballpark for how long an 18lb Turkey takes to cook.
Anyway, I would appreciate tips, and I would enjoy if people would share some Thanksgiving recipes and food prep advice. I'm going to share a recipe I recently read to close out the post.
Sweet Potatoes With Honey and Lime
Makes 6 servings
5 pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Bake the potatoes until soft, about 45 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Peel, roughly chop, and puree the potatoes in a food processor, being careful not to overprocess.
4. Place the butter and sour cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
5. Stir in the pureed potatoes and remaining ingredients, adjust seasonings, and serve immediately.
— From City Cuisine (William Morrow & Co., 1989)
Per serving: 163 calories, 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams sugar, 15 grams fat, 36 milligrams cholesterol, 212 milligrams sodium, no dietary fiber.
Recipe Link
I am hoping to make this as well. It sounds delicious.