Georgia Trail Riders Forum

OTHER INTERESTS => Grillin' & Chillin' => Topic started by: BigMike on November 25, 2019, 10:59:44 AM

Title: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: BigMike on November 25, 2019, 10:59:44 AM
My wife and I are hosting her family for Thanksgiving.  We've probably only prepared Thanksgiving dinner 5 times in the 18 years we've been married.  My wife is a great cook and I suck at it, but can follow directions. 


Never brined a turkey.  What is the best way.  I assume it is to lock in the moisture.


My wife is a cornbread stuff and I like regular so we do both.  I grew up in a very Italian family and it always has sausage in it.  She thinks that is gross.  We'll have the usual mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, something green (she won't make a green bean casserole).


Post up your favorite dishes that you make and if you have any special recipes or tips, please share.

EDIT: Friend just sent me this https://www.jonesdairyfarm.com/recipes/by-product/bacon/bacon-wrapped-herb-roasted-turkey

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: thetastelingers on November 25, 2019, 11:23:10 AM
We just put our turkey in a brine last night. Sooner is better than later. Some sort of Burbon mixture.

My wife did it all. I just poured the brine mix in...
We used one of the LARGE ziplock bags from Walmart

Public house brines their chicken in SWEET TEA!!!! I was giving my wife shit yesterday for not using sweet tea...
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: clark123456 on November 25, 2019, 01:22:24 PM
We just put our turkey in a brine last night. Sooner is better than later. Some sort of Burbon mixture.

My wife did it all. I just poured the brine mix in...
We used one of the LARGE ziplock bags from Walmart

Public house brines their chicken in SWEET TEA!!!! I was giving my wife shit yesterday for not using sweet tea...

yeah...and potentially wasting bourbon.  Definitely interested in the results (e.g., PM your address...I'll be over in the afternoon).
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: thetastelingers on November 25, 2019, 03:24:14 PM
We just put our turkey in a brine last night. Sooner is better than later. Some sort of Burbon mixture.

My wife did it all. I just poured the brine mix in...
We used one of the LARGE ziplock bags from Walmart

Public house brines their chicken in SWEET TEA!!!! I was giving my wife shit yesterday for not using sweet tea...

yeah...and potentially wasting bourbon.  Definitely interested in the results (e.g., PM your address...I'll be over in the afternoon).

Come on over! Should I save the brine mixture for you? We'll have the funnel ready.
Title: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: tcdawg on November 25, 2019, 06:10:33 PM
I use this type of brine w the citrus
 But I also add some brown sugar

A brined turkey is damn good.  You can bake it, smoke it, fry it.  All are good

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/turkey_brine/
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: flashover101 on November 26, 2019, 08:27:50 AM
I use this type of brine w the citrus
 But I also add some brown sugar

A brined turkey is damn good.  You can bake it, smoke it, fry it.  All are good

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/turkey_brine/
Mine is almost identical:

Turkey Brine

3 cups apple cider
2 cups brown sugar 
1 cup kosher salt 
3 tablespoons tricolor peppercorns 
5 whole bay leaves 
5 cloves garlic, minced 
4 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped off 
Peel of three large oranges, removed in large strips


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Title: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: jc79 on November 26, 2019, 09:13:46 AM
Take the time to boil the brine. I think it makes a difference to ensure the salt dissolves and flavors from the ingredients are “extracted” or whatever.

Then throw a good bit of ice in to cool it down if you don’t have time to let it really cool off before putting the turkey in.

I use a 5 gallon bucket lined with a black garbage bag.


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Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: Trailabite on November 26, 2019, 09:33:04 AM
I'm not a fan of turkey so I usually cook up a goose and a duck or 2. I always cook a goose for Christmas as well.
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: tcdawg on November 26, 2019, 09:35:14 AM
Take the time to boil the brine. I think it makes a difference to ensure the salt dissolves and flavors from the ingredients are “extracted” or whatever.


agreed.  I don't do a full boil, but I get some of the water hot and mix in the salt and sugar.  mix it well and then add it to ice to let it cool prior to adding the turkey.
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: kvom on November 26, 2019, 02:46:49 PM
For the past 10+ years we go to Waffle House for Thanksgiving lunch.  Started when we were driving back from Grandma's place in FL on TG day, and the kids were starving.  We stopped at a Waffle south of Atlanta, and everyone enjoyed it.  Other than the crew, we were the only ones there.
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: DOUG on November 27, 2019, 06:42:52 AM
Delicious moist turkey every time


https://recipe.cookswarehouse.com/category/recipes/turkey/page/3/
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: thetastelingers on November 27, 2019, 07:20:03 AM
Heh... Moist
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: Grass Janitor on November 26, 2020, 02:38:14 PM
Thanksgiving bump...just did a breast this year since it’s just the wife and I. Brined 24 hours Malcom Reed style (look him up for great advice and recipes), injected and rub applied. Smoking at 260-270 currently.

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/ae206e19780ade59b029d3b4f90b7445.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/ee60cbe86b3b6f787ccc87cee1e3a784.jpg)


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Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: Raisinhead on November 26, 2020, 04:14:16 PM
Lake Lanier camping with the fam. Very thankful!

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/0ecdaa77c5cee3c5b2535e79986aec86.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/8f2490f4044a683e26e548283a928507.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/368782e0f311770c500739c20b0ed0c0.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/222e66c210c8cdb1c907401ac5b28dff.jpg)
Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: Trailabite on November 26, 2020, 07:01:12 PM
Lake Lanier camping with the fam. Very thankful!

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/0ecdaa77c5cee3c5b2535e79986aec86.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/8f2490f4044a683e26e548283a928507.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/368782e0f311770c500739c20b0ed0c0.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201126/222e66c210c8cdb1c907401ac5b28dff.jpg)
This looks like a good time.

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Title: Re: Turkey time - post up your favorites
Post by: tcdawg on November 26, 2020, 07:59:34 PM
Take the time to boil the brine. I think it makes a difference to ensure the salt dissolves and flavors from the ingredients are “extracted” or whatever.


agreed.  I don't do a full boil, but I get some of the water hot and mix in the salt and sugar.  mix it well and then add it to ice to let it cool prior to adding the turkey.
I’m a firm believer in the 24 hour brine. 

This year I did a full on boil w my brine and then let it cool completely before adding the turkey.

No pics.   Use your imagination.  It was killer. 

Also injected and smoked a chicken and rubbed and smoked a brisket. 

Thankful for my family.  Had both kids over today as well as brother and sisters.   My parents have had Covid w/in the last 3 weeks so they couldn’t come.  But they are over it for the most part and ok.