Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner: Tips & Recipes Needed!

[Ann F]

Yep! Here I am ** years old, and I FINALLY get to be the grown-up this year! I'm hosting a small dinner Wednesday (work schedule problems) and I'm nervous about the turkey. Of course, I want to use my roaster pan. Any tips?

ALSO--any of you have a NON-JELLO cranberry salad recipe? Mother has forgotten hers. All I remember is cranberries and pecans.

Thanks!

And happy Thanksgiving!

 

[jdavis]

Sorry, no tips about the turkey in the roaster, between all the family members that work at the same place we get turkeys for Thanksgiving every year so we cook turkeys any time we get together almost. Anyway, I tried it in the roasting pan when I got it but I went right back to doing it in the 9x13 Stone and lid/bowl. (I made sure to order a spare since they were d/c'd in case anything ever happens to mine) So I don't know about how you season yours, but my grandmother had showed me to make small slits in the skin and put pats of butter in them, and it makes the turkey so moist.

 

[siderits]

Here's my MIL's recipe... no pecans, but very delicious!
-TanyaCranberry Salad

1 lb. fresh cranberries
5 red apples, quartered
2 cups sugar
1 pint whipping cream
1 lb. miniature marshmallows


Directions

Using food processor, process cranberries and apples until they are finely ground. In medium bowl, combine cran-apple mixture with sugar and let stand overnight in refrigerator.

Next day, whip cream and fold into fruit mixture with marshmallows. Chill well.

NOTE: This salad freezes and keeps well.

Makes 16 to 20 servings.

 

[pamperedbecky]

Yep! Here I am ** years old, and I FINALLY get to be the grown-up this year! I'm hosting a small dinner Wednesday (work schedule problems) and I'm nervous about the turkey. Of course, I want to use my roaster pan. Any tips?

ALSO--any of you have a NON-JELLO cranberry salad recipe? Mother has forgotten hers. All I remember is cranberries and pecans.

Thanks!

And happy Thanksgiving!

I'm also doing my first Thanksgiving--I figured I have put it off long enough and now I actually know how to cook - thanks to PC! I did a practice turkey about a month or two ago and used the Roasting Pan and the PC recipe for the Rosemary-rubbed turkey and it was awesome. The pan was great and clean up was easy, although cleaning up the rack was harder because I didn't get to it right away. The stuff really stuck on there, so I recommend washing that or at least rinsing it off as soon as you can after taking the turkey off of it.

The Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing is really good, so I plan to make that a 2nd batch of stuffing, just to have some variety. Luckily my mom is bringing quite a bit of other stuff-mashed potatoes, corn souffle or something like that and cranberry stuff. yum! I'm actually excited about it now and it has made us do a lot of household projects and cleaning that have been put off for too long. It also is giving me a great excuse to finally take some of the stickers off of the china we got when we got married 8 1/2 years ago! It's about time!

I wish everyone luck who is hosting Thanksgiving!

 

[Ann F]

Becky, I don't have the Turkey cards. Could you share the rosemary turkey instructions?

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions and encouragement!

 

[kcjodih]

Grabbed my cards and here you go

1 thawed, frozen or fresh turkey (12-18 lbs)
1 large lemon, sliced
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2-3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp Rosemary Herb Seasoning Mix


Preheat oven to 325. Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities; cook and reserve for use in stuffing or gravy, if desired (ewwww! LOL). Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Lift wing tips up toward neck, then tuck under back of turkey. Place lemon, onion and thyme inside body cavity. Tie ends of legs together with cotton string. Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in Roasting Pan.

Brush skin with oil. Sprinkle with seasoning mix. Roast turkey 3-4 hours or until Pocket Thermometer registers 180 F in thickest part of thighs and juices run clear. (To prevent overcooking, loosely cover breast with aluminum foil when turkey is about two-thirds done. Check for doneness about 30 minuts before turkey is expected to be done.)

Remove turkey from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Using Meat Lifters, carefully remove turkey from Roasting Pan to Reversible Bamboo Carving Board. Cut strings from legs and discard; carve turkey.

 

[Ann F]

thank You, Jodi!

 

[lacychef]

My mom used my roaster last year; it made such an awesome turkey And with the nonstick rack, cleanup was so simple. It made my mom want that pan ever since; & she's having a show next week so she can get her own!
She did brine our turkey & it made it so moist & yummy. I"m not sure of the portions, but you just mix salt water in a bucket & drop the turkey in; & keep it in there overnight. Then, you rinse the turkey & pat dry; then bake. Someone else might know the amount of salt, or you could probably check butterball's website too.

 

[supergirljennie]

She did brine our turkey & it made it so moist & yummy. I"m not sure of the portions, but you just mix salt water in a bucket & drop the turkey in; & keep it in there overnight. Then, you rinse the turkey & pat dry; then bake. Someone else might know the amount of salt, or you could probably check butterball's website too.

On pg 37 of the catalog, Tom Marston gives instructions for brining a chicken. I would just adjust those instructions for the weight of your turkey, if that helps.

 

[snoopy]

I saved this from our local newspaper. I know that by the time I post it that Thanksgiving 24 hrs. away but perhaps you can try it with your Christmas turkey!

Method 1: In a 6 qt. pot, combine 2 qts. cool water 1 c. kosher salt, and 1/4c. sugar. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let cool. Once cool, add another 2 qts. of water and chill in refridgerator. Remove the giblets/neck and reserve. Rinse turkey. Take two oven bags large enought to hold the turkey. Place the turkey inside the first and pour in brine water. Secure the top of the first bag. Place the first bag in the second bag and secure second bag. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and put it in the refridgerator for 12 to 24 hours. Turn the turkey every couple of hours or so to make sure the turkey is brined evenly.

Method 2: In a large bucket place the turkey. For every gallon of water combine 1 c. kosher salt. Add enough water and salt solution to cover the turkey. Refrigerate the turkey in the bucket for 12 to 24 hours.

Method 3 (Dry Brining): Lift skin away from the meat using a chop stick or wood spoon handle. Rub 2 tbsps. kosher salt inside the turkey cavity. Rub 2 tbsps. of kosher salt under the breast skin, spreading it evenly over the meat. Put 1 1/2 tsps. of kosher salt on the meat of each leg. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. Remove from refrigerator and rinse away excess salt. Dry the turkey with paper towels.

 

[pamperedbecky]

Becky, I don't have the Turkey cards. Could you share the rosemary turkey instructions?

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions and encouragement!

Sorry, I just now saw this post! Looks like Jodi helped you out.

 

[tlennhoff]

Place the turkey inside the first and pour in brine water. Secure the top of the first bag. Place the first bag in the second bag and secure second bag. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and put it in the refridgerator for 12 to 24 hours. Turn the turkey every couple of hours or so to make sure the turkey is brined evenly.

Or cheat and buy a kosher turkey - pretty much already brined which is why kosher poultry is so tender.