Another of those dreaded Thanksgiving Recipe Threads

CookingWithCarlo.com ^ | 11/11/2004 | Carlo3b, A PROUD AMERICAN

[JockoManning]

at topsecretrecipe.com

Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe, from The Cheesecake Factory, will be on the topsecretrecipe site until Monday after Thanksgiving.


http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/recipes/pumpcake.htm

[JockoManning]

Hometown recipes (super easy) may be found at:

http://www.americanprofile.com/recipes/

[JockoManning]

ProudVet77 says, "Cook it upside down for the first 1/2 of the cooking time. What happens is all the fat and juice from the dark meat on the bottom baste the breast."

Hadn't heard that before.

Thanks much, PV77.

[ProudVet77]

It works quite nicely, but I usually only do a 15lb turkey or so. Remember to oil the top of the bird and the rack so the skin on the breast doesn't stick to the rack. If you carve the bird in the kitchen it doesn't matter.

[Ros42]

I started brining my turkey this morning, for the first time, using your recipie! I can't wait to see how yummy it turns out!! :-) I'm also going to try cooking it upside down for the half the time too. Thanks for your recipie on how to do this. Happy Thanksgiving!!

[Ros42]

Thank you for telling us about cooking the turkey upside down for half the time!! I can't wait to taste it!! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!

[Ros42]

btw, I have to cook my Turkey tomorrow..that's why I'm brining it today! LOL!

[ProudVet77]

My pleasure. Already cooked mine, I'm a single and usually visit friends for Thanksgiving Dinner. Did a 15lber, without stuffing. mmmmmm. Actually froze most of it.
Be careful when you flip the bird. I have visions of getting lots of hate FReepmail on Thursday evening. :)

[Ros42]

I'll be sure to heed the warning on flipping the bird! LOL!! At least no one will be here, at that time, to see me if I do make a mess!! :)

[JockoManning]

BTTT

[Libloather]

A Chinese cook friend of mine recommends to always place any kind of meat or fish in a 20 minute brine (salt water) bath. It works every time it's tried. The salt extracts unwanted blood, seasons the meat, and removes any type of smell.

I fully suggest a overnight brine drink for any turkey. This one is new and was not tested by me. The raw onion in this recipe doesn't really turn me on at all - could leave a smell. I found this in the NY Times - and NO - don't ax me what I was doing reading that rag...

Adapted from "BBQ USA" by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 2003)
Time: 15 minutes plus overnight marinating

1¼ cups salt
1¼ cups sugar
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, peeled and halved
2 cloves
1 10 to 20 pound turkey, washed, giblets removed

1. Place salt, sugar and 1 quart hot water in a large deep pot and whisk until salt and sugar crystals dissolve. Whisk in 4 quarts cold water. Pin bay leaves to onion halves with cloves and add them to brine. Let mixture cool to room temperature.

2. Add turkey, placing a large heavy pot or sealed zip-top bag filled with cold water on top to keep bird submerged. Place pot on refrigerator and marinate overnight.

Yield: Enough brine for a 12 pound turkey...

(Note: Kosher turkeys may already have enough salt introduced. A brine mixture isn't recommended.)

[Libloather]

Oh, and Kosher salt works best...

[Libloather]

...bump for thanksgiving...

That seems kinda personal - eh?

[philetus]

Good old fashioned French Dynner

Here is a recipe for preparing "Rat Stew a la Francaise", by the well-known french culinary expert Henriette Guilhem.

For those of you (like myself) who are not proficient in speaking frog, I have attached a Google/Babelfish translation of this appalling recipe: [N.B. A frog-speaking friend of mine was so bothered by the babelfish translation that they submitted the revised version below. The introductory text, however, remains in all of its computer-generated fluency.]

Ingredients:
1 7-9 lb water-rat
1/2 thick slice fatty ham
1 liquor glass Armagnac
2 tablespoons very good vinager
1 large onion
7 shallots
3 cloves garlic
3/4 tablespoon herbs de provence
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablets bitter chocolate
1 liter fresh red wine
salt and pepper
pinch of cayenne


Recipe

1. Cut up the water-rat (possibly using large shears), keeping the liver, lungs
and heart.
2. Cook the cut up pieces a for long time in the olive oil in a large saute pan
(or 2, if necessary).
3. Add the ham cut into very small cubes.
4. When the pieces of rat are golden brown, take them out and flambe them in
the Armagnac. Salt and pepper them and set them aside.
5. Chop the onion, shallots, 2 cloves of the garlic, and cook them for a long
time in the same oil, with the tomato paste, the liver, lungs and heart.
6. When this chopped mixture is nicely browned, add the vinegar and evaporate
for some minutes over high heat. Sprinkle the flour on top and cook again
for a long time.
7. In a pan, heat the wine. Add the chopped mixture and stir while heating to
boiling. Add the cooked rat pieces, the bouquet garni, herbes de provence
and chocolate, and salt and pepper again.
8. Cover and cook over low flame for at least 3 hours.
9. Just before this has finished cooking, add the last clove of garlic crushed.
10. Test the seasoning, and make sure the sauce is thick. If necessary, add
potato starch and cold water to the sauce and cook to thicken

[bitt]

'Place pot on refrigerator '

I have too much junk on top of the refridgerator, but hey, there's room IN the refridgerator, so I'll stick it back in there....

:)

another bump for the upside down turkey...

I have been doing this for a couple of years, and what a difference it makes! The skin on the bottom gets good and crispy, the juices baste the breast, and I have found that those thick rubber gloves turn the sucker over pretty well...

I also espouse adding a little white wine to the juices for basting - makes the gravy terrific. If you don't use the wine during basting, add a couple of slugs of BEER to the gravy while stirring - it must be the yeast or something, because it really smooths it out...

[Libloather]

If you don't use the wine during basting, add a couple of slugs of BEER to the gravy while stirring - it must be the yeast or something, because it really smooths it out...

The entire day - or just the bird?

[mutejesseJ]

*PING ME* PLEASE~!

What a grand thread!

I am tired this year, we recently moved, I have been feeling burned-out!
I was going to do basics, but not much more (lol) now I am encouraged because of Carlo and Freepers,(THANK YOU!) to get into the Spirit and use many of these recipes!

Will NOT brine the turkey this year, but will flip it! ;-)

Have A Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!

[muggs]

I am tired this year, we recently moved, I have been feeling burned-out!

I'm not tired and I was planning on cooking a big dinner but now we may need to find a restaurant. Have not broke news to mom yet. Can't cook unless someone can give tips on doing things one-handed. Got a severe cat bite yesterday, can barely function, going to doctor in a few minutes.

are restaurants even open on Thanksgiving?

[Peace Is Coming]

Got a severe cat bite yesterday, can barely function, going to doctor in a few minutes.

Ouch! Sorry to hear about that Muggs. Hope the bite gets better soon. I had a cat bite once. They are nasty. I think there might be some buffet type restaurants open on Thanksgiving. You would have to call around.

[Peace Is Coming]

Cook it upside down for the first 1/2 of the cooking time. What happens is all the fat and juice from the dark meat on the bottom baste the breast. After 1/2 time turn it

Thanks for the tip Proudvet. That sounds like a great idea! Peace