Thanksgiving and Turkey - The Best Way to Prepare the Bird

Thanksgiving is nearly here. What are your traditions and what are your favorite side dishes?

I love a deep fried turkey, brined and marinated with herbs and spices injected into the bird. IMHO, the Thanksgiving meal has to include smashed tatters made with butter and heavy cream, green bean casserole with the fried onions and mushroom soup, cornbread stuffing, and a turkey gravy made from the pan drippings of the bird, some corn starch, and a large dose of salt and pepper.

One of the things I don't enjoy is "can berry" sauce, that awful gelatinous can shaped blob of goo that many insist is an integral part of the meal.

We have switched to putting the turkey on the rotisserie, admittedly you can't do a really big bird that way, but it beats any turkey I have ever had, cooked any way. I make a fresh spiced cranberry relish/sauce to go with it, the ever present mashed potatoes (the hubby does potatoes right!), baked butternut squash, and a salad.Sometimes we will add candied sweet potatoes. Dessert is usually non traditional, chocolate Viennese pie or ice cream cake made with chocolate cookies and whipped cream, frozen. I love Thanksgiving.....a true eating holiday with out the pressure of elaborate decorations, shopping, and gift exchanging.

Pepperidge farms cubed sage stuffing with giblets added. And pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Or maybe it's whipped cream with a little pumpkin pie.

Archer, I love cooking birds on the rotisserie on my gas grill! I should have included that as an option in the poll. The other thing I over looked was wild turkeys vs. the farm grown birds. I also didn't address the size of the audience; I normally join my little brother and his extended family and friends on Thanksgiving - 30-ish people.

It isn't unusual for me and the little brother to have three pots of peanut oil running in his driveway on Thanksgiving, we normally fry four to six 22-25 pound farm grown turkeys every year.

On the other hand, when I am in town long enough to draw a license for turkeys I enjoy the wild birds more than the farm grown version. Wild turkeys are generally smaller and weigh less but the flavor is hard to beat and I prefer to smoke them instead of frying them.

On the odd occasion I find myself on the road on Thanksgiving I make a point to interrupt dinner and ask to be put on speaker phone just long enough to participate in the invocation and to wish everyone well and express my thanks for the things I have earned.

Deep Fried Turkey, baked sweet taters, gravy, stuffing, sauteed brussels sprouts with sliced almonds and homemade crescents, YUMMY!! can't wait to start cooking!! OH and for dessert, pies and something my mom used to call Cherry Dessert. made with graham cracker crumbs, heavy cream and pie cherries.. This year as a new tradition start we will be turning on our outside lights and blo ups!! Can't wait... GOOD FOOD, GOOD FUN and LOADS OF THANKS to be given... :thumbsup: I LOVE the Holidays!!

Weber grill with mesquite charcoal, indirect heat method. Wash the bird dry coat with peanut oil, then cover the bird with bacon. the dripping give a sweet smoke flavor and keep the bird moist, after an hour remove the cover and eat the bacon. takes about 2 hours for a great tasting bird.

NICE!!!

Here is how NOT to fry a turkey:

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I can't over emphasize the importance of fire safety, hot oil and open flames can ruin your whole day. All joking aside, an oil fire involving gallons of oil and a large burner can make for a very dangerous situation. I suggest that you select an area to cook in that is level, all dirt or concrete for at least a ten foot radius, no overhead branches, and be sure to have a dry chem extinguisher on hand for every pot of oil you will be heating up.

This is not the kind of operation you can walk away from so be prepared to stay on location for the duration of the cooking and secure the hot oil after the flame has been shut off. If you are frying more than one turkey it's smart to have at least one partner so you can rotate fire watch duties and take a few breaks during the process. It has been my experience that it is wise to keep children, dogs, and footballs far away from the cooking area for everyone's safety.

Don't let any of the above deter you from frying a turkey, just be safe when you do it.