“Please be safe” message joined with video footage of explosive destruction featuring food is as American as it gets
— Peter Wolf (@peterawolf) November 16, 2023
Speaking of gifting… I have a few BlueSky invite codes. If you’re interested, email me per the contact info — I’ll start my own waitlist, if necessary.
ETA:
All invite codes gone, for the moment. And an update from the developers:
Dahlia
Thanksgiving safety advice you can groove to, with bonus Shatner goodness:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Qxqmhqj1A
lowtechcyclist
For those of us who cook turkeys in the oven, what is that gizmo and why is the combination of gizmo and turkey causing things to go Boom?
Wapiti
@lowtechcyclist: It’s a deep fat fryer for cooking a turkey, but oil level, water/ice on turkey boiling off, and spilled oil cascading onto the open flame underneath the pot = lots of fire, fast.
MagdaInBlack
@lowtechcyclist: I think the gizmo is designed by the folks who put out the video, so they don’t get near the flaming oil. Its going boom because there’s too damn much oil in the pot.
Eta: by “gizmo” I assume you mean the whole rope and pulley thing.
raven
@MagdaInBlack: Too much oil and the turkey isn’t dry.
HinTN
@lowtechcyclist: Too much oil and open flame. That is all
ETA: What @raven (and others before) said.
dr. bloor
I suspect making these safety videos is eagerly anticipated by the employees of the Commission.
BruceFromOhio
“Unique recipe, interesting flavor.”
Bill Arnold
@dr. bloor:
That USCPSC twitter account has some of the goofiest, sometimes surreal tweets of any government account on the planet.
Jeffro
Simpler is better, and by simpler, I mean the stand-alone Oster roaster oven that I bust out of storage every couple of years when we host. I know it means we miss out on the prospect of burning the house down, but I need less excitement in my life, not more.
“set it and forget it” – 110%!
Betty Cracker
I have an uncle who Cajun fries turkey, and it’s delish. But you gotta know what you’re doing!
eclare
@dr. bloor:
Absolutely, if the guys I used to work with are representative. They loved to go out on family land in the country to make stuff go Boom.
eclare
@Betty Cracker:
I have heard those are incredible, I would take the safe path and punch buttons on my phone to order one from Popeye’s.
What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?
I usually spatchcock and grill my turkey. Unless it’s pouring down rain in which case it goes in the oven on convection roast. I Have never had any interest in deep frying one.
lowtechcyclist
Thanks for clearing that up for me, folks! And yeah, by ‘gizmo’ I meant the deep fat fryer.
I think we’ll continue to be boring and cook our turkeys in the oven.
Doc Sardonic
I have two of those turkey fryers in my garage. I have successfully fried a few turkeys without burning down the house. That being said, those gizmos are now put to better use boiling crabs, shrimp, mud bugs etc, not as dangerous and a whole lot tastier. Turkey cooks better and faster in a redneck convection oven.
HinTN
@Betty Cracker: Cajun is an interesting concept. I knew an old Cajun down on Laurel Street in NOLA. He taught me how to prepare and cook crawfish. Part of that was to stab the bejabbers out of a store bought ham and throw it in the boil after the cooking was done. The next day that ham was amazing.
HinTN
@What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?: Deep fried is amazing! MOIST !!!
Delk
@raven: sounds like a Country Western song. 🎵
Jay
When I was a kid, if the October weather was nice, the turkey was BBQ’d and basted on a spit. With stuffing.
If the weather was bad, roasted in the oven. Funny thing, the turkey roaster was square, barely fit the oven, and spent 99% of it’s cooking existence as a bowl for Mom’s breadmaking.
Later in life, turkey was spatchcocked, BBQ’d on a charcoal grill with smoke.
Sad thing is I never had my Mom’s recipe for her stuffing.
I know it had onions, breadcrumbs, some kinda spices, ground beef liver and the stuff in the bag, (other than the turkey neck, Mom’s favorite). It came out like a meatloaf/cooked pate and was always the first thing gone.
CaseyL
I love deep fried turkey, but it seems to have been a fad that came and went real quick. You need a sizable yard – room to set the fryer up well away from anything flammable, preferably on a concrete pad. And then you need the extra EXTRA long extension cord for plugging the deep fryer in
So, condos, apartments and townhouses are right out..
SpaceUnit
Deep fried turkey is very good. I’ve had the cajun version as well. It’s excellent.
This year’s menu:
Roasted butternut squash soup.
Ceasar salad
Turkey and stuffing (conventional oven)
Au gratin potatoes (better than mashed – fight me)
Green beans
Sautéd zucchini w/ onion and mushrooms
Buttermilk biscuits (way better than dinner rolls – fight me)
Pumpkin pie
And that’s it. No cranberry sauce, yams or gravy. Simple is good.
What’s everyone else having?
WaterGirl
@SpaceUnit:
No sane person would ever fight you on that.
eclare
@SpaceUnit:
Trying to decide, it’s just for me. My relatives get together at night, and I am an hour away which I will not drive alone at night. I am going to the grocery store on Tuesday and see what looks good.
I’ll see the relatives on Friday morning.
Scout211
I won’t fight you on that but the littles in the family really like mashed. Who am I to disappoint my grandkids? I would never. Plus, it’s a family tradition to have mashed potatoes with gravy and peas. It’s a thing.
This year, the turkey will be easy because my daughter is bringing a smoked turkey from her butcher that only needs to be heated.
Pies are my thing and my whole family loves my pies. I’m baking cherry pie, Dutch apple pie, pumpkin pie and pecan pie. Yummmm
raven
We’re going to the beach for our annual Thanksgiving trip. They built a 10 bdr 10 bath house right next door to the funky beach house so we don’t know how many more of these there will be. My mobility is getting worse and pushing my fishing cart down to the water is also going to be a challenge but at least there is a Buccee’s south of Macon!!!
SpaceUnit
@Scout211:
I’m a pie person too. For me, apple pie and coffee is an amazing breakfast. Probably not so healthy tho.
prostratedragon
@SpaceUnit: Add a scoop or two of plain Greek yogurt and I’ve mwt most of my dietary requirements.
Rose Weiss
@eclare:
It’s just me too, which I don’t mind at all. I’ll probably have broiled tuna steak with various small trimmings. I never actually liked turkey much, and now I eat a mostly vegan diet* due to food intolerances. I’ll make cornbread stuffing some time over the week because that has always been my favorite Holiday dish.
*occasional exception for seafood! I live in the PNW after all.
PaulWartenberg
I have five Bluesky Invites, I would like to share them here.
SpaceUnit
@eclare:
I have spent quite a number of Thanksgivings by myself over the years. I found frozen pizza and beer to be a really excellent choice.
No, seriously. There’s no work, no fuss, no cleanup. No annoying relatives. It’s good.
CarolPW
@Rose Weiss: Tuna steak on a burger bun with wasabi mayo is one of my favorite meals.
ETA: I like to cook turkey on Thanksgiving because that means hot turkey sandwiches with gravy is in the future (and the ex likes it [we eat together and accompany each other on pet final vet visits, we just can’t live together]).
Quinerly
@Jeffro:
I love my counter turkey roaster oven. I steam and marinate ribs in it before putting them on the outside smoker.
Sure Lurkalot
I’m hosting and the plan is Beef Bourguignon, mashed potatoes, green beans and french bread. Charcuterie and cheese board for the before meet, greet and drink and brownies and ice cream for dessert.
Only one person who’s coming likes turkey…the rest of us are not too jazzed about it. I’m going to make the stew the day before as my recipe recommends so I should be able to visit with everyone. All democrats and one communist.
Scout211
WaterGirl has volunteered to be the Bluesky invite code broker for the blog. Send her an email with the codes and she will divvy them out first come, first serve.
Let the blog know that you’ve sent them to her and any takers can email her to ask for an invite.
dexwood
@SpaceUnit: I like cake, but I love pie. Put it on my tombstone – He liked cake, but he loved pie.
Timill
Alton Brown on deep-frying turkey.
No appearance by Bigfoot , alas.
Miss Bianca
@WaterGirl: love mashed potatoes, totally meh on au gratin.
Oh, wait…you said a SANE person? Never mind, I guess.
eclare
@SpaceUnit:
Oh I’m def getting something with no effort required! I plan to eat and watch the Dolly Parton halftime show. Being solo doesn’t bother me either, maybe I’ll just have mashed potatoes, my fave side.
Rose Weiss
@SpaceUnit: Well, I prefer red wine but there’s nothing wrong about pizza. I always add a lot of toppings to every pizza so it does end up being a feast.
wjca
Mashed potatoes’ only merit is as a vehicle for butter and salt. (Gravy optional; it’s better on meat.) And pasta does that better.
Mousebumples
Re Bluesky invites, I also have a handful. I can send them to AL, if she was serious about setting up her own waitlist.
(otherwise, you can find me on Twitter (@mousebumples) or Mastodon ([email protected])…)
SpaceUnit
@eclare:
Bon appetite!
SpaceUnit
@Rose Weiss:
I do the same with frozen pizza. I load them up with mushrooms, black olives and bell pepper until they’re almost a healthy meal.
Almost.
SpaceUnit
@wjca:
Agree. I don’t hate mashed potatoes but there’s so many better options.
And making mashed potatoes from scratch is a whole lot of work to produce something so bland.
Hoppie
@raven: I’m always happy when folks like things I don’t care for, thank you very much. The more people at Buccee’s, the more space at the decent places.
Jay
@wjca:
And garlic.
SWMBO hates how I make mashed potato’s.
I/4 “Bakers”, (light and fluffy) eg. Russets
1/4 “Boilers”, (texture) eg. Pontiac
1/2 “Creamers”, (self explanitory) eg. Yukons
Lot’s of good garlic, eg Ukrainian Red
Butter and cream cheese,
Hand mashed and semi whipped with a spudder.
SWMBO hates the time it takes, loves the results.
rikyrah
@Scout211:
Another question about pecan pie..you can’t be eating regular pie slices of it…..do you? It’s so sweet, I can’t make it through 2_bites
eclare
@rikyrah:
I don’t like a lot of sweets or desserts, I don’t like chocolate, I can eat one M&M. I inhale pecan pie, sweet and salty goodness.
eclare
@Jay:
If I do have store bought mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, I will smash and add copious amounts of garlic. The relatives that I see on Friday will have to breathe through their mouths.
sab
With Covid we cancelled Turkey Day for the last couple of years. Very relaxing for me after twenty years of being in charge of the meal with anywhere from 10 to 20 people.
This year I relented and said we realy ought to do a meal with my step-daughter who has no where else to go (her real mother is dead and the spouse’s ex doesn’t want her.) That would be five people. Very manageable.
Then my husband started inviting other people, his boys who are also welcome at their mom’s, and a few friends with nowhere else to go, and now we are back to a full Turkey Day with 10 to 20 people.
The cats will hate it. The dog will go berserk with excitement.
sab
I tried boiling down proper apple cider from a quart of cider to a cup of cider syrup and it is amazing. Tried it already as a glaze on salmon.
Now I will try the cider caramel recipe that Kay linked to. Farewell, tooth filings.
wjca
@Jay:
Pretty much everything’s better with garlic. It even makes snails edible.
Yutsano
@eclare: My first year at the IRS I couldn’t come home for Thanksgiving. So I made a mini version! I stuffed a Cornish game hen with my mom’s stuffing recipe, steamed some asparagus, and even made gravy from the drippings. I’m not necessarily giving you ideas, but it’s one way of doing things.
eclare
@Yutsano:
That sounds good! And a Cornish game hen is doable. I did something like that last year, but this year I want minimal effort, e.g., reheating or defrosting.
There is a local BBQ place near me that is well known for its Cornish game hens, I could pick one up and reheat it Thursday. Hmmmm…
That is sounding better and better. I’ll have to call tomorrow to make sure it’s open next Wed.
laura
@Sure Lurkalot: I made the Anthony Bourdain’s version of beef bourguinon on Tuesday, and we had it for dinner last night with boiled potatoes and it’s on offer tomorrow over left over rice (insert Homer Simpson drool gif). It’s just me and spouse for Thanksgiving and I’ll just do a turkey breast and maybe a thigh, the dreaded/beloved green bean casserole, mashers, cream corn for spouse and my mom’s dressing for me, a local fancy store’s cranberry conserve that has lemon, walnuts and compari. I wish I could remember who clued me in, but I’ve ditched the gravy boat for a small thermos to keep it piping hot.
Manyakitty
So far, we’re up to 3, hoping boyfriend’s sister joins us, too. Herb-rubbed turkey breast with a lemon in the hole, gravy, mashed potatoes, noodles, bread stuffing (with and without mushrooms), fresh sweet potatoes and apples, homemade cranberry sauce, something green (salad, veg) and a pie for dessert. Yeah, it’s way too much food. Planning for lots of frozen leftovers.
CaseyL
I’ll be making sauerbraten and taking it to a friend’s house, where it will join a turkey to feed 8 people. I have no idea what the sides will be; my friend is supposed to let me know what people are bringing.
The best thing to have with sauerbraten is fresh soft pretzel bites, but I lack the kind of mixer that uses a bread hook and it’s too much work anyway. I saw a YouTube (Jordan_the_Stallion, highly recommend) who made quick-n-easy pretzel bites starting with a tube of biscuit dough, and am tempted to try that.
Jay
@CaseyL:
the sides will be all be yams with mini marshmallows, ; )
sab
@laura: Shocking, but we are skipping the green bean casserole this year, even though I already bought the crispy onions.
I think I will make it for a normal meal in midwinter.
I always liked it at Thanksgiving, but we ignored it as a leftover and usually threw it out eventually. So saving it for its own time. Kind of like cranberry relish. I am switching that to Christmas or New Years.
CaseyL
@Jay:
That would be hilarious.
Roberto el oso
This year’s menu:
Small turkey or Big chicken : conventional oven-roasted ; homemade gravy from the drippings ; small honey-glazed ham ; garlic & horseradish mashed potatoes ; sweet potatoes (cooked w/ molasses) ; store-bought stuffing ; homemade pita bread and dinner rolls ; creamed spinach ; beets ; homemade hummus & tapenade ; roasted brussels sprouts ; lots of olives & pickles ; cinnamon apples …. and several pies (flavors not yet decided upon) ….. pretty simple and spare compared to past years, but that’s the way the wind is blowing for all parties concerned :)
sab
America discounts women, but we do carry on the food traditions. Every family has diferent food traditions depending on their mom.
So everyone has different traditions, and that diversity makes us who we are.
Midwest here. Stuffing has bread, onions and celery, optional garlic. Rumor has it others like oysters in their stuffing. Seriously? That is food?
Cornbread stuffing? Seriously?
Manyakitty
@sab: cornbread stuffing can be delicious. I made it a few times with the standard celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms, and added diced apples, pecans, and wild rice. Delish!
eclare
@sab:
Cornbread dressing with andouille sausage? Hell yeah! I made Emeril’s recipe one year.
sab
@sab: My mother told me about when she was a young Air Force wife from Ohio married to an Ohioan stationed in Texas in the 1950s. She realized that she did not know her mother’s stuffing recipe. She asked around and nothing seemed right. Then she asked the colonel’s Canadian wife, and her recipe was what my mother remembered as her family’s. Mom’s family was Canadian Scots.
Rose Weiss
Cornbread stuffing is all I had on holidays growing up in Memphis. Made with celery, onions, homemade broth and turkey giblets. My grandmother made the cornbread 2 or 3 days ahead so it could dry out before the grandkids were put to work crumbling it for the stuffing. I don’t work that hard myself, so I buy the cornbread stuffing mix now.
sab
@eclare: Cornbread stuffing is delicious, but not ” what we do.”
Thanksgiving is traditional. I do keep track of what other people eat, because winter is long and boring, so we need better (other people’s ) food ideas.
ETA My husband is more Midwestern and much less adventurous. Only thing about him that disappoints me. He hates experimenting with food.
sab
@sab: Thanksgiving in America is everyone’s holiday, but foodwise is each families. Isn’t that the point?
eclare
@Rose Weiss:
Hi! I am from and still live in Memphis. Cornbread stuffing is great!
SpaceUnit
@sab:
I lived in Charleston SC for a time and oyster stuffing rocks.
Rose Weiss
@eclare: Yeah, I still make it at least once a year as a comfort food, although I now substitute mushrooms for the giblets. Any other stuffing seems really wrong to me !
eclare
@Rose Weiss:
I still make cornbread from scratch. One of the few things that I bake.
sab
@SpaceUnit: From Ohio we cannot even think of getting that. I grew up in Daytona Florida with out of state parents. We never knew.
sab
My point is we are a huge country with many many food traditions. Thanksgiving in every family is different. My family every year the menu is identical. But that is just us.
Randal Sexton
I have done a turkey that way but we paid CAREFUL attention to the directions and also did it outside. Turned out ok. Not as good as my traditional cookings. Also did a TerDuckHen once. Awful. I have wanted to try a Snator but I dont live in FL
Comrade Colette
@Randal Sexton: My sister-in-law served a Turducken one year “just for variety,” which is a quality Thanksgiving does not need. The stuffing contained some kind of spicy sausage that permeated the whole meatblob and was the only thing we could taste. We agreed the first four letters captured its essence and never did that again.