Thanksgiving Plans 2021 (Whatchya gonna do?)

[Langue_doc]

The only time I decided to do turkey for Thanksgiving, I brined the turkey which almost slipped out of my hands when I was lifting it from the brine. I grabbed onto the bird, but there was brine all over the kitchen floor. Since then, it's good company and good conversation on Thanksgiving, but no fussing or cleaning up.

Any opinions from Langue or others about whether brining the turkey is worth it? I am still trying to decide whether to undertake this extra step.

lilyb, definitely. The turkey was delicious. I got a fresh turkey from Whole Foods, and also the brining apparatus--I think it was the brining bag. I followed the Brining 101 directions in America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. It wasn't too complicated. All I remember is clutching the wet and slippery turkey because I did not want to eat a cavorting-on-the-floor turkey or serve it to my guests even though the baking would have taken care of the insanitary stuff from the kitchen floor. Turkeys roasted the usual way are equally delicious, but now I can state with pride that my brined turkey was a success.

[ciao_yall]

The only time I decided to do turkey for Thanksgiving, I brined the turkey which almost slipped out of my hands when I was lifting it from the brine. I grabbed onto the bird, but there was brine all over the kitchen floor. Since then, it's good company and good conversation on Thanksgiving, but no fussing or cleaning up.

Any opinions from Langue or others about whether brining the turkey is worth it? I am still trying to decide whether to undertake this extra step.

lilyb, definitely. The turkey was delicious. I got a fresh turkey from Whole Foods, and also the bringing apparatus--I think it was the brining bag. I followed the Brining 101 directions in America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. It wasn't too complicated. All I remember is clutching the wet and slippery turkey because I did not want to eat a cavorting-on-the-floor turkey or serve it to my guests even though the baking would have taken care of the insanitary stuff from the kitchen floor. Turkeys roasted the usual way are equally delicious, but now I can state with pride that my brined turkey was a success.

Pro tip - Roast turkey, unstuffed, breast side down until the last 20 mins-hour, then flip over. It will be a bit misshapen but the breast meat will be so moist!

It also cooks faster that way.

[Langue_doc]

Brining a turkey, courtesy of The Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/11/19/how-to-brine-turkey/

[hmaria1609]

Brining a turkey, courtesy of The Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/11/19/how-to-brine-turkey/

The Thanksgiving edition appeared in the Wednesday "Food" section (11/17/21). The second installment will appear in a special "Food" edition in this weekend's paper.

[clean]

Weekend before Thanksgiving....
Any grocery store reports?
Crowded?  Extra registers open (I hope)?  well stocked?

[mamselle]

Weekend before Thanksgiving....
Any grocery store reports?
Crowded?  Extra registers open (I hope)?  well stocked?

I go shopping from 7-9 AM when I go (not often--I shop for one, and get a lot when I do, mostly things I can freeze, store, or make up early and store).

I got the usual amount of stuff for a monthly trip in the main store today at 8 AM, and there were no lines and no problems.

There are some things they are still out of (and a few more since I got there and bought several, although I suspect they'll be replaced).

There are also some things they've apparently given up on.

There used to be large and mini-croissants, now there are none (and there weren't any last month, either).

They usually have pre-cut salmon steaks, this is the second time they haven't had those.

A smaller store I visit for more specific items, every other week, has several things that are on-again-off-again, as in, I suspect they're not re-ordering as often or in as large quantities as they used to.

A certain P.Farm cookie type, the lo-salt Pringles, packages of string cheese and small bags of Babybel cheese, as well as all the usual pre-cut cheeses were all gone. I can get them at the larger store, but I usually stock up on other items there, so try to balance things out so I don't have so much to schlepp home from there.

I don't buy a big turkey or any of that stuff--the regular store had the usual number of veggies and fruits and so on, so I got what I needed, I just do think they're all still smarting from the decreased levels of buying and so are understocking and letting inventories go a bit lower before re-ordering.

(And I worked retail for six years, so I recognize when buyers are likely to be using certain tricks to try to keep afloat in lean moments).

M.

   

[hmaria1609]

Maryland turkey farmers saw strong demand this year:
https://wtop.com/local/2021/11/maryland-turkey-farmers-have-high-sales-and-high-costs/
From WTOP Radio 11/20/21

[Langue_doc]

Brining, courtesy of NYT:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021473-turkey-brine?campaign_id=58&emc=edit_ck_20211121&instance_id=45885&nl=cooking&regi_id=46382589&segment_id=75010&te=1&user_id=349c6abacc09730a88f6caaeae2eed71

If this is behind a paywall, here are the ingredients and directions:

TIME10 minutes, plus marinating
Save to Recipe Box

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Turkey Brine
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

This classic wet brine is adapted from an old Yankee Magazine recipe for a traditional New England roast turkey. It yields a moist and tender bird.

INGREDIENTS
2 ¼ cups kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 cup granulated sugar
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked, plus more as needed
3 rosemary sprigs
3 thyme sprigs
3 sage sprigs

PREPARATION
In a pot or cooler large enough to hold turkey comfortably, combine salt, sugar, bay leaves, pepper and herbs with 2 1/2 gallons water. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Put turkey in brine and refrigerate or ice overnight, at least 12 hours.

[lilyb]

Brining, courtesy of NYT:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021473-turkey-brine?campaign_id=58&emc=edit_ck_20211121&instance_id=45885&nl=cooking&regi_id=46382589&segment_id=75010&te=1&user_id=349c6abacc09730a88f6caaeae2eed71

If this is behind a paywall, here are the ingredients and directions:

Many thanks to Langue_doc for advice and instructions re: brining. I got a brining bag to help with this process. Now my cookbook tells me that I need to air dry the turkey in the fridge overnight (after brining) so that the skin gets crisp in oven.

Good Lord, this is a lot of monkeying around before the bird even makes it into the oven! It will be worth it, though, if I get the slightest murmur of approval from MIL.

[mamselle]

Oh, no, you're courting the approval of an MIL?

Who was the person on the Old Forum who did real-time posts of her MIL's insane interventions one year at Thanksgiving?

It was a classic--done to preserve the poster's sanity, as I recall, and to help her keep track of her alcohol consumption,  maybe, as well?

I seem to remember the turkey needed lots of basting, so she'd hop into the kitchen, post the latest, maybe sip some of the cooking sherry, then go back for further torture....

Just if it's helpful...

M.

[Langue_doc]

lilyb, I don't recall air drying the turkey. I think I got it out of the brine onto a platter of sorts (this was the most difficult part) and then probably dried it with paper towels before stuffing it and then tucking in the arms and crossing the legs.

Experienced posters might tell you what worked for them and what didn't regarding the air drying.

As far as impressing people, I've been to Thanksgiving meals in at least six states, and fondly remember the people and conversations, but don't recall anyone discussing the crispness of the skin or other aspects of the turkey as everyone just digs in and enjoys the meal and the people around them. So I wouldn't worry about impressing anyone; it should be husband's responsibility to take care of his side of the family and try to distract them if they are not impressed. I still remember some of the jokes and conversations from past holiday meals. The hosts of this year's dinner hunt, so I remember being shown their hunting equipment and some information on what to do and what not to do if you are a responsible hunter during an earlier Thanksgiving.

[Cheerful]

lilyb, I don't recall air drying the turkey. I think I got it out of the brine onto a platter of sorts (this
Experienced posters might tell you what worked for them and what didn't regarding the air drying.

Just go over the whole thing once with a compact hair dryer on the low/cool setting.

Kidding.  😃

[lilyb]

Experienced posters might tell you what worked for them and what didn't regarding the air drying.

As far as impressing people, I've been to Thanksgiving meals in at least six states, and fondly remember the people and conversations, but don't recall anyone discussing the crispness of the skin or other aspects of the turkey as everyone just digs in and enjoys the meal and the people around them. So I wouldn't worry about impressing anyone; it should be husband's responsibility to take care of his side of the family and try to distract them if they are not impressed. I still remember some of the jokes and conversations from past holiday meals. The hosts of this year's dinner hunt, so I remember being shown their hunting equipment and some information on what to do and what not to do if you are a responsible hunter during an earlier Thanksgiving.

Honestly, I think that I'm focusing on the food so much because of secondary anxiety ABOUT the conversation. Yes, my favorite memories are also about enjoying the conviviality and good cheer. This gathering will include intense Trumpers and anti-Trumpers, though, and conversations at previous smaller get-togethers have gone off the rails. The "Jesus is still my Savior. Trump is still my President" crowd can be aggressive. The spouse and I need to a coordinated strategy to keep that from happening again. That's for another thread!

[Langue_doc]

Honestly, I think that I'm focusing on the food so much because of secondary anxiety ABOUT the conversation.

There's no getting around that minefield, is there? Hope husband keeps those folks and their topics at bay. I've long suspected that my hosts are staunch conservatives but we've never discussed politics during the many years I've known them and their other guests so there are well-mannered and gracious conservatives in the world. Sending you good wishes for a happy Thanksgiving, and no minefields that day.

[mamselle]

A friend and I were just talking, and I mentioned the fact that I can get through about an hour with my sibs as long as we don't veer off into conflicted waters.

"Oh, yes," she said, and cited Jane Austen:

"Elinor," cried Marianne, "is this fair? is this just? are my ideas so scanty? But I see what you mean. I have been too much at my ease, too happy, too frank. I have erred against every common-place notion of decorum; I have been open and sincere where I ought to have been reserved, spiritless, dull, and deceitful:- had I talked only of the weather and the roads, and had I spoken only once in ten minutes, this reproach would have been spared.”

                                                                                                                                                    (Sense and Sensibility, J. Austen)

Since we'll be Zooming, there won't be any roads whose condition can be discussed

But one's currently in Canada, so there will certainly be weather...

M.