The Briefing Room
General Category => Grassroots Activism and Living => TBR Kitchen => Topic started by: mystery-ak on November 18, 2018, 03:10:44 pm
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The great Thanksgiving debate – Are these the best and worst sides?
By Tom Shillue | Fox News
Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude and reflection, so I thought I would court controversy by giving my opinion on the best and worst sides.
But first, let’s get the main dish out of the way – the Wall Street Journal recently asked the question “Is it still Thanksgiving if you don’t serve turkey?†My thoughts on the matter: No! Now, onto to the sides. Here is my ranking from best to worst:
Mashed potatoes
I know I’m supposed to be crazy about potatoes because I’m Irish but I’ve always thought it was this side dish that should be called “stuffing.†I’m not saying it shouldn’t be included – after the turkey it’s pretty much the next essential Thanksgiving item.
more
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/the-great-thanksgiving-debate-are-these-the-best-and-worst-sides (https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/the-great-thanksgiving-debate-are-these-the-best-and-worst-sides)
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Mashed Potatoes – No
Cranberry sauce – Yes as well as Cranberry Salad
Brussels sprouts – No
Green bean casserole – No
Sweet potato casserole – Yes
Salad – No
Mac and Cheese – No
Southern Cornbread Dressing - Yes
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A tradition started by my second cousin from Colombia at Thanksgiving is a big bowl of coke on the table. I was dubious at first, but it is a great way to counter the effects of Tryptophan.....
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/07/30/article-0-0D35D3AB00000578-934_634x358.jpg)
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Stuffing.
Gravy for the Turkey mashed potatoes, stuffing.
Rolls with butter.
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My menu
Turkey w/my mom's stuffing
Waldorf Salad
Brussel Sprouts with bacon
Mashed Potatoes w/gravy
Broccoli Rice Casserole...for Mike
Green Bean Casserole...for my dil
Cranberry Conserve
deviled eggs...for my grandson
Rolls
Dessert
pumpkin pie
choc cream pie...for my son
Banana Split Salad.....my mom used to serve this as a side dish but I serve as a dessert as it is sweet
Mini Cheesecakes
Sugar cutout pumpkin cookies ...for the kiddos
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My menu
Turkey w/my mom's stuffing
Waldorf Salad
Brussel Sprouts with bacon
Mashed Potatoes w/gravy
Broccoli Rice Casserole...for Mike
Green Bean Casserole...for my dil
Cranberry Conserve
deviled eggs...for my grandson
Rolls
Dessert
pumpkin pie
choc cream pie...for my son
Banana Split Salad.....my mom used to serve this as a side dish but I serve as a dessert as it is sweet
Mini Cheesecakes
Sugar cutout pumpkin cookies ...for the kiddos
Damn, lady. How many cooks are on your payroll to help you pull all that off? That's way too much cooking.
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We're all tired of the traditional stuff, and since it's just the three of us most years now we make what we like. This year:
Brisket:
I order a whole, untrimmed brisket and ask for it to be cut in approximately equal halves by weight. I don't bother with splitting out the flat from the point. I leave all the fat on for cooking, it keeps the meat moist/self bastes, and then trim it away after it's cooked.
Brisket Rub:
Kosher salt
sugar
brown sugar
cumin
smoked paprika
pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
dry mustard
chili powder
cayenne pepper
Mix in about equal ratios.
I cook the half of the brisket with mostly point. The half with mostly flat goes in to brine to make corned beef to be cooked at Christmas (recipe to follow).
Wrap up the brisket in paper towel and get it good and dry. Then cover well in the rub.
I cook on a gas grill so I don't have to keep up with the coals. This is an indirect cook, so put the brisket in the center of the grill with only outer two burners on and cook at 250 - 275*F until you can stick a knife in the center and it feels like putting a knife into room temp butter. Internal temp of meat will be about 190*F to 200*F.
During cooking leave a pan of beer on the grill over one of the burners. Refill as necessary during the entire cooking.
Do not turn the meat, just leave it alone. When it's done cooking allow it to rest 15 - 20 mins before cutting.
We'll have baked potatoes and broccoli to go with this. And I'm going to go ahead and make a pumpkin pie.
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Wrap up the brisket in paper towel and get it good and dry. Then cover well in the rub.
I think you skipped a step there.
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My menu
Turkey w/my mom's stuffing
Waldorf Salad
Brussel Sprouts with bacon
Mashed Potatoes w/gravy
Broccoli Rice Casserole...for Mike
Green Bean Casserole...for my dil
Cranberry Conserve
deviled eggs...for my grandson
Rolls
Dessert
pumpkin pie
choc cream pie...for my son
Banana Split Salad.....my mom used to serve this as a side dish but I serve as a dessert as it is sweet
Mini Cheesecakes
Sugar cutout pumpkin cookies ...for the kiddos
My Menu....
Roasted Turkey
Giblet gravy and clear/strained gravy (some folks like gravy without anything in it)
Cornbread stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Corn off the cob
Creamed peas (Mom's recipe)
Candied yams casserole
Cranberry sauce (everyone in my family likes the jellied canned version you can slice)
Rolls & butter
Iced tea
Pumpkin pie & whipped cream
Pecan pie
Last couple of years I have added a Spinach Boudin casserole side dish with cayenne that I really like.
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Corned beef brine:
12 cups water
1 1/2 cups Morton's kosher salt (Do not use table salt or other fine salt unless you adjust the amount of salt used. Using 1 1/2 cups of table salt will be WAY too salty.)
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 Tbsps whole peppercorns
1 Tbsp whole allspice
1 cinnamon stick, halved
2 tsp whole cloves
2 tsp whole mustard seed
2 tsp whole coriander seed
1 tsp whole cardamom pds
1/2 head garlic, cloves should be separated and smashed, but do not need to peel
1 oz sodium nitrate (optional, if you care about the meat staying pink. I leave it out)
Mix salt and sugar in water until it is dissolved. Heat the water if you want, but make sure it is cooled completely before you put the meat in. Make sure you are using a non-reactive pot, like stainless or enamel, or plastic sealing bag to brine in. I use a large enamel stock pot. Put the brisket down in the brine and weight it down to make sure it stays completely submerged in the brine. I use a plate. The larger the cut of meat the longer it needs to brine. A whole brisket will take 4 weeks. Since I'm doing the other half of the brisket from Thanksgiving I just leave it to brine for the 4 weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
There are several methods for cooking the corned beef. Last year I slow simmered it in clean water, not the brine water, until it was tender. You can roast it in the oven, grill it or smoke it (becomes pastrami). Cooking low and slow in the key to making it tender though. 250 - 275*F on indirect heat until internal temp is ~190*F.
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I think you skipped a step there.
I bet you can figure it out. If not, you deserve what you get. You're one of those people that leaves the labels on your hair dryer warning you not to use it in the tub, aren't you?
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My Menu....
Roasted Turkey
Giblet gravy and clear/strained gravy (some folks like gravy without anything in it)
Cornbread stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Corn off the cob
Creamed peas (Mom's recipe)
Candied yams casserole
Cranberry sauce (everyone in my family likes the jellied canned version you can slice)
Rolls & butter
Iced tea
Pumpkin pie & whipped cream
Pecan pie
Last couple of years I have added a Spinach Boudin casserole side dish with cayenne that I really like.
This is probably a stupid question, but your "clear" gravy, is it actually clear or are you just saying you take all the turkey shit out of it?
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This is probably a stupid question, but your "clear" gravy, is it actually clear or are you just saying you take all the turkey shit out of it?
I just strain the giblets out of it and serve it in a separate bowl. My parents both preferred it that way and a couple other folks do too. That's ok though. More for me.... since I love the giblets gravy!
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I bet you can figure it out. If not, you deserve what you get. You're one of those people that leaves the labels on your hair dryer warning you not to use it in the tub, aren't you?
No, and I've never forgotten to peel the apples when making an apple pie either.
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No, and I've never forgotten to peel the apples when making an apple pie either.
:laugh:
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No, and I've never forgotten to peel the apples when making an apple pie either.
You have to peel em? (I ain't no Betty Crocker)
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You have to peel em? (I ain't no Betty Crocker)
You don't have to, but if you're going to it's wise to do so before you core and slice them and set them in the pie crust. Or so I've heard.
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All sides are yummy
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We're going to my sister's for turkey this year and taking a sweet potato pie and a butternut squash dish (haven't decided how I'm fixing it). After the turkeyfest, we'll be having friends over for beef tenderloin.
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You don't have to, but if you're going to it's wise to do so before you core and slice them and set them in the pie crust. Or so I've heard.
(https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/42d087ac-8eaa-4b39-9d05-27b3982ee583_1.eafdc9f90f07bd21d087a7d7578bf577.jpeg)
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All sides are yummy
There's no way you would say that if you've ever tasted greenbean casserole or my cousin's wife's broccoli casserole.
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There's no way you would say that if you've ever tasted greenbean casserole or my cousin's wife's broccoli casserole.
I made greenbean casserole for the first time in my life a couple of years ago at Thanksgiving. It was awful. Too bland and really 'not good'. And I stuck to the recipe religiously. I think I ended up throwing most of it out (never again). I like some zest and spice in my sides!
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(https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/42d087ac-8eaa-4b39-9d05-27b3982ee583_1.eafdc9f90f07bd21d087a7d7578bf577.jpeg)
You know what would be really embarrassing? If I forgot to peel the apples AND I forgot I had one of those. Yeah, that would be bad.
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I made greenbean casserole for the first time in my life a couple of years ago at Thanksgiving. It was awful. Too bland and really 'not good'. And I stuck to the recipe religiously. I think I ended up throwing most of it out (never again). I like some zest and spice in my sides!
I love green beans and I love mushroom soup, but the two should never mix. Ever.
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You know what would be really embarrassing? If I forgot to peel the apples AND I forgot I had one of those. Yeah, that would be bad.
Hah, that sounds like something I would do. I defense, if you only make apple pie at yearly holidays it's easy to forget you have stuff like that.
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I love green beans and I love mushroom soup, but the two should never mix. Ever.
Agreed. It's an unholy alliance.
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On Fox 26 this morning they showed cooking smothered green beans.
Starting with browning a mess of sliced smoked sausage.
Then adding a good layer of 1 inch or so chunked potatoes.
After the potatoes were done, piling on around a pound of green beans.
Add some water to steam and spice with Tony Chachere.
The tv was on in the background. I may have missed some.
Like onion and garlic.
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On Fox 26 this morning they showed cooking smothered green beans.
Starting with browning a mess of sliced smoked sausage.
Then adding a good layer of 1 inch or so chunked potatoes.
After the potatoes were done, piling on around a pound of green beans.
Add some water to steam and spice with Tony Chachere.
The tv was on in the background. I may have missed some.
Like onion and garlic.
Meh, all you need is bacon, salt and pepper.
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I love green beans and I love mushroom soup, but the two should never mix. Ever.
I totally agree.
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During cooking leave a pan of beer on the grill over one of the burners. Refill as necessary during the entire cooking.
Riiiight... Pour half a can into the pan... What do you do with the rest?
15min later... pour an eighth of a can in to refill... What do you do with the rest?
Rinse repeat for hours...
Come out and see how I am doing...
Passed out on the ground and the grill burned down to nothing.
Happy friggin Thanksgiving...
:seeya:
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Riiiight... Pour half a can into the pan... What do you do with the rest?
15min later... pour an eighth of a can in to refill... What do you do with the rest?
Rinse repeat for hours...
Come out and see how I am doing...
Passed out on the ground and the grill burned down to nothing.
Happy friggin Thanksgiving...
:seeya:
LOL Lucky for everyone I hate beer. I got one of those huge cans of Fosters to use; I think it's like a half a keg or something. :laugh: