Thanksgiving Turkey Tips?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Totally agree.</p>

<p>Buy a natural turkey, not one shot up with corn oil or salt water. Brine it. Cook it breast down on a rack for the first hour or so. Use a piece of buttered or oil parchment paper on the rack to ensure that the skin doesn’t stick and tear when you flip it.</p>

<p>I always cook the stuffing in the turkey, and some extra in a bread pan.</p>

<p>A good make-ahead side is sweet potatoes: bake them in the oven until completely soft, then remove skins and mash/puree, adding a stick of melted butter and about 1/4 cup of bourbon or sherry for about 4 or 5 potatoes, some fresh grated nutmeg and S&P to taste. Turn into an oven-proof serving dish-- a souffle dish will do–and refrigerate covered. Heat–uncovered-- in the oven on the day.</p>

<p>For a nonfat alternative, add orange juice, a little grated ginger, about 1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon to taste with the S&P to taste, and grated orange and lemon rind instead of the butter and booze. You actually will not be able to tell that it has no butter.</p>

<p>If you put marshmallows on your sweet potatoes, you will be damned for all time. :D</p>

<p>I love the vegetables at Thanksgiving, and typically make at least 5 sides. Luckily, I also love leftovers. :)</p>

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<p>I swear by Butterball and follow theior instructions and have always loved the result. Easy, easy, easy!!!</p>

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<p>Yeah, but truth in advertising would require them to name it “Corn Oil Ball.” :)</p>

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<p>A simple yet elegant veggie side dish that I make for Thanksgiving:</p>

<p>Slice yellow squash in 1 to 1 1/2 inch circles. Carve out insides of circle so they look like napkin rings. Bundle and insert fresh green beans through hole. Place bundles in steamer and steam till tender crisp. Melt butter and mix with lemon juice and roasted gatlic. Place bundles on plattter, drizzle with butter mixture, sprinkle with toasted almond slivers and grated lemon zest. Very easy, looks and tastes great!</p>

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<p>Definitely have to concur with the brining fans. I have been brining for the past 2 years and have turned my H into a turkey lover! (I used to bake a turkey & a ham because he did not enjoy turkey.) Search on the Food Network website and you’ll find several recipes I like the one that uses oranges in the brine. Just reading this thread has made me desire turkey–maybe I’ll make one Monday for Canadian Thanksgiving . . .</p>