Thanksgiving 2012 Starting Early

[HSTFixed]

Roasting a whole rack of pork this year. Got it in brine today. I"ll take it out tomorrow and let it sit uncovered in the fridge for the remainder of the time until Thursday morning. The goal and reason for doing that is to have it totally dry by the time I roast it. Dry exterior=excellent browning and a good crispy roast. Make sure you temper your roasts everybody. Get them out of the fridge a few hours before they go in the oven.

Quite the hunk of meat.


Yes.




Again, Yes.


Rack and Loin


Brined. Thyme. Peppercorns. Honey. Garlic. 1oz salt for every 20oz water.


Happy Fridge


Seasoned up loin chops for dinner tomorrow.



Life is good.

[maunahaole]

You think any of us slobs can throw it down like you? That looks good, even before it gets cooked...shows finished product!

[HSTFixed]

I will most definitely be keeping everyone updated on the process and the outcome.

[caleb]

Good start. I'm looking forward to seeing the outcome.

[Too Tall]

Tday and counting ;)
Traditional meals call for a mostly expected menu. I'd find it very disappointing not to have all the family standards on our table however I just scored a 10 lbs. Hubbard squash. I'm digging carmelized squash with a hint of sweet for this time of year.
Talk to me about your plans for sides this year.

[Tom]

Mains: Cornish hens with maple cranberry glaze.

Sides: 'Wild' mushroom/leek/gruyere gratin. Pan stuffing, pretty conventional - apples, cherries, cremini, nuts, bread etc etc. Steamed green beans and carrot slivers in a kind of cilantro/cumin sort of pesto-ish glop. Continuity? We don't need no stinking continuity.

Pies, of course, nothing fancy but pecan and pumpkin and ice cream.

Various Ommegang products, probably the Calera pinot noir we got last year and my mother in law has a Riesling that is surprisingly good that she's bringing over.

[Chance Legstrong]

just the 2 of us

Bacon herb butter turkey breast
Roasted beets, carrots, and brussel sprouts w/fresh thyme
Mashed sweet potatoes
Spiced cranberry sauce
Scratch crust apple pie topped with homemade salted caramel ice cream

Dirty martinis for pre-game (cooking)
Wine

naps

I hope everyone has a wonderful and delicious day!

[znfdl]

Tday and counting ;)
Traditional meals call for a mostly expected menu. I'd find it very disappointing not to have all the family standards on our table however I just scored a 10 lbs. Hubbard squash. I'm digging carmelized squash with a hint of sweet for this time of year.
Talk to me about your plans for sides this year.

PLease make a hubbard squash soup and give me a call.

[Too Tall]

PLease make a hubbard squash soup and give me a call.

Agreed, that really is the best served with a drizzle of marcella and a dollop of chipolte creme. Woops there I go again ;)

[caleb]

A week ago we hosted my parents for early Thanksgiving. The menu was standard: turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted root veggies, dressing, and gravy.

Thanksgiving proper is at my in laws where I usually have no responsibility other than drinking beer and watching football.

Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend we always have a "Friendsgiving" that involves mass cooking and cab rides home. It's perfect. This year I'm responsible for lefse, lingonberry sauce, and the last of the garden brussel sprouts with thyme and rosemary.

[Shinomaster]

I might make a meatloaf this year with mashed potatoes and gravy! Anyone have a good "gourmet" recipe? My mom made me one in college that had herbs and grated potato as a binder. It was awesome.. I'm done make turkey for just one person. I'm not a fan of the traditional ketchup on top fwiw.

[maunahaole]

Mrs. Haole has been experimenting with ground turkey meatloaf. She did one with kimchee spices in it. Other stuff too, not sure what - I can find out if you want to know. The kimchee spice works well with the black hole of flavor that is ground turkey. You may need to hit the asian grocery to find the spice packs. Otherwise LMK and I'll send you some.

[Too Tall]

Raising my hand here. End of season brassicas are the best.

A week ago we hosted my parents for early Thanksgiving. The menu was standard: turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted root veggies, dressing, and gravy.

Thanksgiving proper is at my in laws where I usually have no responsibility other than drinking beer and watching football.

Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend we always have a "Friendsgiving" that involves mass cooking and cab rides home. It's perfect. This year I'm responsible for lefse, lingonberry sauce, and the last of the garden brussel sprouts with thyme and rosemary.

[Shinomaster]

Mrs. Haole has been experimenting with ground turkey meatloaf. She did one with kimchee spices in it. Other stuff too, not sure what - I can find out if you want to know. The kimchee spice works well with the black hole of flavor that is ground turkey. You may need to hit the asian grocery to find the spice packs. Otherwise LMK and I'll send you some.

Awesome, but I have some ground beef my girlfriend's dad raised and it's super yummy. No Turkey this year.. Or I might braise some chuck with red wine etc..

[dang]

I started early because the wife's birthday was Tuesday. Her parents flew in that afternoon to stay through thanksgiving. Her daddy likes the steak.

The heavy blast from the past: The PC Costco had prime top sirloin stakes, flap off, no bone, beautifully marbled, at 7.99/lb. Seared in a hot pan, finished in a warm oven. Sauteed shitake and little portabella mushrooms in garlic butter with fresh thyme, s & p, then added to the fond while the steaks settled and added port. Creamed spinach with shallots and a little parm-reg (is the health theme beginning to come through?). Store bought desserts -- a large chocolate torte, surrounded by assorted macarons (from Paul, near the office), and chocolates from Vermont (where she clerked long ago). A catholic wine choice -- Clementin from C. Pape Clement -- helped it all go down easy, but didn't make me feel absolved of much of anything, perhaps because I'm not actually Catholic.

[Too Tall]

New sidedish, Zucca. Around here the idiots throw away perfectly good Hubbard squash which is used for decoration. Imagine that? This is what a 10 lbs Hubbard looks like after liberation.

*Caramelized in EVO with cinnamon, parsley, sliced garlic and cane sugar

[HSTFixed]

As the day went on Photography became less and less of a priority. These are the pics I did get. The pork was absolutely incredible. Best thanksgiving ever. Bellly braise\chickenstock\apple cider reduction was out of this world. Better than any gravy ever.

Vermont Cheese


Vermont Beer


out of the fridge at 11am


I think this will be good.



9# roast on the grill for 2 hours



Sliced and ready



Braised Belly


Stuffing mise


put it in here at 11am and forget about it till dinner's ready


Cabbage and Apples


Apple Crisp for dessert

[maunahaole]

I have no pics. I was too busy running around like a madman and thinking that I was on the verge of a stroke to stop to snap. Pretty sure the one of the guests has some, as he is from NYC and had never seen anything go down like this. We pretty much had folks calling uncle after pupus. My pal Chef Greg opened with several racks of bbq ribs, braised first and finished on the grill with a hoisin/shoyu based glaze. Fully outstanding. There were what Mrs Haole dubbed caprese sticks, a tomato, fresh basil leaf and ball of mozz. cheese on a toothpick. Baked bacon wrapped prunes. Deep fried bacon wrapped shrimp. Lots of poke.

We moved on to dinner. My friend's dad cooked a whole turkey in an imu. It came out nice and smoky and moist. I did a deep fried turkey and a rotisserie boneless leg of lamb. Lamb bathed in a red wine/onion/garlic/parsley/rosemary soup and was basted with that on the spit. I've done this multiple times and it is consistently good. I stuffed the cavity up with a mix of feta and some fresh oregano and rosemary from the garden for good measure. I dont even know what to say on the sides. Needless to say we had a 6' folding table packed end to end with tasty grub and we had a lot left over even after the 20 people here ate to bursting point. Lots of beer and wine. I have a food/booze hangover brewing right now.

[Shinomaster]

I have no pics. I was too busy running around like a madman and thinking that I was on the verge of a stroke to stop to snap. Pretty sure the one of the guests has some, as he is from NYC and had never seen anything go down like this. We pretty much had folks calling uncle after pupus. My pal Chef Greg opened with several racks of bbq ribs, braised first and finished on the grill with a hoisin/shoyu based glaze. Fully outstanding. There were what Mrs Haole dubbed caprese sticks, a tomato, fresh basil leaf and ball of mozz. cheese on a toothpick. Baked bacon wrapped prunes. Deep fried bacon wrapped shrimp. Lots of poke.

We moved on to dinner. My friend's dad cooked a whole turkey in an imu. It came out nice and smoky and moist. I did a deep fried turkey and a rotisserie boneless leg of lamb. Lamb bathed in a red wine/onion/garlic/parsley/rosemary soup and was basted with that on the spit. I've done this multiple times and it is consistently good. I stuffed the cavity up with a mix of feta and some fresh oregano and rosemary from the garden for good measure. I dont even know what to say on the sides. Needless to say we had a 6' folding table packed end to end with tasty grub and we had a lot left over even after the 20 people here ate to bursting point. Lots of beer and wine. I have a food/booze hangover brewing right now.

Sounds awesome. My beef bourguignon sorta looked like dog food but man was it ever tasty.

[Too Tall]

Woah. Amazing reports. What no desserts?