Comments on: Um, little help over here? …Guys?

By: Thanksgiving Roundup « gezellig-girl.com

Thanksgiving Roundup « gezellig-girl.com — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:10:15 +0000

[...] • I get some advice on pie and frozen turkey thawing. [...]

By: Alyce

Alyce — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 22:25:31 +0000

I’m a fan of small saucepan with the inner giblety bits, a carrot, quarter of an onion, celery stalk, bay leaf, couple of peppercorns and water or chicken stock to the top (maybe 4 cups?). I let that simmer for a couple of hours while the bird cooks and use that resultant liquid to make my gravy. Of course I also use a little white wine left over from the white wine/stock/butter that I’ve been basting the bird with to deglaze the roasting pan. I use the oily pan drippings and cook some flour to thicken it (sort of a roux). Delish!

I don’t care for pie, so I’ll vote for whatever floats your boat.

A small turkey like that will definitely thaw in time for Thursday. I’m with the gourmand about brining.

With the exception of Thanksgiving 1991 when my dad tried to BBQ the bird (charred beyond recognition; we had Burger King), it all works out in the end.

By: Robotic Gourmand

Robotic Gourmand — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:53:19 +0000

If it comes down to last minute with your walking bird you can always pull it from the fridge, chuck it in the sink (wrapper still on) and run cold tap water over it. Though I think you should be okay, come Thursday, by having it in your fridge now.

Are you planning on brining it and then letting it sit in the fridge, overnight, nekkid, until about 30 minutes prior to cooking time? That gives it great crispy skin once it’s cooked.

P.S. – For the gravy, I usually sautÃ© the giblets to get the brown bits at the bottom of my gravy pan. I’m not fond of eating guts but the fond they create makes for some tasty gravy.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:21:20 +0000

YOU TOTALLY RULE.

Seriously, thanks.

By: rachel

rachel — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:17:10 +0000

Are you baking the crust a bit before filling it? that helps pies from getting soggy. My mom always makes pies the day before.

We just leave the turkey/chicken on the cutting board when we eat just with us avoiding the whole plate thing all together.

You can make the gravey guts free. with guts is “giblet gravy” and without is just gravy.