Going with a non-standard Thanksgiving meal

[bradbn4]

I have did the turkey thing for years; up to the point my nose said - nope; baking a turkey is not a fun thing. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy turkey; just not the smell of turkey fat...

After my sensitivity to baking turkey happened, I went with the route of baked / fried chicken....

So now I think it is a time to shake things up, I keep going back and forth between my home made from dried beans - Western / spicy baked beans...or...split pea with ham.

I have sort of new Instant Pot do-hickey which I have used once for red beans....and see if what I can see. Because I have 100% of the fixings for split pea with ham, that is the route I will take.

Ham bone with chunks of meat on it
baby carrots, pealed
celery
good quality chicken broth
bay leaf
onion
a random amount of organic split pea - not sure how much - but more than enuff to do the job

I will do the classic glaze the carrots, celery, and onion before tossing it into the pot with real butter and go higgly piggly on any additional spices that look good.

As a side or alt main dish some white rice with equal amounts of stir fried veggies along with a roll of some sort. If desert is calling my name after that meal I will enjoy a baked apple pie.

I have not really figured out how sensitive the Instant Pot (ultra series) is, I will plug in about 60 mins for cooking at pressure and let it cool down for 60 mins before releasing the pressure.

So is anyone else having a non-standard thanks giving?

[Holger Danske]

It is standard T-giving fare in the HD house, and a ham for x-mas.

[Scanker19]

I’m going to Waffle House.

[Scanker19]

I have did the turkey thing for years; up to the point my nose said - nope; baking a turkey is not a fun thing. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy turkey; just not the smell of turkey fat...

After my sensitivity to baking turkey happened, I went with the route of baked / fried chicken....

So now I think it is a time to shake things up, I keep going back and forth between my home made from dried beans - Western / spicy baked beans...or...split pea with ham.

I have sort of new Instant Pot do-hickey which I have used once for red beans....and see if what I can see. Because I have 100% of the fixings for split pea with ham, that is the route I will take.

Ham bone with chunks of meat on it
baby carrots, pealed
celery
good quality chicken broth
bay leaf
onion
a random amount of organic split pea - not sure how much - but more than enuff to do the job

I will do the classic glaze the carrots, celery, and onion before tossing it into the pot with real butter and go higgly piggly on any additional spices that look good.

As a side or alt main dish some white rice with equal amounts of stir fried veggies along with a roll of some sort. If desert is calling my name after that meal I will enjoy a baked apple pie.

I have not really figured out how sensitive the Instant Pot (ultra series) is, I will plug in about 60 mins for cooking at pressure and let it cool down for 60 mins before releasing the pressure.

So is anyone else having a non-standard thanks giving?

Francis Approves of your non-Turkey decisions.

[Clint45]

Add a jar of chopped garlic and half a bottle of hot sauce.

[bradbn4]

Hmm, just thinking about the 9 wild turkeys that use to roost in the cotton wood tree in the back yard. I have never had wild turkey - the food or the booze. Every few years they move their favorite roost around and it can be fun to see them. Frances looks too good to be considered part of the butter ball family name. But all things considered; with that I voted sticker I might just have to re-consider both my voting choice, and what I should have on thanksgiving. Don't get me wrong; that is one heck of a good looking turkey.

If I want to go out; the "old" golden coral opened back up on Powers. Each time I have been by that area the place has been packed like crazy. They do offer to go packs if that is your thing.


Now if I could get Waffle house joint to play something from Colt Ford - as in the waffle house song, that might also be a good choice.

[eddiememphis]

The holiday is not about the meal.

It is about the gathering of friends and family while giving thanks for the good things in life.

One year we did Italian.There was a variety pastas and lasagnas.

I once showed up with 20 pounds of king crab legs and six pounds of 26/30 shrimp.

Most people cook turkeys as a whole bird. It looks good but not good for optimal flavor since all parts cook differently.

There are millions of articles written about why one should at least spatchcock a bird and it's better to cook each quarter individually.

Brines and marinades and smoking versus deep frying...

For me, the holiday is about standing around, talking shit and cracking jokes. Maybe have a beer or two with people I haven't seen since Christmas.

[TEAMRICO]

Sons home from school, just got back in from Vegas today for a family get away.
Cooking a turkey breast, ham and all the standard fair.
Over indulged in Vegas so not thinking of food until tomorrow!

Staying in allllllll day.

[BushMasterBoy]

I'm having filet mignon & baked beans. Pretending it is 1883 wild west chuckwagon style. Wash it down with corn squeezings.

[JohnnyEgo]

I love to cook, and Thanksgiving is my big show every year, so I still do the big production. But for Christmas for the last three years or so, we just make pizzas. It's fast, the kids love it, the clean up is low, and it frees up a lot of time to just hang out with family. So while I am going to stick with the traditional Thanksgiving menu for the foreseeable future, I do see the draw in mixing things up.