My wife and I rarely cook turkey for Thanksgiving. This year we’re coming Cornish hens. In previous years we’ve cooked duck, leg of lamb, and rib roast. It’s not that we don’t like turkey, but there are lots of other things that I think I’d prefer eating.
Are you cooking something other than turkey this year? Or maybe preparing your turkey in a non-traditional way?
While I am smoking a medium bird, I’m also doing smoke hams (one for my diner one for the rest of my parents cuz we’re with the in-laws this year,)
It’s not nearly as much additional work being smoked, mind.
Also adding a mushroom stew for the veg head.
The ham will probably disappear and most the chicken goes into turkey sandwiches tomorrow/leftovers to take home.
I did think about doing a capon (castrated rooster,) which is somewhere between chicken and turkey in gaminess
(Edit to add, we’re planning on 10 adults plus their minions,)
That’s a good amount of food! But yeah, 10 people, so it makes sense. Don’t think I’ve ever had capon. I’d like to try that sometime.
the dark meat is great for chicken and dumplings. I’ll usually break it down because it’s about $5/pound here. (verse like $10 for 2 breasts…) so if you’re not needing the full bird for something, you can always re-freeze whatever you’re holding. And the chicken and dumplings are great for family meals. you can make most of it ahead of time, reheat and drop the dumplings when the family is ready to go.
It is a lot. but, the prep is spread out over several days, so there’s that. makes things manageable.
Spreading the prep out is key!
I’ll look around for capon here. I’m sure we’ve got it at a farmer’s market.
