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.
Edit of title required…
Normally I smoke a turkey, duck, or pork roast. But this year we have canceled Thanksgiving and probably will Christmas too. Just not enough funds to justify the cost of a big dinner for 3 people.
It’s just my mom and me, and neither of us is big on turkey. I found a recipe for pomegranate rosewater chicken thighs so we’re going to try that this year. Also not making a ton of sides. Salad, bread sticks, green beans and a pear walnut crumble for dessert
There’s some issue with the site, hopefully you can access it.
Haven’t tried it yet, but I’ve got the chicken marinating now.
We get char siu
Oh just the usual. I’m allergic to poultry so we just find some good pork. Do the stuffing with better than bouillon veggie broth, I just made way too much cranberry last night (you can never have too much cranberry it’ll last three days) I think we only have three kinds of potato this year