The First Thanksgiving, Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, 1914 Posted on 10/31/2018 4:36:00 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
The First Thanksgiving, Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, 1914
When we were first married and hosting our first Thanksgiving dinner together, my husband and I salt-water brined our first Thanksgiving turkey. We were very pleased with the difference this made, and continued to do it. However, a few years ago we learned about the ‘Judy Bird’ - named after Judy Rodgers of the Zuni Cafe in San Francisco, who used the technique for chicken. This involves dry-brining the turkey in salt, and does away with the need to fill your refrigerator with a giant container of water right when you need that space the most. And it turned out amazing – the breast meat had the texture that chicken thigh meat usually does – and we have settled on this as our permanent approach.
Most brining instructions indicate that you should not do this with a Kosher or other pre-seasoned turkey; but I believe that in the past, some of the Freepers have indicated that they have brined Kosher turkeys with good results. I haven’t done it myself, but here, from ‘The Joy of Kosher’ is an article about it:
https://www.joyofkosher.com/holidays/how-to-brine-a-kosher-turkey/
and the link to Food52 for the ‘Judy Bird’ instructions:
https://food52.com/recipes/15069-russ-parsons-dry-brined-turkey-a-k-a-the-judy-bird
A recent King Arthur Flour newsletter featured pretty little brandied mince-meat tartlets; I love mince-meat pie, but if you aren't into it, I think you could do these easily with any pie-filling:
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/christmas-brandied-mince-tarts-recipe
Chef John of Food Wishes makes a cheddar/spring onion biscuit using the kind of folding technique used for puff pastry; and the biscuits look very good:
https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2017/03/irish-cheddar-spring-onion-biscuits.html
-JT
Sounds good to me :-)
Yowza.
No comment.
“Just let them simmer in boiling water till “squeezeable.””
You can also parcook potatoes by nuking them for 6-7 minutes.
So instead of clickable links, you won't be sorry if you use youtube search and look for turducken which looked like a lot of work for what? Until I saw a generous slice with stuffing plated up.
Then you might want to check out Chef John's Duck Rillettes spread on Crostini Dijonnaise (separate videos).
Finally Chef John's Scalloped Oysters. I made those a couple years ago and followed the recipe except had to use dried parsley. They were delicious but it was a little soggy in the middle so not so heavy there with oysters and cream. They don't work well heated up the next day but still good.
In the title it also says Oyster Stuffing. Only had that once, prefer traditional but the oyster version was a nice change and tasty.
Years ago Better Homes and Gardens magazine published à recipe for Oyster Rockefeller Stuffing. It was a family favorite until the box with the magazine that had the recipe was lost by the moving company that moved us from GA to NC. I wish I could find that recipe again!
ING 2-10 ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained 4 slices thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1 cup finely chopped shallots (8 medium) 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup Pernod 2 teaspoons dried chervil, crushed 10 cups dry sourdough bread cubes or use sturdy country white bread cubes 2 cups (pint) shucked oysters (28 large), drained and coarsely chopped 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 14 1/2 ounce can vegetable broth or chicken broth 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (2 ounces) Bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)
Directions Squeeze excess liquid from spinach; set aside. In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Add shallots and garlic to the reserved drippings. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until shallots are tender. Carefully add Pernod, stirring to scrape up any crusty brown bits. Stir in spinach and chervil.
FINAL In large bowl combine bacon, spinach mixture, bread cubes, oysters, s/p. In a small bowl combine broth, melted butter, and 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce. Drizzle broth mixture over bread mixture, tossing gently to moisten. Transfer to greased 3-quart rectangular baking dish.
Bake, covered, 350 deg 30 min. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 15 minutes more or until heated through. SERVE: with additional hot pepper sauce.
I'd like to try just making the stuffing with italian bread cubes rather than sourdough.
https://www.bhg.com/recipe/oysters-rockefeller-sourdough-stuffing/
I GIVE UP111111 I hate to try to type on a laptop lying down. You can google the keywords in the link that doesn't work and then click on images. Click one of the first ones then visit and it will take you to the recipe.
That is such a beautiful painting! Thank you for including it. I can’t wait to read this thread!!!
ING •2 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick on the diagonal •1 stick (1/4 pound) butter •1 cup walnuts halves
•About 9 ounces dried Calimyrna figs (2 cups whole figs) •1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
PREP Blanch carrots. Slice destemmed figs lengthwise into 1/4" wide slices then half widthwise (should have rounded cup sliced figs).
METHOD Melt 3 tb butter. When bubbling, add walnuts; cook/stir til toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove nuts with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Wipe skillet clean. Return skillet to medium heat and add remaining 5 tablespoons butter. When melted and hot, add carrots and cook, stirring and tossing, until almost tender and beginning to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in sliced figs and cook with carrots uncovered three minutes. Add toasted walnuts; cook until hot and the flavors mingle 3 minutes. Toss with chopped parsley. S/p as needed.
SERVE Pour into a warmed serving bowl and serve hot garnished with perfect fresh fig halves.
I’ll come up with something but we are moving during early to mid-November and I think this year we will be doing Thanksgiving in a restaurant. If our stuff doesn’t arrive on time, we may be doing it at a fast food joint because all my decent clothes are packed away!!
Julia Child advised cooking with “good” wine as she sipped her selection.
Pick a good brand and grape variety.
re: Oyster casserole - Oh that brought back memories! My grandfather grew up in St. Elmo, Illinois. Came south in the 1920’s and saw my grandmother and married her. :-) I don’t know if that’s where our oyster casserole tradition came from, but we always had that at Thanksgiving and Christmas when they were living. I don’t think I’ve ever made it.
Oyster stuffing is good too.
“I get so fed up with losing carefully edited posts that flip out just when I’m about ready to post.”
ME TOO! or I hit post once and it gets posted twice.
Hello everyone! How nice to see this thread, we do have so much to be thankful for this year. We love the dry brine and have been doing it every year for between 15 and 20 years. Always with a fresh bird, even though the bird gets smaller every year. We keep it simple on the side dishes, roast garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, small amount of stuffing baked outside the bird. Plus one naked plain red yam for me. We like the leftovers for turkey pot pie and turkey soup. It’s been just the 2 of us the last few years. When the leftovers seem too much I get my foodsaver out and vacuum seal a whole leftover meal for 2 in one bag, a little of everything. It works GREAT. Gravy at the bottom of the bag. I’ll enjoy this thread a lot. Best wishes to you all.
Too moist———the only wetness I like is lots of butter on the toast.
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