What time are you serving Thanksgiving dinner and what time are you loading your bird on the cooker?

I always tell people to come at 1 and we eat somewhere between 2:30 and 4. Crudités and chilled shrimp go out at 1:30, garlic soup gets passed about 20-30 min before dinner, i.e., when the turkeys come out to rest--or whenever the last one does.

I do two, one out and one in. Usually they go in anywhere between 9 and 11 depending on sizes. I haven't started thinking of this year's dinner yet.

SO's mother gets sick if she eats after 3:00 p.m. so this year we're eating between 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. I'll put my birds on around 9:00 a.m. and tell those who want to enjoy Bloody Marys with me to be here between 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. The only thing better than my JD Maple Syrup bird are my Bloody Mary's

Traditionally we've always eaten around 8:00 p.m., this should be interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by LarryR:
SO's mother gets sick if she eats after 3:00 The only thing better than my JD Maple Syrup bird are my Bloody Mary's

OK, let's have it. Recipe and method, and I know you have a camera.

Good luck on your shift change.

Bill

quote:

and tell those who want to enjoy Bloody Marys with me to be here between 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Damn, that's a little early, but I'll try to be there before they run out. Please post the map to your house again.

Oh no, you're putting me on the spot and I've got to confess, I'm working on my second bottle of wine. While in college I bartended at night club that doubled as a sports bar on Sundays. I primarily worked Thur. - Sat. evenings but one Sunday one of the bartenders was sick (hungover) and couldn't make his shift so I covered for him. There was this old crusty guy who only tended bar on Sundays and he taught me how to make bloody mary's from scratch, honestly, some of the best you'll ever have. I don't measure so you're going to have to do some experimenting on your own:
1 1/2 oz per serving premium Vodka (I use Kettle One or Stoli)
Tomato Juice
Fresh lemon juice
Worchestershire Sauce
Prepared horseradish
Celery salt
Fresh ground pepper
Tabasco (to taste)
I combine all ingredients in a "shaker" with ice, shake vigorously then pour in glass with salted rim
Garnish with lemon slice, celery and chilled pawns (optional but awesome).

Tasty stuff!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LarryR,

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(I use Kettle One or Stoli)

Funny, I drink Ketel One or Stoli. And wine, and that's about it.

Nothing like a Bloody Mary early in the day.

Back in the day...I did a market role out for Ketel One. We did blind room temp taste tests with buyers (for retail outlets)...9 out of 10 picked Ketel. I was blown away.

My son is having TWO dinners(one with us and one with his girlfriends family). We are eating between 12 and 1 so my bird will go on about 8. And I'll be starting on the Budweiser Ales about dinner time! Good stuff!

Michele, you never said what time you are putting your bird on.

quote:

Originally posted by K Kruger:

quote:

(I use Kettle One or Stoli)

Funny, I drink Ketel One or Stoli. And wine, and that's about it.

Nothing like a Bloody Mary early in the day.

Love the Bloody Mary thing as well. My order of preference for Vodka is.
#1 is def Kettle One
#2 is Ciroc (very unique) made from grapes in France.
#3 is Belvedere, Poland

Try Zyr - if you can find it.

Never heard of Zyr, I'll have to check it out. Here's a pic of a little Larry juice from last Thanksgiving morning. **** that was a great way to start the day off.

quote:

Originally posted by K Kruger:
Try Zyr - if you can find it.

I found it, YEAH BUDDIE!!!, Nice

fired up the performer at 7:30am and the bird was put on at 8am. Nothing like the smell of apple wood in the morning

Still trying to decide. 19 pound pre-brined turkey from Trader Joe's. Eating at 4:00. Want to pull the bird no later than 3:15.

My thought was to put the bird on at 11:15 to allow up to 4 hours. Is that too early? I don't want it done before about 2:45 at the earliest. Maybe I should start at 11:30 instead.

I was planning on a cooking temp of 325 or so, starting with a dry water pan and a second water pan on the bottom rack to catch drippings.

Unfortunately I forgot to time the 17 pound practice bird I cooked two weeks ago! (I'm in California so it's only 8:00 right now)

Put mine on at 1:00 pm. Lazy, so I smoked a butterball.

As I am a new owner of the WSM (18.5"), and had not done a trial bird, and really don't know how to keep the temps up around 325 when ambient temps are in the 30s and winds moderate to strong, I found myself incapable of maintaining temps in the smoker.

Ended up with one hour in the WSM (from 200 to 325 briefly) and one hour in the Chargriller Pro (who knows? the thermometer on that thing is basically useless). Done (perfectly) after 2 hours. 14 lbs. Man, that was fast - and my thermapen doesn't lie - 170 in the breast, and way hot in the thigh.

Don't know how hot the barrel smoker was but I have always had turkeys done way early when grilling. And with the injected solutions, it really is hard to hurt the bird.

Wife was sure it was gonna be late... surprise!

Not complaining about the WSM, mind you, have had some great success with ribs and a brisket within the last coupla weeks.

Peter

quote:

Originally posted by Jim W.:
Still trying to decide. 19 pound pre-brined turkey from Trader Joe's. Eating at 4:00. Want to pull the bird no later than 3:15.

My thought was to put the bird on at 11:15 to allow up to 4 hours. Is that too early? I don't want it done before about 2:45 at the earliest. Maybe I should start at 11:30 instead.

I was planning on a cooking temp of 325 or so, starting with a dry water pan and a second water pan on the bottom rack to catch drippings.

Unfortunately I forgot to time the 17 pound practice bird I cooked two weeks ago! (I'm in California so it's only 8:00 right now)

Has anyone else tried the Trader Joe's BRINED turkey? Thoughts? Recommend?