Countdown to Thanksgiving Tips


 

Chris Allingham

Administrator
Staff member
I've been posting a Thanksgiving tip, article, or recipe each day on Facebook and Twitter. If you're not following TVWB, please do so!

http://www.facebook.com/virtualweberbullet
http://www.twitter.com/virtualweber

To help you catch-up, here's what I've posted each day so far this month.

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28 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Use a good, sharp carving knife. It’s safer to cut with a sharp knife than a dull one, and your slices will look better, too. Or, dig out that electric carving knife from the back of the kitchen cabinet. They do a great job of evenly slicing turkey breast. And brush-up on your kitchen knife safety skills with this helpful PDF: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/article/51/knife-safety-tips.html

27 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: You never want to grill or barbecue your FIRST turkey on Thanksgiving Day in front of family & friends. Talk about PRESSURE! Instead, buy a practice turkey for an early test run. You can eat some now and freeze the rest for later. https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey-selection-preparation/

26 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: This is probably the easiest and most foolproof way to cook a turkey in the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. Best of all, it requires no attention to the cooker's temperature. https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/whole-turkey-self-basting/

25 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: What would Thanksgiving be without mashed potatoes? Here are 5 ways to upgrade your mashed potatoes this year. https://tvwbb.com/threads/five-ways-to-upgrade-mashed-potatoes.46090/

24 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: You can't have turkey and mashers without GRAVY! Here's a recipe that's a favorite with TVWBB members. https://tvwbb.com/threads/all-purpose-gravy-from-almost-nothing-cooks-illustrated.15405/

23 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Here's a great Thanksgiving read...simple, foolproof classic recipes and new takes on old standbys. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400069912/?tag=tvwb-20

22 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Why not add spiral-sliced ham to your Thanksgiving menu? It's simple using the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker! https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/spiral-sliced-ham/

21 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Cornbread is a staple on many Thanksgiving tables. Here's a recipe for one of the best--sour cream cornbread--plus a few more for your consideration. https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cornbread/

20 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: It may not be the best turkey carving video, but it gets the job done, and it's not overly verbose. In fact, no dialogue at all!

19 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Ever wondered where the tradition of breaking the wishbone comes from? http://mentalfloss.com/article/31579/why-do-we-wish-turkey’s-wishbone

18 Day 'Til Thanksgiving: Apple Brined Turkey...one of our most popular recipes over the years! https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/whole-turkey-apple-brine/

17 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Got turkey questions? We've got turkey answers! Visit the Turkey Talk forum on The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board! https://tvwbb.com/forums/turkey-talk.81/

16 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Have you tried Butterflied Turkey? All you need is a good pair of kitchen shears. https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/butterflied-turkey-salted/

15 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Can you brine a turkey that's already enhanced, like a Butterball? Why yes, you can. Read this testimonial. https://tvwbb.com/threads/breaking-the-brining-rules.31738/

14 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Five delicious recipes for turkey stuffing. https://tvwbb.com/threads/stuffing-for-turkey.25019/

13 Days 'Til Thanksgiviing: Does tryptophan really make you sleepy--and is turkey to blame? Experts set the record straight. https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-tryptophan#1

12 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: If you only like the white meat, why not barbecue just the white meat? https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey-breast-bone-in/

11 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Rinsing a turkey before cooking is no longer recommended. This article from the USDA explains why:

This video from New Mexico State University illustrates what happens when you do:

10 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Award-winning Keri's Yeast Rolls...heavenly! https://tvwbb.com/threads/keris-yeast-rolls-1st-place-ok-state-fair-2002.26394/

9 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Time to start planning for dessert! How about Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake? https://tvwbb.com/threads/pumpkin-ginger-cheesecake.9054/

8 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: This recipe goes back 13 years, but it's a good one! Honey brined and air dried for better skin! https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/whole-turkey-honey-brine/

7 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Can a "natural turkey" be injected with salt and spices "to enhance tenderness and juiciness"? Unfortunately, yes. Read this post to learn how to identify turkeys that are not enhanced. https://tvwbb.com/threads/buyer-beware-natural-turkey-may-be-injected.26456/

6 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: If your turkey is still in the freezer and you intend to thaw it in the refrigerator over several days, you need to start thawing it this weekend! https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey-selection-preparation/#thawing

5 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Don't carve the turkey breast on the bone! Remove it whole, then slice across the grain, as described in this article and video. https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey-selection-preparation/#carving

4 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Here's a transcript of the Twitter Turkey Chat with @KevinsBackyard and @VirtualWeber from November 19. Lots of great questions and answers! https://tvwbb.com/threads/turkey-chat-on-twitter-11-19-7pm-ct.46732/post-503271

3 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: Is pink turkey meat safe to eat? It depends on the internal temp of the meat. Read more... https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey-selection-preparation/#pink

2 Days 'Til Thanksgiving: For juicier meat, allow your cooked turkey to rest 20-30 minutes before carving. https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey-selection-preparation/#resting

1 Day 'Til Thanksgiving: Some final Turkey Day tips! https://tvwbb.com/threads/1-day-til-thanksgiving-final-turkey-tips.47065/

Thanksgiving Day: It's Thanksgiving Day! Our tip for today: Give thanks for all the good people and good things in your life! Enjoy the turkey, have a slice of pie, and spend some quality time with family and friends!

1 Day After Thanksgiving: Last tip, I promise. Looking for great leftover turkey ideas? Members of The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board have got you covered! https://tvwbb.com/threads/ideas-for-leftovers.47066/
 
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Thanks Chris this answered a lot of questions. It's been 20+ years since I smoked a turkey on a kettle, but with all I've learned since joining this forum I know it's going to be a sucess and a whole lot better.
 
this is the FIRST time I've seen this thread... soo cool!
Chris, I'd like to spend Thanksgiving Day at your house this year!
 
Enabler!

I just looked at the first countdown point, I treat all my friends and family to new menu items and/or recipe techniques, like I said to someone on a different thread, “No guts, No glory!”
I have found that I tend to go out on a limb more when it’s just close friends that have learned the “Tim said five, that means cocktails for an hour and a half before we eat.” rule around my house.
It’s always fun, my buddies are pretty interested in the methodology I employ and, no one goes home hungry!
 
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Enabler!

I just looked at the first countdown point, I treat all my friends and family to new menu items and/or recipe techniques, like I said to someone on a different thread, “No guts, No glory!”
I have found that I tend to go out on a limb more when it’s just close friends that have learned the “Tim said five, that means cocktails for an hold it and a half before we eat.” rule around my house.
It’s always fun, my buddies are pretty interested in the methodology I employ and no one goes home hungry!

Well, more power to ya! But 99 out of 100 folks are looking for less stress on Thanksgiving Day, not more. Doing a practice turkey on the WSM if you've never done one before continues to be my #1 piece of advice and I'm sticking to it. :D
 

 

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