Countdown to Thanksgiving Tips


 
Chris Allingham

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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Timothy F. Lewis said:
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!
Click to expand...

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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