Thanksgiving for 10 . . . for Two


 
YYang

YYang

TVWBB Fan
I hope everyone had a delicious Thanksgiving holiday. I only had to cook for two this year (including myself), but you wouldn't be able to tell from the quantity of food.

Soft dinner rolls with barley malt syrup proofing:
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15 lb dry brined and smoked turkey:
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About 1.5 hrs into the cook, the breasts were 10 degrees apart from each other. The only explanation I can think of is that the wind was coming from one direction, and I had all three lid vents open. The cooler breast was on the windward side. I spread an even layer of lit coals all over the charcoal chamber, so I doubt there would have been a major hotspot.

The turkey was still juicy, though, and the skin tastes like bacon. In hindsight, I would have dry brined for 72 hours instead of 48.
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Here's the complete spread:
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Menu:
mashed potatoes
malty dinner rolls
green beans
cranberry sauce
gravy (camera shy)
smoked turkey
caramelized onion, sausage, apple and sage cornbread stuffing

May all your food comas wear off gently :)
Thanks for taking a look.
 
That is one gorgeous looking spread! Nice work all the way around! Care to share the recipe for the dinner rolls?

Rich
 
Rich G said:
That is one gorgeous looking spread! Nice work all the way around! Care to share the recipe for the dinner rolls?

Rich
Click to expand...

Thank you! Here's the recipe for the rolls:

All-purpose flour 420 g
potato starch 5 g (optional, but will make the rolls softer)
Barley malt syrup 30 g (can replace with 24 g granulated sugar)
room temp butter 60 g
scalded milk 290 g
salt 8 g
instant yeast 1/2 tsp (if available, use osmotolerant yeast like SAF Gold)

1. Scald the milk and let cool to lukewarm. Melt in salt and barley malt syrup.
2. Mix together flour, yeast and potato starch.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the dry mixture from step 2 with the wet mixture from step 1 until all dry ingredients are fully hydrated. At this point, let the shaggy mass of dough rest for 10 minutes, covered.
4. After resting, mix the dough on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until the dough has some elasticity.
5. Continuing to mix on medium speed, incorporate the butter a Tbsp or so at a time. Allow each pat of butter to absorb before adding more.
6. Continue to mix until the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and makes a slapping noise. You should be able to stretch it gently into a smooth, translucent "windowpane"
7. Let proof covered until doubled in volume, then de-gas the dough, divide, and shape into rolls. Mine were 40 grams each, but you can go larger if you want.
8. Place rolls in container, and let proof until at least doubled and nice and puffy.
9. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, and brush generously with soft butter as soon as they come out of the oven.

Notes:
*After step 7, you can cover the rolls and refrigerate them overnight or up to 2 days. Allow several hours to proof at room temperature.
 
YYang said:
Thank you! Here's the recipe for the rolls:

All-purpose flour 420 g
potato starch 5 g (optional, but will make the rolls softer)
Barley malt syrup 30 g (can replace with 24 g granulated sugar)
room temp butter 60 g
scalded milk 290 g
salt 8 g
instant yeast 1/2 tsp (if available, use osmotolerant yeast like SAF Gold)

1. Scald the milk and let cool to lukewarm. Melt in salt and barley malt syrup.
2. Mix together flour, yeast and potato starch.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the dry mixture from step 2 with the wet mixture from step 1 until all dry ingredients are fully hydrated. At this point, let the shaggy mass of dough rest for 10 minutes, covered.
4. After resting, mix the dough on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until the dough has some elasticity.
5. Continuing to mix on medium speed, incorporate the butter a Tbsp or so at a time. Allow each pat of butter to absorb before adding more.
6. Continue to mix until the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and makes a slapping noise. You should be able to stretch it gently into a smooth, translucent "windowpane"
7. Let proof covered until doubled in volume, then de-gas the dough, divide, and shape into rolls. Mine were 40 grams each, but you can go larger if you want.
8. Place rolls in container, and let proof until at least doubled and nice and puffy.
9. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, and brush generously with soft butter as soon as they come out of the oven.

Notes:
*After step 7, you can cover the rolls and refrigerate them overnight or up to 2 days. Allow several hours to proof at room temperature.
Click to expand...

Thanks! These are on my "to-do" list!

Rich
 
That's an amazing looking turkey and the slices say it's as good as it looks, excellent job on that cook
 
That dinner spread looks like it could be right out of House and Home magazine! Thanks for sharing. Thanks also for posting the recipe for the dinner rolls. Those are definitely on my list.
 
Hey, wife and I are only a stones throw away, so next year please keep us in mind.
Outstanding cook and pics!
 
Thanks for all the nice compliments. Last year I stuffed butter under the skin and put the bird in a convection oven. The thing came out looking like a calico cat with a rash. Isn't smoking a wonderful thing? It makes meat taste delicious and makes the cook look more competent. I've never been able to oven-roast a turkey to the same even russet shade.
 
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