Thanksgiving Traditions

[TonyH]

Well, Thanksgiving is coming up in a few days and I'm headed back to my favorite restaurant to indulge in a gluttonous feast. I discovered a place here in Austin call Hudson's on the Bend last year, and their Thanksgiving dinner was so great we're going again this year. They've got all the traditional staples, fixed in very different ways.

I can't call it Thanksgiving without some form of turkey, stuffing, and sweet potatoes. Everything else is negotiable.

What about you folks? Anything out of the ordinary that your family likes to serve, or is it traditional only for you? What must you have and what can you do without?

I like it all!

 

[BlackAngus]

Turkey and stuffing here. I tried to start a new tradition with my folks and my brother's family last year by preparing a tenderloin roast. It was excellent, but it wasn't "Thanksgiving" enough, so back to turkey this year. It's traditional for my mom to make something called "Friendship cake" at Thanksgiving and Christmas, a kind of fruity bread that ferments for a month on her counter. It sounds awful, I know, but it's incredible.

 

[kap49]

Huge pile of chilled steamed shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce that is heavy on extra hot horseradish sauce which of course leads to Dogfish Head ales (local brew).
Only problem this year is that I despise farm raised shrimp, so will have to risk possible oil contamination.
Of course watching the Dallas Cowboys getting their clocks cleaned only enhances the whole ritual.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Our Family Tradition at Thanksgiving & Christmas is roasting fresh Chestnuts

Did you know that Fresh Chestnuts (there is some labor involved) are delicious and can be purchased from your local Grocery store (approximately $5.50 per pound for the extra Large size (30), and count on at least 1 ½ lbs per serving) and also ‘on the local economy’. They are a wonderfully sweet and nutty flavor that can't be replaced. Cooking and shelling the chestnuts can become a family activity as you prepare for your own holiday festivities.

On the other hand, if a little labor is not your forte, Chestnuts (pieces and whole) can also be purchased locally in the can already shelled, but great care must be taken to keep them from breaking up, because they have been boiled prior to canning and they can be quite soft.

So, you say you've never peeled a chestnut... and this may not certainly be something you may want to admit publicly (to your friends or family………..bet’cha your Grandparents know), so I’ll walk you through the process to make sure you look like an ‘old pro’ when you make your first attempt.

Included below are the ‘too easy’ instructions for you and/or family to try. Oh, by the way, if you haven't tasted chestnuts before, you surely won't be disappointed My advice is to make your Thanksgiving and Christmas extra special with this seasonal and delicious addition!

Roasted Chestnuts Step 1 – Picking First of all, the best way to tell if chestnuts are fresh is to hold them in your hand -- they should be firm and heavy for their size, with unblemished, shiny (rich brown color). Always pass up the ones that are blemished, smell moldy, look blotchy, feel light, or have pin-holes and have dull outer shells (like the one’s you used to pick up from yours or someone else’s yard…………..and have been on the ground for goodness known’s how long and they will taste ‘nasty’…….trust me on this.

Step 2 – The right Knife for the Job
* First, you'll need a knife to do the job. A small knife with a ‘hook’ is the best (a paring knife will do, but you must be very careful), or you can purchase a special Chestnut knife (about $20.00) that is available either locally on can be ordered ‘on the net’.

Step 3 - Cutting
* Score the nut with an ‘X’ on its flat side (to keep them from exploding during the roasting process). Why the flat side instead of the curved side? No particular reason besides it's easier that way and you're less likely to cut yourself in the process. You'll probably be able to tell when you've cut through the leather-like outer shell.

Step 4 - Roasting
* After the cutting process, our familiy Tradition is to put the nuts on a cookie sheet at home or a sheet pan at work and with a little bit of melted butter, sea salt and roast the nuts for about 25-30 minutes in a 350o degree oven until tender (insert a fork through the ‘X’ in shell to test for tenderness). Or, if you prefer the ‘old fashioned way’, you can put them in a special chestnut roaster (which can be purchased either locally or ‘on the net&#8217 and gently shake them over an ‘open fire’ for about 15 – 20 minutes. Once the Chestnuts have been roasted, the outer shell will open up by curling back and the ‘inner skin’ can be seen.

Step 5 - Peeling
* After roasting, the shell outer and inner skin can be easily removed with the ‘hooked’ knife and it takes only a few seconds to do the job, akin to removing a peanut from its shell.

NOTE: Please take care not to handle the nuts until they're cool enough (just warm) to handle safely because if they ‘cool’ too much………they’ll be harder to peel.

Now…………eat and enjoy

Christopher

 

[Spivey]

I have always had turkey, dressing and the lot. In Alabama, we eat smoked turkey with "white sauce." White sauce cannot be beat (on turkey, chicken AND dressing).

White Sauce
1 part white vinegar
2 parts Miracle Whip
lots and lots of black pepper.

This stuff is no joke.

Since moving to Texas, my wife and I have enjoyed breaking the Thanksgiving norms. This year (just like last year) I am smoking a pork shoulder.

We've had Moroccan and Indian food in past years, as well.

 

[TonyH]

I have always had turkey, dressing and the lot. In Alabama, we eat smoked turkey with "white sauce." White sauce cannot be beat (on turkey, chicken AND dressing).

White Sauce
1 part white vinegar
2 parts Miracle Whip
lots and lots of black pepper.

This stuff is no joke.

Now that's just crazy talk!

 

[Spivey]

Now that's just crazy talk!

Laugh it up, fuzz-ball. That stuff is just about the best sauce you'll ever put on a smoked bird.

 

[TonyH]

Laugh it up, fuzz-ball. That stuff is just about the best sauce you'll ever put on a smoked bird.

Fuzz-ball?!

That's it buddy.

You and me. Tomorrow. By the bike racks after lunch.

 

[TonyH]

Our Family Tradition at Thanksgiving & Christmas is roasting fresh Chestnuts

Did you know that Fresh Chestnuts (there is some labor involved) are delicious and can be purchased from your local Grocery store (approximately $5.50 per pound for the extra Large size (30), and count on at least 1 ½ lbs per serving) and also ‘on the local economy’. They are a wonderfully sweet and nutty flavor that can't be replaced. Cooking and shelling the chestnuts can become a family activity as you prepare for your own holiday festivities.

On the other hand, if a little labor is not your forte, Chestnuts (pieces and whole) can also be purchased locally in the can already shelled, but great care must be taken to keep them from breaking up, because they have been boiled prior to canning and they can be quite soft.

So, you say you've never peeled a chestnut... and this may not certainly be something you may want to admit publicly (to your friends or family………..bet’cha your Grandparents know), so I’ll walk you through the process to make sure you look like an ‘old pro’ when you make your first attempt.

Included below are the ‘too easy’ instructions for you and/or family to try. Oh, by the way, if you haven't tasted chestnuts before, you surely won't be disappointed My advice is to make your Thanksgiving and Christmas extra special with this seasonal and delicious addition!

Roasted Chestnuts Step 1 – Picking First of all, the best way to tell if chestnuts are fresh is to hold them in your hand -- they should be firm and heavy for their size, with unblemished, shiny (rich brown color). Always pass up the ones that are blemished, smell moldy, look blotchy, feel light, or have pin-holes and have dull outer shells (like the one’s you used to pick up from yours or someone else’s yard…………..and have been on the ground for goodness known’s how long and they will taste ‘nasty’…….trust me on this.

Step 2 – The right Knife for the Job
* First, you'll need a knife to do the job. A small knife with a ‘hook’ is the best (a paring knife will do, but you must be very careful), or you can purchase a special Chestnut knife (about $20.00) that is available either locally on can be ordered ‘on the net’.

Step 3 - Cutting
* Score the nut with an ‘X’ on its flat side (to keep them from exploding during the roasting process). Why the flat side instead of the curved side? No particular reason besides it's easier that way and you're less likely to cut yourself in the process. You'll probably be able to tell when you've cut through the leather-like outer shell.

Step 4 - Roasting
* After the cutting process, our familiy Tradition is to put the nuts on a cookie sheet at home or a sheet pan at work and with a little bit of melted butter, sea salt and roast the nuts for about 25-30 minutes in a 350o degree oven until tender (insert a fork through the ‘X’ in shell to test for tenderness). Or, if you prefer the ‘old fashioned way’, you can put them in a special chestnut roaster (which can be purchased either locally or ‘on the net’) and gently shake them over an ‘open fire’ for about 15 – 20 minutes. Once the Chestnuts have been roasted, the outer shell will open up by curling back and the ‘inner skin’ can be seen.

Step 5 - Peeling
* After roasting, the shell outer and inner skin can be easily removed with the ‘hooked’ knife and it takes only a few seconds to do the job, akin to removing a peanut from its shell.

NOTE: Please take care not to handle the nuts until they're cool enough (just warm) to handle safely because if they ‘cool’ too much………they’ll be harder to peel.

Now…………eat and enjoy

Christopher

Great post! I've always wanted to try this!

 

[Spivey]

Fuzz-ball?!

That's it buddy.

You and me. Tomorrow. By the bike racks after lunch.

 

[ouch]

My favorite Thanksgiving tradition occurs the day after, when I get to read Scotto's annual "What my mother-in-law did to my knife this year" thread.

 

[Scotto]

My favorite Thanksgiving tradition occurs the day after, when I get to read Scotto's annual "What my mother-in-law did to my knife this year" thread.

Hardy har-har.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Great post! I've always wanted to try this!

Thanx Tony
Take it from a Certified Executive Chef® (CEC&#174, you'll love Roasted Chestnuts and I would'nt dare 'stir' you wrong...
Christopher

 

[kellicat]

I like the chestnuts idea for Christmas.

For Thanksgiving, my family gets together with my mom's side. My dad is an only child and only his dad is living, so they both come to my mom's mom's house.

Turkey - deep fat fried and oven roasted
Sweet Potato Casserole
Mashed taters
buttered peas
some broccoli/carrot/raisin salad that is really good
green beans
sweet yeast rolls
crock pot apples
corn pudding fritter casserole
etc.
etc.
etc.
pumpkin/pecan/apple/chess pies

My husbands side of the family usually does something the day after when shopping is done for us girls.

I'm going to start a "Christmas traditions" thread in a couple weeks because I want to do things with our two girls that they'll always remember. Things like putting out reindeer food, visiting a food kitchen/hospice/children's hospital, doing the Operation Christmas Child boxes, etc. are all good ideas, and we do those things, but just looking for other ideas.

 

[BlackAngus]

My favorite Thanksgiving tradition occurs the day after, when I get to read Scotto's annual "What my mother-in-law did to my knife this year" thread.

I hear that...mine gets mangled every year. I bring my good carving knife (I'm in charge of carving the turkey, as I was a butcher at one time) and I have to keep my mother, grandmother, or aunt from using it to chop veggies.

 

[slickwillie]

the usual turkey, stuffing, mashed potatos, etc.. for me oyster stuffing cooked in the bird. for my son (39) homemade noodles, for my daughter (36) sweet potato cass with brown sugar, maple syrup and buried under marshmallows

 

[DFrancis]

Thanksgiving was over and done with a month ago, but traditionally I'm in charge of the turkey (brined) stuffing (bread with garlic onion and dried cranberries) mashed potatoes and yams. My wife takes care of the cranberry sauce from scratch, the veg (usually carrots and spaghetti squash) along with dessert. Yummm.

 

[_JP_]

A couple of things that has been traditional for us but is not common for many is a tall casserole of oyster stuffing, and Teddy Bear Bread. That's a common white bread that is baked in the shape of a round teddy bear. Everything else that we serve is traditional New England style eats for Thanksgiving.

 

[jsrdrnr]

For me it is Turkey, Dressing (not stuffing), Ham, Sweet Potatoes, and Maccaroni Pie!!! Have to have those, the rest is whatever. Oh and dont forget the cranberry sauce!!!

 

[Spivey]

I just put our pork shoulder in a brine for Thursday! I plan to smoke it tomorrow!