Preparing for Thanksgiving

[Jenise]

Jeff, I would! You can always add water back if you want a more dilute stock--but I doubt you would. I've had a pot on the stove now for ab out three hours, low simmer, lid off, just to take advantage of reduction.

Btw, yes we weren't home on Thursday, but yesterday a.m. we ran into town and shopped at Trader Joe's thinking I'd buy one of their pre-brined birds which most likely wouldn't be frozen, so I could roast it last night. And indeed, they did and I did. My expectations were low thinking their brine would be somewhat equivalent to the "natural flavorings" touted by the typical grocery store bird, but NO! None of that, nor was there excess salt or any other over-compensation--flavor was very pure, and meat moisture excellent in a way that came across as completely natural. I did not expect to be impressed, but in fact I couldn't have been more so.

[David M. Bueker]

Stock simmering now. Will turn it off at about 1 PM.

Wonder how many houses/garages were damaged by turkey fires this year?

Someone sent me a video clip of a guy doing the deep frying bit in a cauldron that was too full of hot oil and he was standing beside it dropping the turkey in while in bare feet.??????

[Jenise]

God knows, probably too many to count. (I personally know someone who burned down half their home with a fire started by deep frying a turkey on a wood deck, but it wasn't recent.) That said, the deep frying fad seems to have died out. At least, no one in my circle has mentioned doing this in a long time.

[Jenise]

Here are some fun factoids. From 2013, an article in The Atlantic:

For the last seven years, Texas has led the country in most grease- and cooking-related insurance claims on Thanksgiving Day, with 38,according to insurance company State Farm. The runner-up is Illinois, with 27 reports. Pennsylvania and Ohio are tied for third with 23, while New York trails them with 22 claims. South Carolina and Georgia tallied 16 claims each.

More cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year, according to State Farm data. More than a third start in a garage or patio. Each year, fire departments respond to more than 1,000 fires related to deep fryers. These blazes cause more than $15 million in property damage annually, not to mention serious burn injuries.

Most deep-frying mishaps are preventable. This year, State Farm enlisted Duck Dynasty's heavily bearded Si and Jase Robertson, experienced duck hunters, to outline in a video some safety tips for properly cooking turkeys in tubs of oil (last year, the honor went to William Shatner). "Hang on a minute and think before you fry," goes the motto. The tenets of deep frying: Thaw the bird completely, cook outdoors and away from anything flammable, and don't leave the appliance unattended while the turkey is frying.

Thankfully, the rate of frying accidents is cooling down. Cooking-fire claims declined from 66 in 2010 to 29 in 2012, which State Farm says is the lowest number of claims in a decade. The list of ingredients and foods that can be deep-fried, however, is only growing.

That said, the deep frying fad seems to have died out. At least, no one in my circle has mentioned doing this in a long time.

Maybe survival of thefittest (brightest)?

Frying a turkey in your garage because it is raining outside is not a move calculated to succeed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z497ADm1xhE

Jeff, I would! You can always add water back if you want a more dilute stock--but I doubt you would. I've had a pot on the stove now for ab out three hours, low simmer, lid off, just to take advantage of reduction.

And, indeed, I did. By about half.

Btw, yes we weren't home on Thursday, but yesterday a.m. we ran into town and shopped at Trader Joe's thinking I'd buy one of their pre-brined birds which most likely wouldn't be frozen, so I could roast it last night. And indeed, they did and I did. My expectations were low thinking their brine would be somewhat equivalent to the "natural flavorings" touted by the typical grocery store bird, but NO! None of that, nor was there excess salt or any other over-compensation--flavor was very pure, and meat moisture excellent in a way that came across as completely natural. I did not expect to be impressed, but in fact I couldn't have been more so.

Good to know. I wonder if they carry turkey all year round?

[Jenise]

I'm guessing it's strictly a holiday thing, November-December. Maybe again around Easter, but I can't be sure.

[Jenise]

Jeff, just called Trader Joe's and asked the question: and the answer is no, it's strictly a Thanksgiving product. My store will run out "in about two days and that will be it until next November."

Jeff, just called Trader Joe's and asked the question: and the answer is no, it's strictly a Thanksgiving product. My store will run out "in about two days and that will be it until next November."

Oh, well. Thank you for investigating. (Enlightened self-interest, I'll assume!)

My fallback plan is to get a small turkey from my regular farmer place. It will have been frozen but it's still a fundamentally good bird.

[Jenise]

Those bones look like a paleontological exhibit. Is someone going to glue them back together?

Those bones look like a paleontological exhibit. Is someone going to glue them back together?

That was the idea and I certainly hope not.