[Sca-cooks] OOP - Turkey, again!

[Liadan]

Thanksgiving unusual? Well, I made mincemeat for pie yesterday for the
first time in my life.  I didn't realize the recipe would make two
gallons of the stuff!  I'm cooking for my sweetie's family for the first
time, and they asked for Mincemeat Pie.

I'm going to freeze the excess, but if anyone lives nearby and wants
some, let me know....

My son and I butchered two turkeys about 3 weeks ago. A friend of his
thought it would be cool to raise their own Thanksgiving turkeys this
year. But they didn't have the heart to do the dirty work.  So, for
butchering the two turkeys, they gave us one.

(Note: the following description is not for the squeamish.)

I have butchered many chickens in my lifetime, and I knew turkeys were
built similarly, only bigger. I took my turkey frying rig over to boil
water for scalding. My 6'4" son had decided to dispatch the turkeys with
his Katana (not my idea! I believe in quick, clean kills.) At first, he
couldn't figure out how to get the turkeys out of the cage.  The tom
kept pecking at his fingers. Did I mention these turkeys were HUGE?
Anyway, with some fuss, he dispatched the turkeys.  They were so big,
they wouldn't entirely fit into the fry rig. Unfortunately, any other
pot I had that was bigger around was also shorter.  So he ended up
having to dip the turkeys two times.  Once head first, then feet first.


Anyway, Mr. Tom is going into my smoker as soon as it comes up to
temperature.  I'm also making:

Roast turkey, bread/cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy,
broccoli-rice casserole, green beans seasoned with bacon and homemade
bread rolls. For dessert there will be mincemeat, pecan and pumpkin
pies, chocolate sheet cake and strawberry cheesecake.

As soon as the turkey is in the smoker, I'm making my pastry dough, so
it has time to chill thoroughly. I'll probably make bread today or
tomorrow and put it in the refrigerator.

I'll watch the Thanksgiving Day parade on Thursday morning, then put in
my tape of the original "Miracle on 34th Street."

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Liadan