The food thread

carrots , celery , and onions ....

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For turkey stuffing?

Whatever floats your boat, as they say.

Celery and onion are a given but in my family, if it doesn't have stale bread, giblets, and the right herbs and spices in it, it isn't stuffing. I don't think I'd like it with carrot. They'd make it too sweet.
 
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Oh, somehow I missed the switch to stock.

I make gallons per year with all sorts of animals and the classic mirepoix combo always makes it into the mix, along with bay and black pepper corns.

Stock for dressing/stuffing? Have never done it, but the giblets sure impart their flavour, along with the onions, celery, and spices.
 
The next secret to cooking Thanksgiving dinner for a dozen or more is to make two birds! One the day before!!! That one is the larger bird and is cooked, sliced and prepped to be reheated the next day. The carcass makes the stock not just for the stuffing but also to ladle over the breast meat prior to serving.

The second bird is cooked the day of... And present for all to see a nice golden bird. That way no waiting for the bird to cool enough to be carved and great for slow carvers. Personally I remove the breast meat and use my electric food slicer.

The other technique besides brining is to run your fingers in from the cavity end and loosen the skin from the breasts. Then you put pats of butter in the newly made space.

Finally I do know one cook with a not well blended family. She makes stuffing for children and a slightly different one for old grouches. That version includes toasted happy weed. Never tried it!
 
I still have all my fingers from counting all the folks that got sick on the classic 1960's turkey stuffed and roasted. Not to say it is the be all and end all but I have little evidence that it is a serious health issue.

It isn't, if it is done right.

However, in an effort to do it right, many people end up overcooking the bird.

It isn't impossible to get right, but for many it is difficult. Also, in an effort to not overcook the bird, it is possible to end up with questionable stuffing.

Most err on the side of caution. It sounds like a lot of people simply opt to rule it out altogether and "stuff" a casserole dish. I am still considering this option but I wonder what my mother will say. 🙂

Note: I am no expert (my questions make that obvious) but I feel like I at least understand the issues and challenges, after eating about 90 or so turkey dinners (2 per year since I was able to chew) and reading as much as I have in the past 3 days.
 
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toasted happy weed


Well there's an idea. One could put the weed directly in the stuffing, or for that matter the edibles sold in the government store around here (completely legal no doctor's note required) are these little gelatinous cubes which I bet would dissolve in gravy. Still, even in these isolated times I wouldn't want to make consumption mandatory even for our tiny group. I bet my 88 year old mother would like it though.
 
who doesn't love bacon?

This is what my saucepan looks like after cooking breakfast. At least it's in the pan and not my arteries.

We had two of the grand-daughters for an "overnite" -- they ate 3/4 pound of bacon between the two of 'em for breakfast.

As a winter treat I make a cassoulet once-per-year. This year I cooked the white beans (tarbais) with "ventreche" instead of lardon. Honestly couldn't tell the difference except in the wallet area.
 
Two strips of Bacon is normal for me.

No bacon today, although it is Monday so it would have been Oatmeal with Crasins and walnuts. I am on a liquid diet in preparation for a medical procedure tomorrow.

Two turkey breasts are in the smoker at 200F, will crank it up another 25F in 15 minutes.