Let's Talk Turkey - Alternate Thanksgiving Main Dishes

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

For the Americans in the forum, is anyone having something OTHER THAN turkey for their main dish?  I expect a few people to have ham or tofurkey.  I know many Latin immigrants have tamalees.  I hear seafood is popular.  I have a coworker who BBQs lobster for Thanksgiving.

Any unusual main dishes planned for this year?

Edited November 22, 2022 by Vegas_nw1982

[samhexum]

1 hour ago, Vegas_nw1982 said:

Let's Talk Turkey - Alternate Thanksgiving Main Dishes

This should've gone here:

 

My sister will serve turkey, but I'll bet more of the BJs' Mac & Cheese will be eaten.  Does that count?

[Rudynate]

My father didn't really like turkey, so occasionally, on holidays, when one would normally have turkey, we would have an enormous uncured ham.  We would protest, but once we got a bite of that juicy, fatty roast pork, we stopped complaining.

I tried roasting a goose for  New Years and it was so tough is was inedible, although it had a nice meaty flavor.  I have read that goose needs to be seared at high temperature and then slow-roasted for hours at 200 degrees or so in order to be tender.  Sometime I will try it when I feel like investing in a goose.

[samhexum]

4 minutes ago, Rudynate said:

I have read that goose needs to be seared at high temperature and then slow-roasted for hours at 200 degrees or so in order to be tender.  Sometime I will try it when I feel like investing in a goose.

Why don't you take a gander at a recipe?

 😁😇😜😝 

[+ WilliamM]

I spent Thanksgiving 1968 in the field in Vietnam. There were some USO folks, including the asshole entertainer Georgie Jessel. We had free k rations and beer. I spent most of the day reading Thomas Mann short stories.

Lovely peaceful day 🌞

[jeezifonly]

For a great Thanksgiving gathering, I demand adherence to the Rules

Rule 1: Hands Washed after toilet *and before* touching food or dinnerware.

END of RULES

Bring what you want, (plus some extra, if able). First drink served, sit, “drink laugh eat share some” is the theme,  as we all give thanks.

Second drink Y’all know where the damn bar is

 

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

3 hours ago, WilliamM said:

I spent Thanksgiving 1968 in the field in Vietnam. There were some USO folks, including the asshole entertainer Georgie Jessel. We had free k rations and beer. I spent most of the day reading Thomas Mann short stories.

Lovely peaceful day 🌞

Thank you for your service

[Rudynate]

9 hours ago, samhexum said:

Why don't you take a gander at a recipe?

 😁😇😜😝 

That's how I found out.

[dbar123]

Last year we had a vegetarian guest for thanksgiving. We made Mushroom Wellington. It was a nice change of pace. We did make a Turkey a few days later though

[moothrough]

My minds in the gutter…. I thought we were ordering some men from Turkey in place of thanksgiving dinner.

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

8 hours ago, moothrough said:

My minds in the gutter…. I thought we were ordering some men from Turkey in place of thanksgiving dinner.

Yum!

[+ Charlie]

On 11/22/2022 at 7:14 AM, Rudynate said:

My father didn't really like turkey, so occasionally, on holidays, when one would normally have turkey, we would have an enormous uncured ham.  We would protest, but once we got a bite of that juicy, fatty roast pork, we stopped complaining.

I tried roasting a goose for  New Years and it was so tough is was inedible, although it had a nice meaty flavor.  I have read that goose needs to be seared at high temperature and then slow-roasted for hours at 200 degrees or so in order to be tender.  Sometime I will try it when I feel like investing in a goose.

My brother-in-law and his partner decided to roast a goose for Thanksgiving dinner one year when he was having several notable guests he wanted to impress. As his partner was carrying the heavy goose in to the dining room table, it slipped off the platter onto the rug. One wag at the table remarked to the partner, "I think your goose is cooked."

[RadioRob]

2 minutes ago, Charlie said:

My brother-in-law and his partner decided to roast a goose for Thanksgiving dinner one year when he was having several notable guests he wanted to impress. As his partner was carrying the heavy goose in to the dining room table, it slipped off the platter onto the rug. One wag at the table remarked to the partner, "I think your goose is cooked."

That’s just fowl. 

[mike carey]

9 hours ago, RadioRob said:

That’s just fowl. 

You should duck for cover after making that remark!

[RadioRob]

1 hour ago, mike carey said:

You should duck for cover after making that remark!

Only a quack would do that.  

Getting back on topic...  I'm going to be traveling most of today.  I'm headed to the airport at noon and will have a connecting flight on my way down to FLL.  So *my* Thanksgiving meal will be spent in either the Centurion Lounge.  It will be interesting to see what's on tap today.  

[Redwine56]

On 11/22/2022 at 1:48 PM, WilliamM said:

I spent Thanksgiving 1968 in the field in Vietnam. There were some USO folks, including the asshole entertainer Georgie Jessel. We had free k rations and beer. I spent most of the day reading Thomas Mann short stories.

Lovely peaceful day 🌞

@WiliamM - I'm glad you made it out of there safe and sound.  Thank you for your service.  I'm sure you have plenty of stories to share, not all pleasant but least of which is whether the turkey or ham is cooked to perfection for Thanksgiving.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

[Luv2play]

15 hours ago, RadioRob said:

Only a quack would do that.  

Getting back on topic...  I'm going to be traveling most of today.  I'm headed to the airport at noon and will have a connecting flight on my way down to FLL.  So *my* Thanksgiving meal will be spent in either the Centurion Lounge.  It will be interesting to see what's on tap today.  

My favorite memory of Thanksgiving dinner in America was in 2000 in Ft. Lauderdale hosted by an American gay couple who loved to entertain large crowds and did so magnificently. We were about 26 or 30 so and seated around their large outdoor space around a patio with some cover as I remember it. 

The dinner was elaborate and delicious. There were party favors and plenty to drink and good fellowship. It was a new century and no war, relatively prosperous and hopeful times. 

[+ poolboy48220]

Not thanksgiving, but one year my sister broke with our turkey tradition for Christmas and made Apple Walnut Chicken. I was picking up my other sister and her husband from the airport. Their flight had many many delays so the family was at my sisters house for hours until they touched down and we got to the house. After opening presents, my older sister announced that since "everyone" had been filling up on hors hors d'oeuvres, she was going to skip dinner & put the chicken away for another day. My travelling sister, her husband and I didn't get anything.  My mother was aghast, but as is my family's way, she said nothing and we complained about it later. 

[handiacefailure]

My Italian neighbors across the hall made Lasagna 

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

3 hours ago, handiacefailure said:

My Italian neighbors across the hall made Lasagna 

A relative of mine married an Italian, and she always made lasagna for Thanksgiving, too

[samhexum]

On 11/25/2022 at 8:23 AM, poolboy48220 said:

After opening presents, my older sister announced that since "everyone" had been filling up on hors hors d'oeuvres, she was going to skip dinner & put the chicken away for another day. My travelling sister, her husband and I didn't get anything.  

 

[alrajee]

It's either ham or duck in my Thanksgiving table, and whenever it's my turn to host, I make it a point to tell everyone that.

I find turkey to be underwhelming for the amount of effort. I made it once and never thought to do it again.

(My friend threw a traditional Friendsgiving over the weekend. I went for the turkey leg and filled up on the sides.)

Edited November 28, 2022 by alrajee
Added more to the answer.

[+ DynamicUno]

On 11/25/2022 at 8:23 AM, poolboy48220 said:

Not thanksgiving, but one year my sister broke with our turkey tradition for Christmas and made Apple Walnut Chicken. I was picking up my other sister and her husband from the airport. Their flight had many many delays so the family was at my sisters house for hours until they touched down and we got to the house. After opening presents, my older sister announced that since "everyone" had been filling up on hors hors d'oeuvres, she was going to skip dinner & put the chicken away for another day. My travelling sister, her husband and I didn't get anything.  My mother was aghast, but as is my family's way, she said nothing and we complained about it later. 

That would be my cue to pointedly head to the front door and announce that we would be decamping to the nearest Waffle House for better company and hospitality.  Older sis can suck an egg.

[pubic_assistance]

On 11/22/2022 at 1:59 AM, Vegas_nw1982 said:

For the Americans in the forum, is anyone having something OTHER THAN turkey for their main dish?

You have two choices on the holidays.

Follow the tradition or don't.

You don't like turkey ..then make what ever you do like.

Doesn't matter at that point. 

[BSR]

On 11/26/2022 at 11:06 PM, Vegas_nw1982 said:

A relative of mine married an Italian, and she always made lasagna for Thanksgiving, too

You don't have to be Italian to have lasagna for Thanksgiving.  Mom & I used to roast a duck because a big turkey for only 2 people is just silly, but for whatever reason we felt like lasagna this year, so that's what we had.  We did have ginataang mais (sweet corn rice pudding made with coconut cream+milk) and ube ice cream because those are our favorite Filipino desserts.