Saturday Feast

[Aawa]

Well I had to work Thanksgiving day and the day after Thanksgiving.  So I decided to do a Thanksgiving meal on Saturday, for myself, roommates, and a couple friends from out of town.  It ended up turning into 20 people coming over since my roommate had family from out of town here also.

I put out a smoked cheese platter (smoked gouda, colby jack, swiss, and cheddar) with some crackers and pepperoni and salami, a fruit tray of pineapples and cantelope, and some abt's for the Virginia vs Virginia Tech game.


While watching the game I did the PatioDaddio turkey brine on a turkey and a chicken (chicken not pictures)  I also saw 2 bottom round roasts that looked really good, so I did those up for roast beef.  I also made some roasted garlic mashed potatos, butternut squash biscuits, cornbread and sausage stuffing, and SmokinJohn's smoked mac and cheese.

Turkey was brined then rubbed with salt, pepper, granulated garlic powder, sage, thyme, rosemary.  I stuffed a layer of butter under the skin to help in the moisture process.   Smoked on my UDS at 325 for approximately 3 hours.  Also did a chicken that was not pictured.
Right off the smoker.


After it rested and getting ready to be carved up.




Deconstructed turkey.  I like cutting up birds this way as opposed to carving.   My dad would do this to all poultry he would served and I love the way it looks and gives access to all pieces nice and easily.


Did the roast beef up on my kettle.  Rub is salt, pepper, granulated garlic powder, and rosemary.


The spread.  I made the butternut squash biscuits, broccoli salad, cornbread and fatty stuffing, smoked mac and cheese (i forgot to sautee up the breadcrumbs in butter before adding to the top of the mac and cheese), roasted garlic mashed potatos, turkey giblit gravy, and homemade cranberry sauce.  My roommates family brought over some dinner rolls, cornbread fritters, roasted potatos, and some pf changes fried rice and noodle.s


Overall it was a great success.  I fed 13 adults and 7 children and had plenty of leftovers.  All the dishes I made except for the broccoli salad and cranberry had at least 1 component that saw the inside of my Weber performer or my UDS.  My roommate's family were in shock that I could cook a meal this size, let alone one that rocked.  The look on their faces when they tasted the turkey and roast beef alone was the worth it.  But they raved about all the other food I put out and were in genuine shock that a single guy could put out such good food.

And for breakfast today I made some butternut squash pancakes!  My roommate's gf had her kids over and they had them and they loved them.  They said it reminded them of pumpkin pancakes.


Aawa's butternut squash pancakes.
Wet ingredients
2 eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2cup milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 cup butter nut squash, roasted and mashed

Dry ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour (omit baking powder and salt if you use self rising flour)
1 teaspoon cinammon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon baking powder
big pinch of salt

Whisk wet ingredients together. Mash up the butternut squash puree and whisk till evenly distributed.

Mix dry ingredients together in seperate bowl and gradually add to the wet and gently blend till the flour is incorporated. Batter will be lumpy.

[MINIgrillin]

well played my friend...well played.  Your roommates family will remember that Thanksgiving. You made it memorable for them.  You have now destroyed all other turkey for them tho...

[Aawa]

well played my friend...well played.  Your roommates family will remember that Thanksgiving. You made it memorable for them.  You have now destroyed all other turkey for them tho...

They were throughly impressed with the brined and smoked turkey.  I hope I ruined them for at least a good 10 years for other people's turkey!

[1buckie]

"But they raved about all the other food I put out and were in genuine shock that a single guy could put out such good food."

Yeah, buddy !!!!!

Couple machines, decent recipes, a little ingenuity & one good cook is all it takes !!!!

Good show mate !!!!

Looking thru all that, the only (& I mean ONLY) thing you could have done different is to grill the cantaloupe.....it rocks !!!!

[Aawa]

"But they raved about all the other food I put out and were in genuine shock that a single guy could put out such good food."

Yeah, buddy !!!!!

Couple machines, decent recipes, a little ingenuity & one good cook is all it takes !!!!

Good show mate !!!!

Looking thru all that, the only (& I mean ONLY) thing you could have done different is to grill the cantaloupe.....it rocks !!!!

I actually thought about grilling the cantelope and pineapple.  But I was pressed for time, so I just broke done the cantelopes and pineapples the night before and put them in the fridge so they were nice and cold and refreshing.

[wyd]

What a great looking meal.   Everything looked amazing

[IrondeQuer]

Nicely done!!

[HankB]

That turkey looks great! I need to take mine to the next level with better seasonings.

Thanks for the butternut squash pancake recipe. We have a few as they did well in the garden. I take it yours did well (or you were taking advantage of the low in season proces. )

[Aawa]

That turkey looks great! I need to take mine to the next level with better seasonings.

Thanks for the butternut squash pancake recipe. We have a few as they did well in the garden. I take it yours did well (or you were taking advantage of the low in season proces. )

I always try to buy seasonal veggies and fruits because they are cheaper but they are also at their best flavor