Don't like turkey

[billbenson]

I don't like turkey. I'll eat it but I don't like particularly like it. Sweet potatoes and most squash make me gag.The rest of the normal condiments I like.I'm thinking about duck this year.

Anybody else cook alternatives to turkey?

[Fulcrum]

Prime rib roast or a pork loin roast.

[billbenson]

I like both of those ideas but it's just my wife and I.

[Harold Mansfield]

I like both of those ideas but it's just my wife and I.
What about making reservations?

[Fulcrum]

The pork loin roast can be had from some Texas style back ribs (as long as they leave all the meat on). It's the same piece of meat and the only difference is the length of the bone. Leftovers are a good thing.

Let me know what time dinner starts.:D

[turboguy]

Thanksgiving is the one time of the year that my wife turns the meal over to me. I always do turkey but by the time I am done messing it up no one would recognize it as a turkey or know that was what they were eating.

[Harold Mansfield]

Every year my buddy bakes a turkey, fries a turkey, smokes 2 briskets, and a couple of bacon explosions. I always take a little home with me. The leftovers of brisket and bacon explosion are awesome.

[billbenson]

I've been at a friend of mines (died a few years back) of a fairly wealthy family. Mother and 50ish daughter live here and their only pastime is cooking. Dad' lives in a different state and visits frequently. It's nothing to go over there and have a 100 dollar thing of caviar and some crackers sitting out to snack on. The bar only has premium booze. 'Hey come one in, have a snack and pour yourself a drink.

I had a great Thanksgiving dinner there one year. Still didn’t much care for the turkey, but with all the other stuff it was great. It's not that I hate turkey, it's just not my preference, particularly for a special meal.

BTW, I'm not leaving this house on Thanksgiving or black Friday.

[Freelancier]

We have 25+ for Thanksgiving each year now... I'm smoking a 17 lb turkey and a 13 lb brisket. Whatever is left over (and it's not much) gets used when we invite everyone (and more!) to bring their leftovers back for Rivalry Saturday football games. There are alternatives if you don't like something, but our real plan is to just have huge amounts of food and people will eat what they want. I plan to start the cook on Wed so that Thursday is not too crazy.

[billbenson]

Ya, for something like that, the day before prep work helps a lot.For any fiesta.

When I was younger, my room mate was a big spear fisherman and a chick magnet. Just about every weekend and holiday we had a party like you described. Obviously premium fish was usually on the menu.

Now my friends are all married and my family is scattered across the country. Just me and my wife, no kids. I think kids are what make the holidays fun for most families.

Still not that fond of turkey though, but you are talking about the event.

[Freelancier]

Absolutely it's about the event. Some occasions lend themselves to being celebrated with the widest group possible, others are deeply personal and to be celebrated with close family only. Thanksgiving and New Years are all about the group, Religious holidays tends to be about close family. So you either find a group and join along in the fun or you hide from it. For years, I used to hide from New Years; now we have a group that makes that celebration fun even if I still don't care if I make it to midnight.

Thanksgiving is definitely about the social/group aspects. It's not about the food, although the food can be amazing when people stretch past the traditional stuff and bring their own creativity into it. I'm not a fan of stuffing, so last year we added a savory bread pudding (Savory Bread Pudding - The Noshery (http://thenoshery.com/savory-bread-pudding/)) that was a huge hit. My wife grabbed a recipe today in the grocery store for a casserole that includes squash, apples, and honey and we'll try that out this year. But it's not about the food so much as the celebration of the group. So find a group and bring your food creativity to it.

[Brian Altenhofel]

I've never had a good store-bought turkey. A wild turkey harvested a couple of weeks prior is much better in my opinion.

Usually, though, I cook a glazed ham. I'm often the only person who eats it, so I end up with leftovers for the next week. Occasionally I have smoked a brisket.

[Freelancier]

Occasionally I have smoked a brisket.After five years of having a smoker, I FINALLY just figured out how to do a brisket right. Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough before.

[Brian Altenhofel]

I've never used an actual smoker. I've got access to the casing pipe and a welder to build one, but haven't yet. I've just done some creative adaptation using foil in my charcoal grill.

[billbenson]

Last year I made lobster. That was good. Sometimes my wife makes chili rellonos which is a Latin festive dish. They can be stuffed with anything, and they are fried. What most people don't know is they can be dipped in batter, or the lesser known but my favorite is fried in beaten egg whites. The ones fried in beaten egg whites are very hard to find in the US restaurants but the most common in the Latino communities. Recipes are available online. Maybe we we will do that for Christmas. Not a big tamale fan although that's another Latino fiesta dish. By Latino, I mean Mexico and Central America.

[shrinkme]

Sorry I love traditional Thanksgiving dishes... Even stovetop stuffing...

[billbenson]

Actually I said I have never had turkey that I liked enough to walk across the street for (that's paraphrased) and sweet potatoes and most squash are my personal foods that I absolutely hate. And I have had turkey for Thanksgiving most of my life, from fried to roasted to 5 star restaurants. back in my wining and dining sales days.

There are a lot of the accompaniments to the turkey including good stuffing that I love.

Now if you want to take the discussion to the family or event with friends that's a different thing.