It was a very quite Thanksgiving this year, just seven of us.
Nothing like it used to be with 20+.
So my wife and I tackled dinner and tag teamed it.
She made her wonderful Spiced Cranberry Apple Relish and some lusciously creamy and buttery Mashed Taters.
I Frog spatchcocked the 19lb Turkey, rubbed it with butter and heavily dusted with my Chile's Chicken Rub and smoked it.
And also made a really savory Sage Sausage Dressing, made with both Sourdough and Sweet Cornbread, a Fresh Green Bean Casserole with homemade sauce and slowly worked up a really rich and silky Turkey Gravy.
www.smokingmeatforums.com
Fresh Green Bean Casserole
9x13 casserole dish
Ingredients
2lbs fresh green beans
4T Bacon grease or butter
1.5c mushrooms, diced
1 large onion, diced
1c celery, diced
1/2c almonds, slivered or sliced
1T garlic, minced
2T flour
1c chicken broth or stock
1c heavy cream
2c Panko crumbs, plain or seasoned
2c french fried onion
1c Parmesan shredded
4T salt for parboil water, 1t salt for sauce
1/2t pepper, fresh ground
Preheat oven to 375°
In heavily salted water, parboil 2lbs of fresh green beans for 5 minutes, immediately run with cold water bath to end cooking process and keep them firm.
Sauce
Melt 4T butter in a large sauce pan, in this saute 1.5c diced mushrooms, 1 large onion chopped, 1c celery diced and 1T garlic minced, till the onions/celery are softened.
Add 2T flour and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring often to cook the flour.
Add 1t salt and 1/2t fresh ground pepper, also add 1/2c of slivered or sliced almonds.
Add 1c each chicken broth and heavy cream, bring to a fast simmer and cook till thickened, approx 5-10 minutes.
Combine sauce and beans, place in casserole dish, cover top with Panko bread crumbs, French Fried Onion and grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake in oven for 30 minutes.
Sage Sausage Dressing
16" enameled roasting pan or 6qt or larger Dutch Oven.
You need more depth than a standard 9x13 casserole dish, and a lid is a plus for the first half of the cook.
Ingredients
8c each, Sourdough and Sweet Cornbread, , 1/2"-3/4" dried cubes
1.5lb Pork sausage, Sage
3c onion, diced
2c celery, diced
2c apple, diced
1.5c pecan pieces
1c craisins or raisins
2t garlic, minced
2 large eggs
3c chicken broth or stock
4T finely chopped fresh sage
1T salt
2t poultry seasoning
1t granulated garlic
3/4t black pepper
Preheat oven to 375°
Brown 1.5lbs pork sausage, sage, mild or hot, your choice.
Once browned remove and in the oil, saute 3c diced onion, 2c diced celery and 2t minced garlic.
Once sauteed combine sausage back, and add 2c apple diced, 1c Cran-raisins or Raisins and 1.5c Pecan pieces.
In a mixing bowl crack 2 eggs and beat, add 3c chicken broth, 4T finely chopped fresh sage, 1T salt, 3/4t black pepper, 2t poultry seasoning, 1t granulated garlic.
Whisk it all together.
Place 8c dry sourdough bread cubes and 8c dry sweet cornbread cubes into a large Dutch Oven or other large baking dish.
(Prep your dried bread cubes 3 days beforehand or dry in oven.)
Pour mixture over breads and fold together, fold sausage mixture in and then bake covered for 30 minutes.
Remove cover and bake for 30 minutes more.
Spiced Cranberry Apple Relish
I don't have the recipe for this as my wife won't let me copy it.
My Plate!
And for Dessert there was diner's choice of either Pumpkin or Apple pies.
Nothing like it used to be with 20+.
So my wife and I tackled dinner and tag teamed it.
She made her wonderful Spiced Cranberry Apple Relish and some lusciously creamy and buttery Mashed Taters.
I Frog spatchcocked the 19lb Turkey, rubbed it with butter and heavily dusted with my Chile's Chicken Rub and smoked it.
And also made a really savory Sage Sausage Dressing, made with both Sourdough and Sweet Cornbread, a Fresh Green Bean Casserole with homemade sauce and slowly worked up a really rich and silky Turkey Gravy.
Thanksgiving - Turkey Gravy, Homemade
I love an awesome meat gravy, poultry, beef or pork. But a great Thanksgiving turkey gravy holds a special place in my heart. The rich and savory, silky smooth deliciousness of a superb homemade turkey gravy exponentially adds to the meal, and can save all but the driest bird. It compliments so...
www.smokingmeatforums.com
Fresh Green Bean Casserole
9x13 casserole dish
Ingredients
2lbs fresh green beans
4T Bacon grease or butter
1.5c mushrooms, diced
1 large onion, diced
1c celery, diced
1/2c almonds, slivered or sliced
1T garlic, minced
2T flour
1c chicken broth or stock
1c heavy cream
2c Panko crumbs, plain or seasoned
2c french fried onion
1c Parmesan shredded
4T salt for parboil water, 1t salt for sauce
1/2t pepper, fresh ground
Preheat oven to 375°
In heavily salted water, parboil 2lbs of fresh green beans for 5 minutes, immediately run with cold water bath to end cooking process and keep them firm.
Sauce
Melt 4T butter in a large sauce pan, in this saute 1.5c diced mushrooms, 1 large onion chopped, 1c celery diced and 1T garlic minced, till the onions/celery are softened.
Add 2T flour and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring often to cook the flour.
Add 1t salt and 1/2t fresh ground pepper, also add 1/2c of slivered or sliced almonds.
Add 1c each chicken broth and heavy cream, bring to a fast simmer and cook till thickened, approx 5-10 minutes.
Combine sauce and beans, place in casserole dish, cover top with Panko bread crumbs, French Fried Onion and grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake in oven for 30 minutes.
Sage Sausage Dressing
16" enameled roasting pan or 6qt or larger Dutch Oven.
You need more depth than a standard 9x13 casserole dish, and a lid is a plus for the first half of the cook.
Ingredients
8c each, Sourdough and Sweet Cornbread, , 1/2"-3/4" dried cubes
1.5lb Pork sausage, Sage
3c onion, diced
2c celery, diced
2c apple, diced
1.5c pecan pieces
1c craisins or raisins
2t garlic, minced
2 large eggs
3c chicken broth or stock
4T finely chopped fresh sage
1T salt
2t poultry seasoning
1t granulated garlic
3/4t black pepper
Preheat oven to 375°
Brown 1.5lbs pork sausage, sage, mild or hot, your choice.
Once browned remove and in the oil, saute 3c diced onion, 2c diced celery and 2t minced garlic.
Once sauteed combine sausage back, and add 2c apple diced, 1c Cran-raisins or Raisins and 1.5c Pecan pieces.
In a mixing bowl crack 2 eggs and beat, add 3c chicken broth, 4T finely chopped fresh sage, 1T salt, 3/4t black pepper, 2t poultry seasoning, 1t granulated garlic.
Whisk it all together.
Place 8c dry sourdough bread cubes and 8c dry sweet cornbread cubes into a large Dutch Oven or other large baking dish.
(Prep your dried bread cubes 3 days beforehand or dry in oven.)
Pour mixture over breads and fold together, fold sausage mixture in and then bake covered for 30 minutes.
Remove cover and bake for 30 minutes more.
Spiced Cranberry Apple Relish
I don't have the recipe for this as my wife won't let me copy it.
My Plate!
And for Dessert there was diner's choice of either Pumpkin or Apple pies.
Last edited:
Great job !
