Thread: My Boring Life Stuff

Friday I worked all day long, and then did a cook that evening. Fed 800 screaming teenagers BBQ chicken, mac & cheese, baked beans and garlic bread. Sweet tea and lemonade as well. They were dancing and hollering and having a good time and they liked the food. I didn’t get home until late that night, and when I did I was stiff.

Next morning I was waiting on her majesty to get ready to go fishing. Waiting means being patient apparently. Finally at about 9:30 she emerged ready to go fishing. We headed to the lake that is just down the road a piece. Cloudy skies, warm, and very light winds. A gorgeous Fall day here in the Sunshine State. We have had a months worth of these days and they are super enjoyable. 50’s in the morning, 80’s mid day.

The launch was fairly busy but we got done and gone pretty easily I guess. Headed mid-lake and started trolling. There were a few boats around but it looked like most folks were fishing somewhere else. We trolled around for about 2 1/2 hours and decided to call it quits. We were catching a few fish, and had I really tried we could have caught more, but other things were on the schedule.

Like fetchen Thanksgiving food items. I visited the store and they had Butterballs on sale 99 cents per pound. I got two of these fine birds, but the cashier would only ring up one. Limited she said. I put everything in the truck and came back in for a second bird. Not hoarding or nothing, it is just that I have to serve two birds. They taste so good the bunch screams through them and they always want a taker home container.

I got the canned yams for sweet potato casserole. Got green beans for that casserole. Bread stuffing stuff for stuffing stuff. Herbs for a favorable and aromatic poultry presentation. Pickles and such for a pickle plate. My brother brings stuffing, mashed potatoes, and mashed sweet potatoes. His wife is a vegetarian so he also brings special stuff just for her to eat. I have seen it and he does a great job to please her.

I will have up to 14 people, but maybe less. I will get the final guest count later this week so I can fill in any gaps at the store before the big day.

I used to brine my birds, but with a Butterball there is no need. These birds come pre-brined and anything I would do would be unnoticeable. I just thaw in the fridge for four or five days, and then break them out morning of. I wash them very well, inside and out. Pat them dry and prepare them with some apple slices, onion slices, rosemary thyme, and some orange slices. I pack the cavity very lightly so hot air can enter the cavity and cook the bird from the inside as well. Packing them with stuffing blocks air flow and means having to leave the bird in the oven for too long. Dry bird.

After the death of my father, I have been the go to for the bird. Ever since, I have followed the Martha Steward Perfect Bird recipe. It does a fabulous job, and has never failed to leave me with the perfect bird. I wrap the bird in cheesecloth and saturate that with a mixture of butter and white wine. Then carefully monitor using a digital thermometer. I pull the bird at 160 because he will continue to rise to 165 while setting on the counter top. Oh and I remove the cheese cloth a hour ahead of estimated time so the skin gets that golden brown color.

The birds stay out while everything else is finished off. I like the presentation part as it puts everyone in the mood. They see them birds in all their glory and they know it is going to be good grub. Just prior to eating I take one of the birds into the kitchen and fillet off his breasts. Then I slice the fillets into 3/4” thick slices. Cutting against the grain ensures these will cut with a fork. Ummmmmm good. Doesn’t need to be slathered in gravy to get a moist tender piece. Dad used to cut slices down the side of the bird, just as in the Rockwell painting. That leaves you with stringy meat that you have to hack at. Removing the breast and slicing against the grain is THE way to go.

The other bird will get pretty much the same treatment, but out on the smoker. From there he will sort of time up with the oven bird and be done about the same time. This one is a tad darker but still gorgeous. This is how I do two large birds. I like the 20 pound size, and at 99 cents per pound, why not ?

I use the oven pan to make the gravy. I use Wondra and try to get the little pieces to show up in the gravy. This beats gravy from a jar by about a million miles. It is very much worth making your own gravy. After all the basting I do with the butter and wine, there is plenty of juice to be had.

Thanksgiving was my father’s favorite holiday. I like to make a big deal of it so that the family can make it their favorite, too. I keep extra tables and chairs in the shed for extra seating, and aside from a party every so often, they only get used for this event. I have a big kitchen so nobody feels crowded and they walk in and snoop around during the lead up. I never understood why people would take their family out to a restaurant. No leftovers is really bad, but how about the people working there ? They have to sacrifice their holiday so others can have theirs. Folks say to me, well they are getting paid, but big deal their boss is making them work. I am sure they would rather be preparing food for their family. Just learn to cook.




Today we will go for our bike ride. Mountain bikes. We have worked our way up to a ten mile ride. Not sure I want to do ten today though. The weather is just fabulous. Next weekend I will try to shoot a doe off my back porch. Thought about trying it from the hot tub, but visibility is limited. I suspect it will be an evening shoot. I want to have some venison, and you can’t taste them horns, so no need to sit in a tree for weeks on end. Them slick heads do just fine for me.



The lake is chock full of hydrilla. So I present to you……. The Godzilla of the Hydrilla