Customer's Guide To Easy Thanksgiving Shopping

[DGoddessChardonnay]

??? There's nothing wrong with that at all. Submerging meat in water is a common way of "quickly" thawing it out. You are normally supposed to replace the water every hour or so to keep it from getting too cold. By keeping the tap running, you constantly replace the water. Just make sure the meat is well protected from the water since the water isn't a brine. In case of a frozen turkey, make sure it's in it's original wrapping.

It's really no different than letting it thaw out in the fridge, the water just acts as a better conductor than the air, speeding the thaw time.

ETA: I don't mean directly in the bath. Put it in a bucket or something.

Or you can do it in the sink, if it's deep enough to hold the bird. While I haven't done it w/a turkey, I've done it with baking hens/hamburger/chicken drumsticks. I only do this when I haven't had time to lay out anything in the fridge ahead of time.

Haven't had salmonella yet. *knocks on wood*

[Brighid45]

As long as you're using cool or room temperature water, you should be okay. It's using hot or boiling water to thaw that gets you into salmonella territory.

I have to shop for the turkey the night before because we don't have anywhere near enough room for even a small bird in our freezer. Usually we end up with a huge turkey, but that's okay--we just freeze the leftovers and make a huge pot of turkey stock from the carcass for turkey veggie soup or more gravy

[South Texan]

Inevitably, I run out of something mundane on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. While strolling through the store to find a jar of peanut butter and a package of coffee filters, I cannot help but wander past the mayhem and panic that has set in on most of the people trying to buy everything for their dinner the next day that will serve at least fifteen.

Ok, I do this on purpose, but it gets a certain sadism out of my system. I am going shopping for Thanksgiving this Friday night.

[Lace Neil Singer]

My mum gets the turkey ordered, then delivered the night before Christmas Eve. My mum's powers of organisation are impressive; almost scary. O_o

[crewboy]

Or you can just run the turkey under cold bath water all day. Starting at 7AM and using a constant stream of water, that pools so the turkey is submerged and it should be thawed by 3PM.

That's going to make an awfully late Thanksgiving dinner, depending on how large of a turkey you are cooking.

[purplecat41877]

How about submerging the turkey in hot water? That should get the turkey to thaw quickly.

[Erin]

My dad's making prime rib for thanksgiving dinner. (with au jus, sauteed mushrooms, asparagus, corn, and either baked potatoes, or he'll make his special garlic Yukon Gold potato side dish. I'm making bread rolls)

My dad just doesnt want to deal with all the preparation it takes to make a turkey. (my aunt is getting a deep fried turkey made for us the night before, so we'll still have some turkey to eat)

Of course, we'll still have last minute shopping to do...we have to go buy something for dessert.

At least we wont be at the local Kroger's, fighting over the last frozen turkey with someone, and demanding that the stockers find us a can of cranberries

[jnd4rusty]

Actually..it is acceptable to thaw poultry in a cold water bath. The temp should stay below 40 degrees as the danger zone for bacterial growth is between 40 to 140 degrees. Also you will not have to worry about salmonella as long as you have cooked your poultry to 165 degrees internal temp. High heat kills practically all bacteria unless they are spores and then they don't. But if your food ( ground beef, pork , poultry) is handled properly and always cooked to the 165 degree mark then you don't have to worry about salmonella or E Coli. The same with left overs..they should be refridgerated as soon as possible and if there is alot left over ( such as a stock pot of stew) then they should get an ice bath to cool down quickly. The food should be at 70 degrees in two hours and below 40 degrees in 4 hours to keep bacteria from growing. I learned this in my serv-safe class that I had to take recently..the South Dakota department of health..requires all management personell to be serv-safe certified in resturants. This was my 4th time taking it as we are required to take it every 4 yrs.

[trunks2k]

How about submerging the turkey in hot water? That should get the turkey to thaw quickly.

No, that's bad. That causes parts of the turkey to cook.

[trunks2k]

That's going to make an awfully late Thanksgiving dinner, depending on how large of a turkey you are cooking.

That puts it coming out of the oven no later than 8PM even for a large turkey, 5 hours is plenty of time. That's not too late, but you really should let it sit for at least 15 minutes before cutting into it. And to really properly cook the turkey, it should have sat in a brine for like 6 hours before going into the oven.

[South Texan]

My dad's making prime rib for thanksgiving dinner. (with au jus, sauteed mushrooms, asparagus, corn, and either baked potatoes, or he'll make his special garlic Yukon Gold potato side dish. I'm making bread rolls)

I like your dad!!!

As of today, I have consumed three "pre-Thanksgiving" turkey dinners (kids' schools and work). I will attend our church's dinner that Wednesday evening. I must make one for Thanksgiving day itself. Then I have to attend another that evening, one on that Friday and another on that Saturday. I am NOT allowed to deviate on the one I am making as it has to have all the receipes my family has used for the past four generations (it would be a major war and scandal if everything is not just the same as it has been for thirty years).

I would kill for a prime rib!

[Barefootgirl]

(although the episode is wrong, Turkeys are capable of flight. At least wild ones are, but not for long distances)

They certainly are. There are wild turkeys living in the woods around my office here (Boston suburbs). Last night my boss took my colleague and I out into the car park to look at these stonking great 20-25lb wild turkeys roosting about 15 feet up in the trees ! We've had our office manager trapped in her car by inquisitive turkeys, as well.

[PorkChop]

I just got back from my Thanksgiving shopping! It was smooth sailing! No crowded aisles, no wait in lines! Safeway has good deals going on right now so I spent just $33! It is just the hubby and I this year. We don't need a lot food! Seriously, people's lack of planning is the reason why grocers stay open on Thanksgiving. Hello! The employees have families too!!
Embarrasing, I have to admit, I haven't started Christmas shopping yet! But, no way, in hell, am I shopping on Black Friday!! Oh aye, I'll start tomorrow!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!! *gobble gobble*

[Reyneth]

That's going to make an awfully late Thanksgiving dinner, depending on how large of a turkey you are cooking.

Deep-fried turkey. One hour. I've only had it once (Christmas two years ago), but that skin was sooooo yummy - and the meat too.

[Jester]

My dad just doesnt want to deal with all the preparation it takes to make a turkey. (my aunt is getting a deep fried turkey made for us the night before, so we'll still have some turkey to eat)

I would love prime rib. I usually eat some non-turkey type stuff on T Day, as I don't really care for turkey. I have lost count, but I have managed to avoid turkey for several years now. I usually go for ham if they have it, but if not, I just get extra stuffing, which is always my favorite part of the meal. (My record: six helpings.)

By the way, I am amused by people so desperate to get cans of cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce is the easiest damn thing to make, not only for a holiday dinner, but in general. Short of toast, it is the easiest recipe I know. Quick, too. (If anyone wants a recipe for it that has a few nice twists on the original, send me a message. Would love to share Jester's cranberry sauce recipe!)

I have never cooked a turkey (duh, I don't like them!), but I have made mashed potatos. Biggest. Pain. In. The. Ass.

Anyway, off to work I go!