Serious Eats: foontou's Profile

We've had a lot of great meals over the years, which usually go off without a hitch, relatively speaking.....although one year I tried stuffed turkey breast, which I think disappointed at least a few people--no drumsticks. After over 25 years of marriage and holidays with my family and the inlaws, I've learned to not vary too much on the basic formula and just add one or two unusual dishes at most. This year my sister-in-law hosted and tried to leave mashed potatoes off the menu. She was overruled!

Barbd at 11:51AM on 11/28/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'

I have lots of favorite memories, with both sides of my family and all, but my favorite year was the one recently when I ordered a pre-fab turkey meal (I do add homemade sides, I can't fight with a turkey), we won a turkey in some contest and my mom's cousin smoked one for us. Yum! I'm a carnivore and it was good!

wickedwonder at 1:46AM on 11/28/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'

Don't really have a story...just love the opportunity to show off cooking a tasty bird. This year was apple-brined and smoked. Oh. My. Goodness.

cgreggo at 1:29AM on 11/28/09

From Serious Eats

Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'

My father bought a smoker when I was in high school. He smoked everything on it: potatoes, chicken, sausage and the like.

Nothing was that great. I was out of town for a couple of weeks, and my family invited my boyfriend over for dinner. I'm not entirely sure why, but nonetheless he accepted. That night, smoked potatoes were on the menu. They developed a rubber-like quality such that when my boyfriend attempted to spear one it shot across the table like a bouncy ball. We are no longer together.

Despite this smoker set-back, come Thanksgiving, my father decided to smoke the turkey. We set the smoker to a low temperature and put a thermometer in the bird itself. Lo and behold one hour later, the turkey read 180 degrees. (Note: I will not allow my bird to be cooked to this temperature now, but I have since gained greater authority in the kitchen.) The skin was nicely darkened. It didn't appear to be burned or overcooked, so we allowed it to rest whilst cooking the rest of the meal.

It was only when cutting into the turkey that the issue appeared. It was like the Griswald family turkey, complete with tufts of smoke. My father went back out to the smoker, befuddled that the bird could be "done" so quickly. He noticed that the temperature was at over 500 degrees. Apparently, he had neglected to open the valve at the top to allow smoke and heat to escape. We quite literally "flash smoked" a turkey.

Please, don't try this at home. It only ends in heartache.

hendrixe at 12:17AM on 11/28/09

From Serious Eats

Mario Unclogged: Christmas Day

I'm so glad Mario orders a Ham from Nodine's every year, I've been filling the orders for the last two years and it always brings a smile to my face when Mario's order lands on my desk. I feel proud to package and send out his order, knowing that he will have a good tasting Ham. Steve

Steve5 at 10:47AM on 07/06/09

From Serious Eats