Food and Beer (Holiday Version)

[Okie Boarder]

So, since Thanksgiving is coming up and Christmas is right around the corner, I thought I'd start a similar thread to the Beer (and BBQ) one.

So, what are the plans for the holidays?

For Thanksgiving we're going to brine and smoke a turkey. We're planning the same for Christmas dinner (in-laws are coming for a visit).

Any fun recipes, tips or techniques to share?

Of course, we'll have to post pictures once cooking time comes.

[sybrmike]

We host a pretty good crowd for Thanksgiving, so pretty much like last year:
Father-in-law: one fried turkey
Me: one roasted turkey (parsley stuffed with butter/oil/spices under the skin)
one smoked turkey (in a pan with strips of bacon draped over the top)
one smoked wild hog ham (gotta get back out - last one in the freezer)
The ladies handle all the sides: green bean cassarole, jalapeno cornbread, coffee can bread, mashed potatoes, pies, etc.

Probably be a good time to debut my first attempt at that bacon explosion as well.

Gets crazy around cooking time, but will try to remember to take pics.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

I <3 brewing

On Tap:
Happy Holiday Ale <--Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
Connoisseurs Nut Brown Ale
Maple Syrup Dark Ale <--2lbs Pure local maple syrup
Aussie Pale Ale

Fermenting:
Magellians IPA Hop Bomb <-- Extra fresh dried hop flowers in the fermenter
Imperial Nut Brown Ale <-- This one will be special
Uncommon Honey Steam Lager <--My first lager (cold temp ferment)
Big River Brown Ale

[Okie Boarder]

mike,

Do you or have you tried brining? That would really enhance your roasted and smoked turkeys. I would agree that this will be a good venue for the bacon explosion. You might try doing more than one and vary the "filling" ingredients. I've done different cheeses, bbq sauces and peppers, etc.

mikey,

Man, I'd love to come visit and sample those beers. I'm a big fan of Winter Ales or Lagers. Nut brown ales are a big favorite of mine too. That Maple Syrup ale sounds pretty good! Let us know how they turn out. You have any food plans for the holidays?

[Mani]

I bagged a deer this last weekend. That's on my list of holiday meats.

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Oakie -

Thanks for the comments! I am still trying to figure out a way to ship beer to my friends around the country without costing too much in shipping. So far the best I can do is $15 just for shipping for one case of beer.

I suppose it would not be hard to send a sampler six pack.

The Happy Holiday Ale is interesting to say the least! I thought the spices were way too strong at first but they have mellowed with age. Now it's a smooth dark beer with a cinnamon aftertaste.

The Maple Syrup Dark is carbonating now so I should have a taste update soon. It smells SOOOOOOOOOOO good. Nothing out of the ordinary, just like good dark beer.

The hop bomb was really fun. An IPA or India Pale Ale was originally designed with extra strong alcohol % and extra hops to help last through the long voyage by ship to India from Brittan. Recently my Local Home Brew Store gave me some extra hops, locally grown and freshly dried. I threw them in late-addition style with the fermenting brew to give hoppy smell but not bitterness.

The Imperial is made using the richest, most luxurious ingredients, and lots of them. Beer fit for a king. It was fun to make and I cant wait to try it.

[Okie Boarder]

mani,

Congrats. I want deer so bad. I've never been much of a hunter, but I'm starting to prep myself for teaching my boys once they're ready...probably a couple years. My in-laws are coming out for Christmas and supposedly they are planning to bring a 1/4 deer and work with the boys on cutting it up.

We were talking about deer this morning and how the backstrap can be a lot like a tenderloin. I was wondering what it would be like to cook it up like I did some pork tenderloin this year. Sweet and savory brine, then indirect cook on the charcoal with some wood chips. I have an excellent brine recipe I used on pork that would probably be good with the deer if you wanna try it out.


mikey,

$15 for a case huh? Ummmm, how many to a case?

[tg0824SSVGG]

Hey guys, I find that brining any poultry before cooking, especially smoking, makes all
the difference in the world - but I brine even the turkeys that I roast.
(this is GREAT - from Alton Brown: )

His gravy recipe is pretty darn good too!

I just read an article the other day about using Ocean Spray Cranberry/Pomegranite with salt to brine the turkey ( and it supposedly turns out GREAT (but the meat is pink))



(I don't know if you have to be a member to read the newsletter) -- lots of great smoking advice here.

My wife is DEADLY allergic to all poultry, so we will likely smoke a ham this year. My daughter will make a turkey so I can have some, but we won't probably cook one ourselves.

[Mani]

Okie, I think I still have one of your pork loin brining recipes laying around here. We've processed into stew meat, ground burger meat, and steaks. Im also going to try making some jerky. You must be well liked man to have some bring you a quarter deer.

[Okie Boarder]

If you have any big pieces of the deer left you might try brining. I'd imagine you could do some of the steak type pieces, but shorten th time quite a bit. Everything I've seen so far, the recipe would be a bit different than the pork loin. More savory tastes like soy sauce, worcestershire, etc. and less fruit type.

Well, the in-laws are mainly bringing the deer quarter to let "papa" teach the boys about cutting it up. But, yeah, it is really nice of them to bring that much meat. I guess I've been a good son-in-law this year...he he!