And the Turkey Day food prep begins.

[Savannahsmoker]

Sweetie always roasts a sacrificial turkey for dressing and gravy ahead of time for the Thanksgiving Day Turkeys.

[sliding_billy]

Been there.

[Savannahsmoker]

Been there.

OK so I am not along in how this plays out. 

[deb415611]

I usually smoke/roast a bunch of turkey wings and use them to make stock for my stuffing and gravy a few weeks before thanksgiving.  Then I freeze until the day before.   So much better than buying broth or trying to get enough drippings for gravy from the t-day bird.

Today was stuffing bread baking day - basically a white bread recipe with cornmeal, poultry seasoning etc.   I'll cube and freeze until next week. 

I try to do as much as possible ahead of time. 

[Savannahsmoker]

I usually smoke/roast a bunch of turkey wings and use them to make stock for my stuffing and gravy a few weeks before thanksgiving. 

Good idea, but than I would not get my Turkey leg tonight.   

OK Seriously I will asked my Sweetie why she does not use wings and legs instead of a whole turkey.

[RAD]

Sav,

will you be sharing the dressing receipt? I have been looking for a good stuffing receipt.

[Savannahsmoker]

Sav,

will you be sharing the dressing receipt? I have been looking for a good stuffing receipt.

RAD I will check with Sweetie but she will not even tell me how she does it. 
She make two type one of which is Oyster Dressing

[Savannahsmoker]

Rad you can find the Oyster Dressing my wife uses at Food Network.com
It is an by Emeril Lagasse and Marcelle Bienvenu.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/baked-oyster-dressing-recipe/index.html

Her turkey dressing is, as she told me, a secret recipe handed down from Mother to Daughter.

[pz]

I'm going to start thawing the bird in the garage this weekend in preparation for a brine early in the week - plan to roast the turkey on Wednesday so we have the rest of the week to enjoy leftovers.  Real simple stuffing using prepared products, but is one of the best tasting I have enjoyed - boxed stuffing mix and Jimmy Dean sage sausage.  If we change our mood, we might do the oyster stuffing (or even both) because neither of us have had oyster stuffing - thanks for posting the recipe link

[Savannahsmoker]

Smoked sacrificial 12 lb turkey for dressing and gravy ready to carve.
(minus a leg or two)

We smoked it in the Royall at 225 for 6.20 hours to 160 in the breast area.
After 1/2 hour rest the temp increased to 170.
It was in the USDA declared 40 to 135 danger zone for 3:20 so no worries.



Smoked turkey dressing and gravy hmmm, hmmm, good.

[Savannahsmoker]

And the start of 5 hours of gravy making.

[Pappymn]

And the start of 5 hours of gravy making.

Oh yeah! I ridicule family members who buy the jar or powdered gravy. And no it doesn't make me popular

[Smokin Don]

Good to see you & sweetie back in here! Missed you all! I know you will have some good eats, Happy Thanksgiving, Don

[RAD]

Thanks SAV, but I've been looking for a good bird dressing.

[Savannahsmoker]

Been sick for a while Smokin Don but good to go now.  Thanks

Thanks RAD and sorry Sweetie will not give up her mother to daughter recipe.