Christmas dinner is over for another year. To say it’s been interesting is an understatement. And now, I’m sure you’re eager to know how it all went, what decision the jury has come to.
Well, considering all the work that went into this Christmas dinner, we all (John, myself, and Mike) agree that we are underwhelmed.
We found the meat to be a bit on the dry side, but that may be because it was slightly overcooked.
The entire process of painting an 18.5 lb. turkey was not an easy undertaking. Nor was turning a bird that size; we ended up sacrificing an almost new pair of oven mitts just for that purpose.
The dressing was tasty but I probably wouldn’t make it that way again. In all honesty, I prefer my dressing on the savoury side and I missed the sage; I found this dressing, for all of its lovely ingredients, a bit on the sweet side.
On the plus side, there is one thing I did find spectacular and will definitely do again. The basting liquid! John found the resulting gravy too salty but I think we could have thinned it out more than we did. He turned the liquid in the roasting pan into a quick gravy, just thickening it, where I would have used it as a gravy base. It was definitely full of flavour!
And the leftover neck meat and organs are making wonderful treats for the dogs who come to visit.
Will we make the Morton Thompson turkey again? Probably not. Did it make for a memorable Christmas meal? Absolutely! How many people do you know who can say they’ve cooked a Morton Thompson turkey?
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If you want, I can send you my brussel sprout hash recipe. It is fantastic and one relative who would never eat brussel sprouts just loved it.
ReplyDeleteGrace, yes please!
DeleteI couldn't wait for your Ravelry posting. It looks like the meal was wonderful! I am going by the look on the men's faces.
ReplyDeleteOT. How did you get that beautiful sheen on your dinner rolls? If it is not too much trouble, may I have the recipe? I got a baking stone for Christmas and am excited to try different breads.
In case you didn't see the response in the Ravelry thread, here's a link to the dinner roll recipe: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/breads/heavenly-yeast-rolls/
DeleteTo get the sheen, simply brush them with butter right after they come out of the oven.
Thanks for the final report, Ev. Even if the final product wasn't quite what you were hoping for, it turned out to be quite the culinary adventure. Thanks for sharing with all your readers!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to follow the adventures of the Morton Thompson Turkey! Too bad it didn't taste more spectacular in order to justify all the work. At least you have stuffing ready for the next couple of birds.
ReplyDeleteFor moving around poultry, I use a clean pair of dishwashing gloves. They protect your hands quite well as long as you don't "linger" and their flexibility makes tasks much easier than oven mitts. Next time you roast a chicken, give it a try and see if it works for you! Your rolls are beautiful looking!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!! Thanks Kate!
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