Friday, November 23, 2007

Resounding Success!

Just a couple updates...

You know the Pie? This is what I ended up with...

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Light corn syrup and Southern Comfort worked just fine.

I also made a pumpkin pie. That's another story.

Did you know there is a difference between sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk?

I wasn't paying much attention and grabbed the wrong one. Before crying and freaking out, I turned again to the internet and found a perfectly good substitution.

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Yes, Mom decreed, that this pie was better than the 'regular' recipe. I'm sure the fresh whipped cream had nothing to do with it.

Now. On to the Turkey.

It was a big one - 19 pounds. My sister was kind enough to bring it.

6:30 am is very early to be starting charcoal.

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Very early. But fire is always fun.

If you want to know what I look like at 6:30 am - this is it.

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Not a pretty sight.

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By 10:30 am, after a stop at the Kwik-E-Mart, we were well on our way. Again, did you know there's a difference between Kingsford Regular Old Charcoal and the "Quick Light" variety? Namely one of them (I bet you can guess which one) has lighter fluid in the briquets. I didn't feel like a burn center visit so at 8 am I headed out in search of the Regular Old Variety.

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Turkey's done. Almost. I never trust the pop up timers. Looks good though, eh?

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Finally, after I made my mom check the internal temperature, it was ready to come off the grill.

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My dad helped.

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We had to sample it - my dad, sister, and me.

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Behold. The power of a hickory grilled turkey.

I will attest, this is probably one of the best turkey's I've eaten. The meat fell off the bone. It was tender and juicy with a wonderful hickory flavor. It's not much harder than doing it in the oven - I just had to check the charcoal level about every 30 minutes or so, add more and more shagbark hickory bark.

A new tradition - perhaps?

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My parents.

9 comments:

g-man said...

Wicked cool turkey!! I think I'd like to try that one year. Glad you had a good time.

Builder Mama said...

The turkey looks yummo.

Yes, I've done the sweetened condensed milk/evaporated milk switcheroo before, unfortunately it involved macaroni and cheese. The crowd loved it though which was funny since it was like sweet mac & cheese...blech.

Your parents are adorable! Glad you all had a great time.

Leighann of Multi-Minding Mom said...

Those pies look wonderful!

Looks like your family had a good Thanksgiving.

Anonymous said...

Yes huge difference between the two milks. That turkey looks great. Our bird was "bad" (not spoiled). I just don't think it was good to start with and didn't have anything to do with the method of cooking. When my husband opened it up it was really fatty and hardly any meat. HUGE bones though. It was the worst bird we have ever had.

Mitzi Green said...

that is one purty bird.

and yes, i know the difference between condensed and evaporated milk. but it took royally f'ing up a "7-layer bar" recipe (twice) to learn.

Mommi Tutu said...

Yeah - the turkey was awesome! Good job sis!

Gretchen said...

Gman- it is so worth it.

Builder Mama - sweet mac-n-cheese? Don't tell my Toddler!

Leeanthro - thanks!

Lukie - sorry to hear about your turkey - it's a crapshoot.

Mitzi - thanks. seven layer bars? recipe?

MTT - Thanks! Glad you could make it!

Unknown said...

You are Queen Domisticas! I seriously would not have been out there in the dark with the turkey! I bow down to you!!!

Unknown said...

And your parents are ADORABLE.