Hey good lookin', what ya' got cooking (for Thanksgiving)?

We going to a daughter's house. Her hubby be a fine cook. It's sure to be the traditional turkey but possibly fried.

We go to my sister-in-laws for every Thanksgiving. We then bring home enough food for the next several days. We usually just bring a couple of pies.

We always bring something. I cautioned my son in law that I don't like cheese, so if I skip any dishes that could be the reason why.

I don't care for cheese as a regular diet, but enjoy them a few times every year. I like pepper jack cheese.

They can sneak some into a few dishes that I eat. Just generally speaking.

I'm so happy to see you boomer......I love the idea of a non-traditional dinner. My sister-in-law likes to grill steaks on TG..I have to admit I do love steak.

we are going to a restaurant this year, but I still like to make a small turkey, dressing, usually my self-styled baked mashed sweet potatoes, and also a batch of sauerkraut like my grandmother used to make (Kraut simmered with apples, onions and a rack of spareribs). Thats kind of a Maryland thing

Plus I like the fragrance of Roasted Turkey in the house......

That reminds me. We always buy a turkey to cook at home a few days later.

I'm going non traditional this year too.

Pommy Tots

OMG!

Dry-aged prime strip steaks a la sous vide — an hour and a half in the water bath at 131º then seared in a smoking hot cast iron skillet for 30 seconds on a side. For drinks, a bottle of Amarone wine and a bottle of Blade and Bow bourbon. Should be pretty good. I'll be the only one there.

This is
interesting. I had never heard of a sous vide. Just read a bit about it.

Do you have an immersion circulator?

Yes. It's a really great way to cook but there's one big drawback — the freaking plastic bags.

Doing more reading....

It says you can use ordinary zip lock bags instead of the fancy schmancy vacuum ones.

They described the "water displacement method" to get the air out.

However, if I were that anal about getting all the air out, I'd use the "getting the air out of a bag of weed" method.

Zip the bag closed leaving a straw kept at the end. Suck all the air out and quickly pinch shut as you pull out the straw. Oh, in this case, don't let straw touch raw meat.

Yes, water displacement with zip lock bags works well. I used that method for a while and then bought a vacuum sealer because I knew I could use it for other things. (Like storing weed.) But using the bags once and tossing them just seems so damned wasteful, especially since we have no recycling facility for polyethylene. They make re-usable silicone bags but they're too thick to really close tightly around the food. And they make re-usable plastic vacuum bags but if you're cooking anything greasy you'll never get the bag clean. I realize that my plastic use for this cooking method isn't responsible for the Pacific garbage gyre but it still troubles me a bit. Luckily the taste of steaks, chops, and roasts cooked this way does a lot to lessen my feelings of guilt.

I know. I hate throwing out zip lock bags.

I reuse them all the time for my snacks.

Yes, but if you cook meat in them, and with the fat, as hightor said, you'll never get them clean enough.

Of coarse! Most are thrown out after its first use. I'm not "that" cost conscious!