We all have seen the pictures of the perfect holiday meals. The turkey is a perfect golden brown. The side dishes all perfect. Perfect is usually not a reality.
(The Fried Turkey was pretty near perfect)
Reality was that the dressing was overcooked. Reality was that you completely forgot two of the side dishes. Reality was that the ham got over charred.
The cause of most of my disasters is the fact that I try to do too much. Every year I try to pare the Thanksgiving menu back. The problem is tradition and fact that everyone has a favorite. God forbid that you cut out someone’s favorite and completely ruin their holiday. This year I surveyed the usual suspects, for everyone that said do away with the sweet potatoes there were two that said sweet potatoes were their favorite.
(The extensive menu was the recipe for disaster)
THE DISASTERS AND WHY THEY OCCURRED
- The dressing was over cooked
- The dressing I make is an homage to my father. He didn’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but every year he would make the stuffing. It was a process that started early in the morning, he always used the same pot and basically the same ingredients. It’s a fond memory and starting Thanksgiving Day making dressing is my tradition.
- Why did the dressing get overcooked? The simple answer is that I forgot it in the oven. The truth is, I was trying to do too many things at one time.
- The solution was adding some chicken stock to remoisten the dressing
- I forgot two side dishes
- How can you be are cruising along thinking everything is in place 30 minutes before guests arrive and then realize you have forgotten two side dishes? Well, if you have 5 side dishes ready to go, forgetting 2 is explainable. Or is it?
- The good news is that the Brussel Sprouts and Green Beans had been prepped the day before and just needed a quick sauté to be ready.
- The ham was over charred.
- Why does this feel like an oxymoron? Why would you char a ham to begin with? The reality is that a disaster 15 years ago has become one of my signature dishes and the one item that if I cut from the Thanksgiving Menu I would get cut from the family.
- This dish started years ago when my son Brian and second daughter Meagan who hate turkey, asked for a ham. The problem was that my one oven was being used for the turkey. The solution was to roast the ham in the Webber Grill in a cast iron skillet. The result was a ham covered with char. The solution was to trim the char. We wound up with a tasty/juicy ham that has become a fan favorite.
- This year I cooked the ham early. Left it in the grill and then reheated it just before serving. The result was too much of a good thing. The solution was trimming a little more char that normal. The irony is that those pieces of char trimmings wind up being fought over. Adding new meaning to the saying: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.
Perfect was not the reality. But, with preparation and a little creativity, the result was pretty tasty. And, next year I am going to simplify the menu
If you enjoyed this blog and similar other stories/supper club lessons follow me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels where books are sold.
- Paul, Emma, Hadley, Jennifer
- Susan, Dylan, Brian
- Max, Ethan, Declan, Lauren
