Whether you’re hosting the Thanksgiving feast, or heading to someone else’s house, your aunts and uncles will reminisce on the good old days, and the stories of their childhood Thanksgivings.
They will come to the conclusion that the way you “do” Thanksgiving now is wrong, and their old tradition preferences are superior. Everyone will disagree on the proper way to spend this day.
The main course, and perhaps the most controversial at the dinner table is turkey. Should you deep fry or roast your turkey?
For the high-risk, high-reward cookers, deep-frying is the way to go. This method seals the juices and flavor in the bird and creates a crispy outside. There is no risk of your turkey drying out, like when you oven roast it.
It’s also more convenient. Depending on the turkey size, this cooking process can take less than an hour.
The downfall of frying is the danger that comes with it, because it does carry a higher risk of burns and fires than the more traditional method.
It can also be less convenient due to the weather. This cooking process takes place outside, so if you can’t withstand the cold or the rain, go with the safe oven roasted method.
If stuffing and gravy are your thing, this technique may not be for you. The stuffing will have to be cooked separate from the turkey, and you won’t have the juices to make gravy.
The traditional oven roasted method also has its perks and its downfalls. It allows you to put your stuffing inside the turkey to cook to add flavor, and you can use the juices to make your gravy.
If you prefer not to go to the hospital for severe burns, or call the fire department for a rogue fried turkey, stick with the oven roasted method.
Cooking upwards of 3 hours, and defrosting for days, this turkey will keep you stuck at home watching the temperature rise and making sure it doesn’t dry out.
The oven roasted turkey is the safe route, a guaranteed win and proof to your extended family that you are a talented cook.
Now that you’ve got your food prepared, let’s talk about entertainment. You’ve got two main options –the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade or one of the three NFL games played on the holiday.
Football fans insist on rooting for their favorite team in competition with their rival, and the Thanksgiving enthusiasts talk endlessly on the importance of seeing the floats, balloons, performers and music.
If it’s family bonding you’re after, keep your pigskin on hand and move to the back yard to start a family football match when halftime starts.
The parade only comes around once a year, and is considered a staple of Thanksgiving festivities. I know seeing the Snoopy float is the highlight of my year.
No matter how you celebrate Thanksgiving, these lighthearted family debates tend to lead to the creation of new traditions and memories to reminisce on the next year. Even if you have to concede on how to spend the holiday, every activity and food has its perks.
