"Leftovers" - November 29, 2019

[Colin]

Another double Wild Turkey straight up please Isaac.

(referring to your signature block) Missing George on the 18th anniversary (yesterday) of his passing . We played "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" in his honor last night...

Indeed. True genius.

[matthewmoravec]

Ashore, definitely tread a lot of water before getting there though.

[ImOnToo]

Welp. I can’t seem to figure out this week’s meta and my Aggies can’t seem to figure out football.

[Thurman8er]

Just home from driving through snow over the southern California grapevine. Grateful for a 7-minute puzzle fill and a 1-minute solve.

Bed now. MGWCC tomorrow.

[Joe Ross]

Finished the grid rather quickly, for me, on a busy Friday. The hardest clue/answer was 36D, which made me both laugh and slap myself, since I spent a couple years in that line of work. 15 following minutes of meta work generated several columns of drivel and a need to walk away for a long while.

Taking up the meta in bed after a long, social Saturday, I found my way to shore. I credit basting myself, tonight, in Bell's Two Hearted Ale.

I heartily endorse (Heidi)'s method of prepping and cooking turkey and look forward to trying all others posted.

[MarkL]

I lack first hand knowledge and was only repeating something I heard earlier this week, so perhaps I should have pushed for a deeper explanation.

These past few years, we've done the lazy thing and purchased a never frozen already smoked turkey. The leftovers are ... fantastic.

EDIT: did a bit of "research" online, many frozen birds are already brined, so that might be part of the issue. See #3 on this list https://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne ... yone-makes

Well, that makes a lot of sense. I did not check to see if it was pre-brined - and I made at least 10 of the 17 other mistakes. I'm keeping that article until next year. Of course I may just keep it to show to the person from whom I buy a never frozen already smoked turkey! Please tell me you live near Jacksonville and have the name of someone close by I can buy it from!!!

Just a couple of notes ... I had smoked turkeys for a number of years and achieved excellent results. The downside is time to cook; generally not an issue in FL or CA, but Chicago presented some temperature control challenges! Spatchcocking is unexplored territory but something I would like to try.

Also (safe to use this week!), I will get some JAX-specific, turkey-related feedback for next weekend.

[TMart]

Ashore, for the record. Never posted due to travel.

[Deb F]

Our answer to the Thanksgiving Turkey conundrum--Veal Stew!!

[Tom Shea]

Hopelessly lost at sea yet again. The fog is so thick, I can't see anything.

Heading to the (a) shore half a planet away on Wednesday, unless the storm decides to stick around even longer.

[Bob cruise director]

Another double Wild Turkey straight up please Isaac.

(referring to your signature block) Missing George on the 18th anniversary (yesterday) of his passing . We played "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" in his honor last night...

Al - could this have been you during the Cowboys game

https://youtu.be/v36AnvbShXo

[BethA]

...

Just printed this weekend's variety puzzle -- a cryptic! Oh no! At first glance, it looks more challenging than the last witchy one that I was able to solve. We'll see. Sharpening my pencil...

Wow, we’re really talking turkey this week! Love it!

Also off topic, just sharing my excitement at being able to solve my SECOND HEX cryptic, in record time for me. Worked 4pm to 8pm yesterday, with about an hour dinner break. Wonder if these last two have been easier, or am I possibly getting the hang of them?

Reading the comments for the puzzle on the WSJ blog, wondered why Cox and a Rathvon were referred to as HEX, but learned that is their joint name. Prior to these last few puzzles, VEX would have suited me better! Just kidding!

[Al Sisti]

Another double Wild Turkey straight up please Isaac.

(referring to your signature block) Missing George on the 18th anniversary (yesterday) of his passing . We played "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" in his honor last night...

Al - could this have been you during the Cowboys game

https://youtu.be/v36AnvbShXo

Ha! Oh, absolutely spot on... except my color commentary was more...colorful.

[Jeremy Smith]

On shore...finally!

[Bob cruise director]

Good Sunday morning Muggles. We have had slow but steady progress getting both to Isaac's bar and the Tiki bar. We now have 6 on the ship and 80 on the shore. Apologies if I missed or misplaced anyone as I was enjoying the discussion on cooking a turkey. My niece's brother in law cooked a turkey in oil a couple of years ago and it was superb.

New to the ship's bar are
Olaf
ImOnToo
Colin
and Tom S

Making their way to the shore for the leftovers are
Tom Wi
LaceyK
Beth C
your overfed cruise director
MaineMarge who was there yesterday but I missed her
Bill T
Guy L
Matthew M
Tmart
the Thurman8er
and Joe Ross

Now to settle in for a heavyweight battle between the 49'ers and the Ravens. Hoping for a 49'ers win

Good luck to all getting to shore and winning the mug

[Jeremy Smith]

Just a couple of notes ... I had smoked turkeys for a number of years and achieved excellent results. The downside is time to cook; generally not an issue in FL or CA, but Chicago presented some temperature control challenges! Spatchcocking is unexplored territory but something I would like to try.

For the past three Thanksgivings, I’ve smoked 21+ lb. turkeys over cherry wood in the Big Green Egg. I inject the flesh with Creole butter and put pats of regular butter under the skin. It takes roughly 7 hours. Although I’m in Florida, neither the time needed for the cook nor the weather is a factor—I have a device (Flame Boss) that monitors the temperature of the grill and the meat and adjusts the airflow to the grill to keep the grill at 250 degrees. It’s wifi controlled so I don’t even have to be home to monitor it. Even though I buy store-brand, frozen turkeys, they’ve been the moistest turkeys I’ve ever eaten. And my guests agree!

[MarkL]

All that tech would have been nice to have back in the day. My smoking run was late-90s/early aughts on an old school water smoker!

[MarkL]

Just a couple of notes ... I had smoked turkeys for a number of years and achieved excellent results. The downside is time to cook; generally not an issue in FL or CA, but Chicago presented some temperature control challenges! Spatchcocking is unexplored territory but something I would like to try.

For the past three Thanksgivings, I’ve smoked 21+ lb. turkeys over cherry wood in the Big Green Egg. I inject the flesh with Creole butter and put pats of regular butter under the skin. It takes roughly 7 hours. Although I’m in Florida, neither the time needed for the cook nor the weather is a factor—I have a device (Flame Boss) that monitors the temperature of the grill and the meat and adjusts the airflow to the grill to keep the grill at 250 degrees. It’s wifi controlled so I don’t even have to be home to monitor it. Even though I buy store-brand, frozen turkeys, they’ve been the moistest turkeys I’ve ever eaten. And my guests agree!

All that tech would have been nice to have back in the day. My smoking run was late-90s/early aughts on an old school water smoker!

[31 Down]

Took me RIGHT UNDER 5 minutes.

[JimmyJam]

On shore!

[debbierudy]

Ashore! Didn't get started till yesterday, and all progress was put on hold to watch the OSU - Michigan game. Go Bucks! The meta fell into place for me this morning. It was a satisfying and fun puzzle!