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The Bird: Fresh or Frozen?
Since 2004, my friends and I have hosted The Friends' Thanksgiving Potluck. Held on the Tuesday before the big day, this event has spiraled into a massive celebration that now requires TWO apartments. (I live next door to one of my best friends, so we share hostessing duties) It's a great night, and gets better every year. My involvement has varied over the years, but in 2005 and 2007, I was in charge of The Bird--the piece de resistance, the turkey. Last year's turkey, a brined and herb-roasted masterpiece, is going to be a tough act to follow. Not to toot my own horn too much, but I literally had people telling me it was better than their mama's/grandmama's, and the sight of it induced a vegetarian to eat meat for the first time in five years. So this year, I'm once again doing the turkey.
I've purchased the turkey already--I went with frozen this year for the first time. She's a 20-pound beast of a bird that takes up most of my freezer. I decided to opt for frozen this year because I needed a bigger bird--I've had trouble finding fresh turkeys larger than 15-17 lbs. Moreover, it helped space out some of the expense of putting the meal together. So my question is--does fresh or frozen make that big a difference? I'm a little nervous about this. I'm brining the turkey beforehand, and stuffing it with aromatics (onion, celery, a cinnamon stick, some herbs, etc) beforehand. Should the fact that the turkey has been frozen make too big a difference?
Care to share?
Love,
Saby
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"With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."
-Desiderata
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