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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Off the grid Thanksgiving
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nicalisa
Member
# Posted: 2 Oct 2011 22:24
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Hi there everyone!!

I hope that the end of your summer seasons have been great and that you have all had lots of time at your cabins!

We are heading out to the cabin for our Canadian Thanksgiving next weekend. I would like to bring out a turkey and trimmings and give it a shot of cooking the bird out there:) We have both a BBQ and heat with a wood stove. Given that hauling out propane is a great big pain to a water access place and up a large grade hill, I was hoping to find a way if possible to cook the bird on the wood stove. Any help out there with ideas if this is possible?? Now, I know that we will likely cook ourselves right out of our cabin onto the front porch with how hot our small cabin will be, but we are happy to wait on the front porch while we cook the bird:) That being said, if you think that the BBQ is a better idea, let me know and how to:) I will post pics of our dinner and let you know how it goes!!

SEOhio
# Posted: 3 Oct 2011 07:21
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Coleman and others make a fold-flat metal box "oven" that goes on top of a wood stove (see reviews, good luck) or stovetop burner (better reviews). It is fairly small, so it would not handle much larger than a 3-4 pound hen. I had to mail order my "oven", and likely won't be used until US Thanksgiving... Some larger stores may stock these?

Another alternative is a large dutch oven with coals under it and on the lid. Again, it might be a challenge to find a small enough turkey and large enough dutch oven.

canadian girl
Member
# Posted: 3 Oct 2011 07:21
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would you consider precooking your turkey before heading to the cabin ? That way all you would have to do is reheat it on the wood stove. I have ever cooked a Turkey in the oven but my sister in law cooks chickens on the bbq often . Good luck :)

Martian
Member
# Posted: 3 Oct 2011 08:14
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Have you considered smoking your turkey or wrapping it in wet burlap and tin foil and burying it in coals in a pit. If your BBQ pit is large enough, I guess you could do beer-can turkey where a can of beer (maybe two cans depending on size of bird) is shoved up the birds butt before the whole thing is seasoned, wrapped in tinfoil, and stood in the pit.

My only advise is to give the bird plenty of time to cook. With any of the methods above, you really can't overcook; the bird just gets more and more tender with each passing hour. Good luck.

Tom

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 3 Oct 2011 22:27
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Hi nicalisa,
This will be interesting to hear how this goes for you! I have no suggestions...just wishing you the best of luck :) Hope it turns out to be a delicious feast!

BTW- I am wondering how that wallpaper you put up on the ceiling is holding up? Does it do ok in an unheated cabin with heat/no heat over and over again? Is it the paintable type?

hattie
Member
# Posted: 4 Oct 2011 21:44 - Edited by: hattie
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There's nothing finer than smoked turkey. YUM!!! You can use either wood or charcoal for your heat. Here's the recipe we use:

Smoked Turkey

15 lb turkey (don't try anything larger for smoking)

Basic Brine for Smoking Meat:
32 cups water
1 ½ cups kosher salt (DO NOT USE REGULAR SALT)
3 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. ground black pepper
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar

In a very large bowl mix above ingredients. Add a turkey to the bowl and soak for 2 days in fridge. Rinse the turkey really well to remove the salt and then pat it dry with paper towels.

Dry Rub:
½ cup paprika
3 tbsp. cayenne pepper
5 tbsp. ground black pepper
6 tbsp. garlic powder
3 tbsp. onion powder
2 ½ tbsp. dried oregano
2 ½ tbsp. dried thyme

Mix all the ingredients together. Can be stored in cool dry place until needed.

After brining, rinsing and drying, rub the entire turkey with oil. Rub the entire turkey with the above rub (you won't need the entire recipe, store leftover rub but be sure not to contaminate it with raw turkey).

Prepare smoker to 240 º F. Turkey takes about 30 minutes per pound. Therefore a 15 lb bird needs 7 ½ hours to cook. Insert meat thermometer deep into the thigh, being careful not to touch the bone or joints. When the thermometer reads 180 º F the turkey is done. Allow to rest for 15 minutes, then carve.

Note: Your turkey will look black when it is done. Peel off the skin and use it (along with the bones) for an amazing soup another time. The meat will be moist and delicious.

Never stuff a turkey that you are going to smoke!!

exsailor
Member
# Posted: 5 Oct 2011 08:52
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Hattie,
My mouth is watering. That sounds absolutely delicious. Thank you for the instructions and recipes!

Just
Member
# Posted: 5 Oct 2011 12:18
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how about cooking your meal outside over a open fire . I cook a dozen ducks that way every fall at hunting camp , NO PROPANE No HEAT IN THE CABIN !!

suspend a large canning kettle over your fire .
add 8 in water
salt pepper and your own seasoning onion
place a rack in the bottom of kettle to keep bird off the bottom .
add bird
cover and cook till tender
then allow the water to boil away , watch careful .and it will brown a good bit to give it some eye appeal and roasted flavor.
you can add some vegetables near the end if you wish
I have done both ducks and partridge this way many times..

Erins#1Mom
# Posted: 5 Oct 2011 18:35
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I have to agree with hattie. Smoked turkey is the way to go. I'm not sure how but that smoky taste goes all the way through.

jkycia
Member
# Posted: 5 Oct 2011 23:15
Reply 


Julia Child recommends cutting the wings and legs off and cooking
separately. The idea being that by the time the breast meat is cooked
properly, the drum sticks are over done. That is for a huge turkey.
I wonder if that would also help if you do not have uniform heat or
the best control of temperature.

project_north
Member
# Posted: 11 Oct 2011 09:27
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We got creative with a turkey dinner in the woods.
bbq'd turkey breast.
so moist unlike most dry old oven cooked turkey
canned gravy and cranberries,
home made stove top stuffing
carrots.

mmmmm
turkeydinner.jpg
turkeydinner.jpg


trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 11 Oct 2011 09:35
Reply 


Looks delish...what exactly did you do with the bird?

Soooo nicalisa...how was your meal??? Do tell :)

project_north
Member
# Posted: 11 Oct 2011 09:53
Reply 


it was delish thx.
Olive oil, salt and pepper. Sear it on high on the bbq for one minute each side then cooked on low till done.

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 22 Oct 2011 15:42
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Sooooooooo nicalisa....how did the bird taste??????????????

nicalisa
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:42
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Sorry about the delay, but after the holiday, I have been pushed so much at work that I haven't picked up my computer for play:)

My husband refused to suspend belief that Thanksgiving was possible to do in the bush. So he asked that we prepare 1 meal back at home the day before (it was great:), and then another when we got to the cabin (he is crazy for turkey dinner and waits all year for it, and in case it was a disaster he would not totally miss his favorite dinner of the year) Ah the things we do for the people that we love!

So on the second day of thanksgiving we lugged up all the fixins and got off the boat. We noticed that a few of our neighbors were in as well.....we pooled our resources and had Turkey Stuffed and cooked in a large dutch oven on top of the wood stove (yes it is possible:) and then we put it for the last hour in Dougs (our friend next door) oven for the final browning (could have done on the BBQ as well). It was the best bird ever, fell off of the bone and made a great gravy. We made home made pumpkin pie, home made cheese cake, yams, spuds, Brussel sprouts, corn, and bread baked in foil in the coals of the woodstove.

It was wonderful. We had about 10 or so people up the inlet in our bay and we all sat together and had a wonderful meal and great company (which made the great meal even better!)

The food was wonderful, but the chance to hang out with our interesting, funny, and resourceful off the grid neighbors was something that we were all very thankful for!

The next day we packed up and winterized the cabin. We can go there all year round and do, but we put away the garden furniture, haul out all of the summer clothes and bedding for a good washing and storing to the next year, and filled up the wood in the storage benches, and got the kindling and paper in the indoor storage areas, so when we head up in the rain, we can get our little camp warm quick.

So in the end, I personally think that the bird tasted better up there....must be long cook time on the wood stove! Cathy is sending us pics from the day and I will post when they come in:)

Cheers!
nicalisa

nicalisa
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:45
Reply 


Oh and Trollbridge,
For the wallpaper, so far so good. It is the paintable kind. To ensure that it stayed, we also placed small wood pieces on the seams and used the nail gun to attach. This winter will really be the test, if it doesn't work we have enough pine tongue and grove to do the ceiling, but really wanted the white to reflect the limited light that we have:)

bugs
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 09:55
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nicalisa

Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend. One that you will remember.

Thanks for sharing.

bugs

bobrok
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 10:30
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Quoting: nicalisa
he is crazy for turkey dinner and waits all year for it


+1
Is there a law or something in Canada that says you can't have a full blown turkey dinner more than once a year? I think there is in the US.

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 10:43
Reply 


Thanks for the paper answer and happy that your turkey dinner was as delicious as you had hoped it would be. Did you all go comatose after eating like you would at home???!!!!!

cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 16:35
Reply 


oh my gosh!nicalisa this is my dream.it sounds like u had a wonderful thanksgiving.Thank u all for such good tips on turkey dinner.
my dream is go have me and the mister to up to our cabin and i cook little cornish game hens for him and me.my true dream would be to take my daughter and son and the grandsons up but that would be too hard.so back to the dream of me and the mister going up there and spending a thanksgiving up there.all the trimmings and two cornish game hens.We have never once been up n our woods to see a snow fall yet.
i would wish we would be peeking out the window and seeing the snow fall and eating our dinner in our warm cabin and later reading and going for a walk.

nicalisa
Member
# Posted: 26 Oct 2011 22:45
Reply 


Quoting: bobrok
+1
Is there a law or something in Canada that says you can't have a full blown turkey dinner more than once a year? I think there is in the US.


You are my husbands new BFF! He thinks that we should make it weekly! But it is a really expensive dinner up here to make this meal!

I went to my local grocers last year and bought a grain fed, organic.....free range, sleeps on silk sheets Turkey. It was slightly bigger than a large chicken, and the cost was over 60.00!!! Now we go to costco for our not so free range, no frills 30.00 med. size turkey!! (pulp fiction, is that a 60.00 turkey...think of John Travolta with the five dollar shake:)

I thought that I would surprise him later this year with a second turkey dinner and I think that he will love me forever....and build me my side deck on the cabin:)

Turkey currency is the best!!

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