Re: Groceries
 

No, you can start with a whole chicken and after you remove the breast, legs, thighs, and wings the carcass is all that's left. If you only like eating chicken breast (which I deduce from your previous posts) and you don't want to make chicken soup then you don't need it. If you want to make soup or chicken stock you can get a package of necks and backs or legs with back attached when you go to Vancouver (wait till you're out of them and buy carrots and onions and potatoes too).. If you want turkey in your freezing compartment make room for it then cook one and eat roast turkey, turkey sandwiches next day and then make soup or freeze the rest. I don't mind turkey but don't like it enough to bother. Turkey salad sandwiches are nice, and I like stuffing and gravy and the crispy roasted skin best.

Re: Groceries
 

Actually, a friend recently pointed out that I could make a decent spicy lentil soup for pennies, compared to the £1.50 tin of Baxters I was waxing lyrical about. And the blog has reminded me of how the supermarkets and food industry has brainwashed many of us to constantly expect prepared or high cost ingredient meals. So I will try to add a dash of frugality to meals now and then.

Re: Groceries
 

Both Sobeys and Superstore flyers (from tomorrow) are advertising Prime Rib Premium Roast @$7.99/$6.88 - half it's 'normal' cost. Less than half in Superstore's case.

There goes our meat embargo. We will make space at that price. :rofl:

Daft thing is the same Superstore flyer has Eye of Round @$6.99, minimally reduced if at all.

Why would anyone pay pay more than the prime rib?

Re: Groceries
 

A lot of people think Superstore = lowest price... I can often find better pricing and better quality at Save On, same happens in this town, people swear Extra Foods is cheapest, but if you flyer shop, they rarely are and their sale prices are reduced very little.

Last time I went to Save On, everything was on sale except for a few small items, we save 50 dollars vs normal prices.

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Unfortunately they were all big ones. All around $40 or $60 each.

I bought one for $40 and I'll split it. Maybe one piece for roasting and the other for steaks.

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Even though the oven doesn't have a door I bought a 15 lb turkey. I think I'll thaw it out over the next 2 - 3 days then cut it in half or quarters and brine it in salt and sugar (or molasses) then put it in the smoker for half a day or so and cut into pieces then finish it in a few batches in the toaster oven. I may reserve a few bits for Mexican food as suggested to Mr Oink earlier. Gobble gobble gobble gobble.
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Re: Groceries
 

Not price related, but I was looking for a specific produce item that none of the stores carry in town.

I emailed Extra Foods (Loblaws brand) as well as Save On, I haven't heard back from Extra Foods, but Save On responded within 90 minutes, and not only did they respond, it wasn't a generic response from corporate, but an email from the store's produce manager.

He said he would look into the request, and would get back to me. An hour after that email, he sent another saying they placed an order for the item I had requested and they will stock it going forward...

The service Save On provides is top notch...:thumbsup:

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Jsmith when I was discussing ducks with Bristoluk I phoned the store on the east coast and the young man went over to the freezer and told me what they had, it's great ! :lol: Can't remember, think it was Superstore.

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Get one of these - perfect for roasting turkeys, ribs and just about anything!

I've had one for 6 years (it looks slightly different to this one) and find that it cooks evenly and quicker than a normal oven.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/ri...l#.Vhb9iivkeMs

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I was thinking of getting one of these, just wasn't sure if it was any good, but sounds like it is, so again your links are very helpful....:thumbup:

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Prompted by this thread I went into Dominion (Superstore) today and picked up a couple of prime rib roasts at around $20 each. One for the freezer and one for Sunday. We also splurged on two enormous rib steaks for supper. Truth to tell though I prefer sirloin steak which can be got pretty cheaply about once a month when it is on sale.

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I believe it was Superstore. My stepdaughter popped along to get a pair. She works a few stores along in the same strip mall.

We have something similar. I experimented with a chicken once but either I added too much water or I shouldn't have added any at all. Rubbery steamed chicken. :(

I've since read that some don't add it, but the instructions said to do so.

Sirloin here (Top Sirloin/Sirloin Tip) doesn't seem anything like Sirloin back in the UK.

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Preheat the roaster, smear olive oil or similar onto the bird and if possible, place the bird is on the metal trivet. If you are going to put liquid in, put a max of 1/2 cup of water in the bottom - I personally don't bother, so it isn't essential.

I've only cooked turkey and pork in it, but it does cook quickly so you have to check about 30-40 minutes before it says it should be done. I've always found that the meat is succulent, juicy and 'fall off the bone tender', provided you keep an eye on the time. I usually take the legs off towards the end of cooking so the breast stays juicy, then leave the legs in to finish off while the bird is resting.

:)

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Thanks. I was coming to that conclusion after reading up on it yesterday.

That's exactly what I did with one of Walmart's 99c lb ones a few months ago. :) It was every bit as good as the Butterball types I usually get with which I've had perfect results every time.

I think removing the legs might well be something that makes a difference with the 'normal' ones.

We have two turkeys in our freezer right now (one butterball and one normal) and Walmart still has an offer on so I'll probably get another today and leave it to thaw for Monday.

Have to get the roaster out to try again, but probably not for Monday. I want to see if I can repeat the success from last tinme.

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:ohmy: I've just cooked a turkey in my electric roaster, instead of taking the 4+ hours recommended on the wrapping, it actually took 2 hours 30 minutes.

:thumbup:

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It's still dark out. That means it's not Monday yet. Is your clock fast? :rofl:

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old British tradition to cook the bird the day before in case of a black out or power outage & the fact of less hassle on the event day.

Siouxie now makes a Turkey & stuffing sandwich just to make sure it tastes good - wash it down with a glass of favourite beverage:thumbsup:

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Really? Never heard that before. :confused:

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maybe a regional thing, cos my family over the pond always did it, even today & my sneaky suspicion is that sandwiches the day before was also a thing to do.

My wife does it, as did her mother - when asked why, my wife's response is always the 'its tradition & less fuss on the event day'. All the veggies are also peeled & panned in water the night before... go figure

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Me neither.

Although it would have been useful the year the oven died half-way through cooking the beast ... Or the year of the power outage ...

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did a google on this & surprising its a tradition according to netmums.com

For those who cook the turkey on xmas eve

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I could maybe understand it if xmas day was busier than xmas eve, but surely what makes xmas day 'busy' is doing the dinner.

But isn't that just transferring 'busy' to xmas eve when you might be busy with last minute wrapping or some such?

I suppose it depends on everyone's arrangements.

I'd rather relax with my whisky and 7Up with a movie or something the night before.

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[QUOTE=not2old;11769872]did a google on this & surprising its a tradition according to netmums.com

The lovely Diane from Dallas had never seen one cooked on Christmas day before; she said they always cooked it through the middle of the night so the house didn't get hot, and had the big meal around noon.

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I was into my teens before I realized people did Christmas dinner....:lol:

We never did a Christmas dinner, just stayed home with parents and sibling, and once I was 16, at work...

We don't do anything currently for Christmas but it's just the 2 of us and generally one of us works, me the previous 2 years, although this year looking like we will both be off on the holiday.

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You can come to us for dinner if you like. Pop over in your Learjet. Bring your snow shovel with you. :rofl:

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I haven't taken the lear out all week, I better go make sure it can still fly.....:rofl:

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Don't over-wind it or the rubber band may snap.

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Just prepared the 99c/lb Butterball for frying tomorrow. That was an unexpected cheap price in Safeway a couple of weeks ago.

There's a first time for everything! Hopefully it will be as good as everyone keeps telling me fried turkeys are!

Picked up the indoor fryer in Wallymart earlier in the year for $30, on clearance from $130 or so. It's one of those ones that looks like a massive deep fat fryer. It will be cooked in the garage I think. Chip pan smell will fill the entire house otherwise - the downside of 'Open Concept' I suppose!

Will report back tomorrow!

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I will send you a blood requisition form to check your cholesterol too!;)

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Apparently turkeys don't absorb much fat, or they lose a similar amount or something...

As we only eat turkey once every few years, it should be OK!

The rest of my diet is probably bad enough already anyway!

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I'm only kiddin ya!
Apparently Bernard Matthews Turkey Twizzlers are the best- tho Jamie Oliver isn't so keen!!!

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Always wanted to do a fried turkey, if they ever put the turkey fryer things down to $30, I'd grab one, have to cook it at the MIL house though..

Our Wal-Mart has had 2 of those fryer things on the shelf for a couple years now, was $130 and now $75, the boxes are so faded it's almost hard to tell what is in the boxes now...:lol:

Where were Butterball's that cheap? They never went below 2.49/lb around these parts.

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Ah but I am working all day tomorrow, so we had our Thanksgiving meal today - I had 3 hours off, enough time to finish off cooking the meal and get to eat it. Needs must old chap! Must admit it was very tasty; turkey, roast potato's, cauli, broccoli, carrots, sprouts, turnip and asparagus, served with cranberry sauce, bread sauce, stuffing and a proper turkey gravy.

Doing it all again on Tuesday (sans cooking the turkey) for my son, who was working all day today and tomorrow!

Eek!

:D

I can still remember my Mum getting up at silly-o'clock to put the 20lb turkey in, so it would be ready for dinner later on on Christmas Day. Whilst I quite often prepare the veg the night before, I always cook the meal on the day.

Turkey, stuffing, bread sauce and cranberry sandwiches are the best! I used to go to a pub just across from Bodium Castle, t'was there I had one for the first time.

Back in days gone by, breakfast boxing day was always a big chunk of bread and turkey dripping with a sprinkle of salt - oh my poor arteries!

:D

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I'll say. I'm chuffed when I see them @ $1.39/$1.49.
Fried? Can't say I remember anyone mentioning that - not on BE anyway.

In fact I seem to be the only one who ever rabbits on about 'butterball' turkey - although one or two have mentioned them this year.

No parsnips? That's illegal.

There's only two of us who like sprouts. I bought 8 of them. :rofl: I didn't get a funny look when they were weighed. :unsure:

I certainly remember having bread and dripping once but not turkey and not boxing day.

Of course you had bubble and squeak with the cold turkey later. :nod:

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Didn't go shopping today because I didn't need anything, worked a short day but went back in the early afternoon to solve a problem and was given a big carton of Schezwan beef by co-workers which I ate after my pub stop. Then when I got home I took my next door neighbour one of the turkey breasts I smoked on Monday and she gave me a cryovac package with 2 great big moose steaks in it. :thumbsup: What a country!

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No Frills special starting today - from a selection to huge pumpkins $0.87 ea

Pumpkin soup, pumpkin pies galore at a really low cost.

Pumpkin & sweet potato veg combined cube in olive oil baked in the oven for dinner

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Maybe not. The first deep fried turkey I had was in Brooklyn, they ran an extension cord out of the apartment window and cooked on the sidewalk. You could do the same, admittedly at the cost of attracting hordes of the homeless.

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No side walk, but I could do it on the lawn out front, never thought of that. Not many homeless around here, might interest some bears though....

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I want pumpkins for 87 cents...lol... But for Halloween... Cheapest I have seen so far is 3.99...

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keep checking, they usually come down in price between now & October 31.

Pumpkins are food, not just funky display items that get trashed on November 1st