Cooking disasters!!!. I just failed at dinner

[cally]

I always host Christmas Eve dinner. It usually is a success but tonight was a cooking disaster. I decided to make a turkey which I don't usually cook. I thought it would be easier. :eyes: Just as folks were arriving the thermometer read 180 degrees. Perfect! I pulled it out and went to greet my guests. About 30 minutes later I go to carve it and it is not done at all. We put it back in for an hour and it is still not done. I ended up carving it and baking it in pieces. We ate 2 hours later and most of the other food was not at it's best. Sheesh. I've never screwed up this bad.

The best comment was from my sister who said this is actually reassuring. It all seems easy for you, it's good to know you mess up too. All my family thought it was pretty funny but it was definitely a cooking fiasco. Anyone else mess up the dinner?

Moral of the story: I'm not cooking turkey again. It is not easier!

[The Undertaker]

1. You sound like my mom....

don't worry. It happens to all of us. I can't even make toast without burning it...

[Hillsey]

2. Happened at my brother's pre-wedding dinner 20 years ago

My dad cooked prime rib and that devil was rare and wouldn't cook! Had to cook it more and then microwave part of it before we we done. Her family was a "well done" crowd. It didn't go over well.

But they were a laid back and forgiving bunch so we survived and did enjoy the evening. Great bunch of folks by the way.

[MercutioATC]

8. The trick with prime rib is to....

put a near-boiling pot of au jus on the stove and cook it by "boiling" it piece by piece. You can get each piece done how the individual likes it and it doesn't get dry.

[Cleita]

3. Cally, you sound like the perfect hostess.

The dinner is just incidental. As along as everyone enjoyed themselves.

[cally]

4. Let's hope noone gets sick!

After I ate the stuffing I wondered if I cooked it enough. Not a stellar moment. Oh well, not much I can do about it now. I guess I will hear about this for years.

[toddzilla]

5. our dysfunctional family..

we bring whatever we want to eat and make it there. tonight i had velveeta chili dip with doritos and a baked potato with butter and sour cream. My brother had shrimp cocktail and my sister had hot and sour soup with a portabello mushroom sandwich. Mom ate everyone else's food..


it's simple and for our small family it works just fine.

[WatchWhatISay]

6. Was your turkey completely thawed out

when you put it in?

Just trying to think of what may have gone wrong. Glad your guests had a good time anyway.

[SoCalDem]

7. One thanksgiving, just as I was about to put the turkey in the oven

the power went out.. Naturally we had electric appliances then.. We had about 8 people coming for dinner, and as it turned out we ate hamburgers and hot dogs on the charcoal barbeque grill and sat around outside eating picnic food..complete with potato salad and chips from the Circle K..

Sometimes things just don;t work out.:)

Cheer up.. everyone has cooking disasters..


another memorable duster.. Making lasagna from scratch (nothing canned).. I worked on the sauce all day, and then put it in the oven .. I had never made it and my friend, who had given me her grandmothers recipe (the Sicilian grandmother), never bothered to tell me to COOK THE DAMNED NOODLES first.. I never lived that one down..

[rasputin1952]

9. Fear not...

and welcome to my world!

Most likely the thermometer was defective. (If you want to be sure, boil water, and if it doesn't register 212F, toss it; heck, toss it anyway).

I made a chocolate cake from scratch once, took me a week to clean the oven! No kidding, it BLEW UP! Big difference between Baking Soda, Baking Powder and yeast!

I didn't give up though, and can now fry an egg without breaking the yolk!

You'll be fine. :hug:

[grasswire]

10. you could doublecheck in predicting your cooking time...

....by figuring about 18 min per pound for an unstuffed bird.

The Thanksgiving dinner I enjoyed this year had the opposite problem. The bird was done two hours before the straggling guests arrived and had to sit and wait. It was a gorgeous free-range bird, but by the time we ate, it was dry. Bummer, bummer bummer.

Another hint: when a turkey is done, the leg joints will feel very loose and wobbly, or actually come off when you wiggle them.

[Skittles]

11. I AGREE WITH YOUR SISTER

it is so intimidating when someone ALWAYS does something well. You will cook turkey again, cally, and it will be perfect. :D