No, this is not my overstuffed pantry, but a girl can dream…

I know I am massively late for posting the results of my October Food Challenge. You remember: The Official USDA Food Plan: cost of food at four different levels 2011 U.S. average said I should be spending between $488 (Thrifty plan) and $964.20 (Liberal plan) per month for my family of two adults (19-50 years) and one child (6-8 years). If you don’t remember, click here for a refresher.

The first half of the month I spent $172.41. Which included Kiddo’s birthday festivities.

And for the second half of October I spent….

Which is very high for us, but I had a Costco trip and hosted a steak dinner for a friend’s 50th Birthday.

We ate one meal out. Kiddo & Hubby brown-bagged it each day.

That’s $130.18 UNDER the USDA’s $488 Thrifty Meal Plan.

Ooookkkaay…so this doesn’t include wine, but it’s everything else. And my cupboards and freezers are still stuffed. Although nowhere near as pretty as one shown above, but eat well for well under budget.

But now it’s time to talk turkey.

Thanksgiving duties alternate between my parents and my In-Laws usually.  I host Christmas dinner each year. Some years I’ve made dressed-up pork, I’ve cooked lasagna Bolognese, and I’ve done turkey. I try to mix it up each year, do something special, something memorable.

Last year we decided to smoke a turkey on our gas grill. We brined it overnight, then slowly smoked it (far from the house) over mesquite and hickory chips. It was a giant experiment, my Dad (the smoker), my Hubby (the griller), and myself (the head chef) all working together to figure it out.

It was the best damn turkey I have ever eaten.

So of course, I plan on doing it again this year. Except, for some reason, I didn’t write down exactly how we did it.

Crap.

I remember watching some YouTube videos and checking out a zillion recipes online, but for some bizarre reason I didn’t bookmark the one(s) we used. Or maybe I accidentally deleted it? Ah, I must find that recipe!


30 minutes later…
Oh wait…THIS one looks familiar. It’s Alton Brown’s Honey Brined Smoked Turkey. I’m pretty sure this is it. I know I would have trusted Alton and it looks familiar. Hallelujah!

Wait, now that I have watched the video I KNOW this is the recipe. I must not have saved it because I would have just assumed I would trust Alton Brown with this kind of experiment.

Courtesy of he Food Network

If you want something different, something juicy and smokey and succulent and flat-out divine try it.  It may take a little more effort than popping a Butterball in the oven (in the bag!) but the brining keeps it moist and plump, and the smoking…well, THAT you can taste for yourself.

I will never make turkey another way again. Thanks Alton.