Thanksgiving Turkey

[ruddabega]

My first gluten-free Thanksgiving is coming up, and I am getting worried about being able to eat anything at all. My family is a big fan of stuffing, so they will cook the turkey w/ gluten-full stuffing inside. Will the turkey be contaminated? Will the turkey juice? (for gravy). What about cooking gluten-free items in the oven at the same time as breads and cassroles?

Any insight would be appreciated!

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Ruddebega,

You can have a great Thanksgiving, but you will need to prepare.

In previous years, I used to make my stuff the day before and just "nuke" everything when everbod else ate (i know it stinks, but is safe).

Nowadays, I just buy a "turkey breast" or "drumstick" and cook it myself. I also make my own mashed potatoes, my own stuffing and buy my own gravy (it is available -- just google gluten free gravy)

Fresh steamed veggies are always ok (watch the seasoning) -- but you can overcome this with sheer preparation.

Bronco

[darlindeb25]

I made a turkey with stuffing for my family for Christmas last year. I made gluten-free cornbread stuffing and perfectly good gravy with gluten-free flour. We had yams, veggies--everything was gluten-free, nearly everything anyways. It was great, except that was the day I found out I can't tolerate cornmeal and yes, it was gluten-free, I checked. You also can have ham, scalloped potatoes--just about anything you can think of, you can make gluten-free. Deb

[debmidge]

This will be our third gluten-free thanksgiving and I too had a memory blip:

True or false:

A celiac cannot have a turkey that's been cooked with gluteny stuffing inside of it?

(I don't do the cooking that day and I don't remember what we've done for past 2 Thanksgivings).

[Guest nini]

A celiac CAN NOT have a turkey with Gluten-y stuffing cooked inside.

I make a cornbread stuffing for my family that is OUT OF THIS WORLD and they don't know the difference. Also, we make the gravy from a gluten-free gravy packet that I found at the HFS... Road's End Organics... it's really good and the gluten-free packets are labeled gluten-free...

I've trained my family that if they want me and my daughter to participate, then they have to prepare a meal that is NATURALLY gluten free. They don't need to go out and buy specialty items, just make stuff from scratch. Use cornstarch instead of flour for thickening sauces, etc... just takes some planning.

Oh, and you can always just make your own stuff the day before and heat it up. Not as much fun, but safer if you can't get your family to cooperate.

[AmandaD]

Would you mind sharing your gluten-free stuffing recipe? I would love to use it...

A celiac CAN NOT have a turkey with Gluten-y stuffing cooked inside.

I make a cornbread stuffing for my family that is OUT OF THIS WORLD and they don't know the difference. Also, we make the gravy from a gluten-free gravy packet that I found at the HFS... Road's End Organics... it's really good and the gluten-free packets are labeled gluten-free...

I've trained my family that if they want me and my daughter to participate, then they have to prepare a meal that is NATURALLY gluten free. They don't need to go out and buy specialty items, just make stuff from scratch. Use cornstarch instead of flour for thickening sauces, etc... just takes some planning.

Oh, and you can always just make your own stuff the day before and heat it up. Not as much fun, but safer if you can't get your family to cooperate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[jenvan]

You'll really have to ck on everything that is made...gluten is all over Thanksgiving! We do a pitch in, so I have at least one or two things I can eat. You could always make your own gravy too. I made some mushroom gravy last week that turned out great.

[kabowman]

For turkey gravy, find out if they use arrowroot flour, cornstarch, or regular flour. The first two should be OK for you to eat--as long as they don't use one spoon for multiple uses therefore contaminating the gravy - my mom always used cornstarch instead of regular flour growing up.

Stay away from a gluten stuffing filled turkey. I would ask that they prepare a baked ham in addition to the turkey (I always prepare 2-3 meats) and ask that they check the glaze, if any, or not to use any glaze. That would probably be the easiest and safest route.

The first Thanksgiving seems to be the hardest. See if you can take your own, gluten free pies or offer to make the crust for pie.

[skoki-mom]

My first Thanksgiving went really well (it was just a couple of weeks ago). I made stuffing out of gluten-free bread, and I used the gluten-free flour mix in Bette Hagman's Gluten Free Gourmet cookbooks as a replacement for regular flour in the gravy. My sister and I both have celiac disease, and my parents are pretty accommodating, so that is a bonus! I used Kinnikinnick Italian white bread for the stuffing. Everything turned out wonderfully, I really didn't know I wasn't eating a gluten-free meal! My parents brought some of their own stuffing and cooked it on the side, but it had a lid on it so it was fine in the oven. They tried our gluten-free stuffing, and they will probably just eat that in the future because it was pretty good, but I ended up throwing a lot away because my sister and I just can't eat that much stuffing!

[jenvan]

I used sweet rice flour in my gravy...

[Guest nini]

anyone that wants my cornbread stuffing recipe can e-mail me at nisla@comcast.net, for some reason my silly computer won't let me copy and paste on this site... grrrrrr...

I found gluten-free pie crusts by Gillian's foods at a HFS the other day... I bought them, but haven't tried them yet. I have liked other foods by Gillian's so I'm sure they are good.

[tarnalberry]

Nope, can't have the turkey if it's been stuffed with gluten-filled stuff, and the same goes with the juice from it. Technically, it's safer to make the stuffing outside of the turkey anyway, and then just make the gravy with a gluten-free flour. I've done all of Thanksgiving dinner (including desserts) gluten-free for the past two years for the family, and they've always loved it - it's not hard with a bit of modification. But you can also make some dishes of your own that you can eat/share that are gluten-free.

[debbiewil]

darlindeb25

If you want to make a stuffing without cornbread this year, I have a great recipe that uses no bread at all. It does use eggs, though, as the binder, so won't work for anyone who's egg sensitive. If you want it, email me at debbiewil@juno.com.

Debbie

[Guest Viola]

I use potato starch to make my gravy, for the simple reason that it goes over the potatoes, so potato starch doesn't change, or distract from the flavours. But as you see from the other posts, you have plenty of choices to thicken gravy.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Here are some links to easy instant gluten free gravies....

Open Original Shared Link

FYI, I use the turkey drippings, a little pinot noir wine, herbs, salt/Pepper, and cornstarch....

Remember when using cornstarch that it gets to its thickest point AFTER coming to a boil -- so add it in slowly and in small quantities....

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

HERE IS MY GLUTEN FREE STUFFING RECIPE AGAIN.....YUM YUM!

In a skillet, brown 1 lb Jimmy Dean Sausage (I like the hot). Remove the sausage (but keep the grease -- you don't have to if you dont want to)

In the same large skillet, sautee on low heat in 3-4 tablespoons of butter and 2-3 tablespoons of olilve oil some diced up carrots, celery and onions ( I also add one diced Jalapeno pepper) --- enough to cover the bottom of the skillet (I actually use more, but you can play with the recipe). Sautee until just past al dente (around 8-10 minutes).

Add in chicken stock (or Turkey stock) so it "floats the veggies". Add in the sausage. Simmer for 15-20 minutes (taste test and make sure the veggies are soft!!!!)

Cut up 1-2 loaves of gluten free bread ( I like the Brown breads better -- the denser the better in this recipe). Cut the bread into small cubes.

Remove the cover, add the bread. Stir around, add bread every few minutes, until you have the consistency you like. (If it too dry, you can add more stock)...Add sage, oregano and basil.....Keep in the oven in a casserole dish to stay warm...

Enjoy!!!!

[CeliacMe]

You may have to bear the burden of having it at your house! OH NO! LOL.

My family makes the gravy from scratch and uses cornstarch instead of flour anyway. Also my dad bring stuffing separate, not even prepared in the same kitchen. The usual seasonings shouldn't be a problem with the turkey, my aunt lets it cook in its own juices and seasons it (gotta watch out for starch products in already prepared seasoning mixes). The only other gluten product that we eat is bread, which is left in the bakery bag and unloaded into a basket before the table is set. We have been cutting down on bread anyway because my aunt is doing south beach and my grandma has a problem with eating a whole loaf of bread (she's type 2). So I guess you can say that this (my celiac dx) is the perfect reason (excuse) for cutting out the bread this year!

So, instead, I will bring the bread this year and make it myself. I'll probably do cornbread, a french loaf receipe from my cookbook and a flourless chocolate cake. You can make homemade rice pudding too for dessert (my mom makes really yummy rice pudding, it's gluten-free). Merangue cookies are also gluten-free. You should talk to whoever's house you're having it at and send a receipe for gluten free gravy and request that they cook any stuffing separately. If they love you they will want to make this Thanksgiving an edible for you!

You can get many cookbooks online and at barnes and noble. I got a few the day that I was diagnosed. Your best bet is to either have it at your house or coordinate and help the person in your family who is hosting it. You can make bread and/or I found the chebe website which stores have it. I beleive they have a frozen dough that you can bake.

Also, I don't know how far you are from Disneyland, but Disney World in FL (by me) had a really good Thanksgiving dinner at the Wilderness Lodge. You can call ahead and they are EXTREMELY accomidating. In fact, they will make cornbread pancakes for the character breakfast as long as you call ahead. Most of their stuff is made from scratch, so its not hard for them to modify receipes to accomidate you, I find that most foods made from scratch tend to be gluten-free anyway.

My first gluten-free Thanksgiving is coming up, and I am getting worried about being able to eat anything at all. My family is a big fan of stuffing, so they will cook the turkey w/ gluten-full stuffing inside. Will the turkey be contaminated? Will the turkey juice? (for gravy).  What about cooking gluten-free items in the oven at the same time as breads and cassroles?

Any insight would be appreciated!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[PreOptMegs]

Are the mainstream frozen turkeys gluten-free or do they add an enhancing solution that has gluten in them? This is my first Thanksgiving and everyone keeps asking me what they want me to have them make that I can eat...so confused sometimes!

[floridanative]

Are the mainstream frozen turkeys gluten-free or do they add an enhancing solution that has gluten in them?  This is my first Thanksgiving and everyone keeps asking me what they want me to have them make that I can eat...so confused sometimes!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh my gosh! I don't have to start the diet until right after Thanksgiving (after biopsy) and I thought all I had to worry about for Christmas dinner was to make sure I use gluten-free cornbread mix for dressing (no not all mixes are gluten-free even though they are a corn product) and no fried onions for the green bean cassserole and I'm still looking for an easy (not from scratch) recipe for pie crust for pecan pies. I didn't even think about the turkey!! Gee whiz! This is so hard to learn about - and I'm not even on the diet yet. I guess I'd better e-mail Butterball. That's the only turkey my Dad likes. If it isn't gluten-free we'll be having two turkeys I guess.

[Smunkeemom]

Are the mainstream frozen turkeys gluten-free or do they add an enhancing solution that has gluten in them?  This is my first Thanksgiving and everyone keeps asking me what they want me to have them make that I can eat...so confused sometimes!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know that last year butterball had gluten in it, but that Jenny-0 and Honeysuckle white was gluten-free also. You should recheck this year though because they may have changed it.

EDIT: my good deed for the day.... I checked it out for you!!!!

Does Honeysuckle White® Turkey contain gluten or MSG?

Most all of our products are MSG and gluten free. The only exceptions are our meatballs, a new Teriyaki Tenderloin and a new frozen Turkey Burger.

All of our deli meats are also MSG and gluten free.

We don't use flour on the conveyor belts in any of our Honeysuckle White® processing plants.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

I thought Butterball turkeys were gluten-free (you have to throw away the gravy packet)

From CLan Thompson's site:

Butterball Turkeys: frozen: Manufactured by Butterball Turkeys. Gluten free: Yes. Vegetarian: No. Verified: 11/18/04. Comments: No gluten present in the basting material, but don't use the gravy packet.

[kabowman]

I order my turkey from the butcher who gets them fresh from a farm. I had him confirm with the farm that NOTHING would be added to the turkey, at all and for the first time in years, I didn't get sick eating a turkey. I just give them a time/date I will be picking up the bird.

Something else to worry about, some turkeys have lactose added to them to help them brown better.

[Smunkeemom]

I thought Butterball turkeys were gluten-free (you have to throw away the gravy packet)

From CLan Thompson's site:

Butterball Turkeys: frozen: Manufactured by Butterball Turkeys. Gluten free: Yes. Vegetarian: No. Verified: 11/18/04. Comments: No gluten present in the basting material, but don't use the gravy packet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hmm. you learn something new everyday. Thank you for clarifying, I think I probably just scanned the ingredients last year and didn't look to see which ones were "turkey" and which were "gravy"

anyway I think I am going with the honeysuckle white. sounds like better idea if worried about cross-contamination (and I am, my 2 year old is highly sensitive)

[tarnalberry]

I've never seen a *plain, regular* turkey that ITSELF has gluten in it. gravy packets can contain it, so you have to avoid those. and all you have to do is read the label, as the requirements for labeling on fresh meat is different, and wheat has to be labeled. Butterball turkeys (without any special sauces/gravies/preparation, just plain) are gluten-free.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

However, Honey Baked Hams HAVE GLUTEN IN THEM, THOUGH...I was crushed for a day or two when I found that out...I got over it when I figured I could make my own honey glaze and it tastes the same...

AVOID HONEY BAKED HAMS!!!

I do like Hormel's Cure 51 Label Hams -- they're very yummy!!!!!