by Steven Doyle
Thanksgiving is upon us once again and all the gobblers are running for cover. To get you in the mood for a little fun and relaxation we asked a few chefs around Dallas a some questions so we get our dinner cooked just right. We will run their answers both today and tomorrow, so check back often to see how your favorite chef weighs in on the holiday.
Will Fleischman is the pit master and chef at Lockhart Smokehouse in the Bishop Arts District. He was featured as one of the top ten pit masters in the United States by Southern Living Magazine and has cooked around the world. Think of Will as a thinking man’s chef who has an affinity for post oak.
Don’t let Will’s deadpan humor or enormous beard frighten you away, the man is very approachable and entertaining.
What makes for a perfect holiday bird?
The perfect turkey is brined for 24 hours, dry rubbed, and smoked at 240 degrees to achieve a rich mahogany skin… and paid for in advance.
Canned or fresh cranberries?
Cranberry sauce made using my great grandmother’s meat grinder. She wasn’t that great, kinda mean really. Seems creepy she would even encourage kids to use such a device.
What was your favorite Thanksgiving food as a child?
Best turkey day dish as a child was my mother’s stuffing. Everything else was pretty terrible.
Any crazy relative story you can relate this Thanksgiving?
My crazy relative stories have not passed the legally required time before I am allowed to talk about them.
What do we bring to a Thanksgiving pot luck dinner?
An easy dish for a potluck style meal, you ask? One can of each Pringle variety.
What is plan B after we burned the turkey?
After the bird is rendered inedible by (insert hosts name here) then it is always best to have wonton wrappers thawing. You can wrap almost anything up in those things and play State Fair.
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
My favorite holiday tradition is feeling mildly sorry for all those folks that have to visit their family and pretend to enjoy themselves. My solo holidays are a worthy and venerated tradition. Don’t stop inviting me to join you at yours! It would ruin the fun of turning you down.
