Thanksgiving is a heartwarming holiday. It's close enough to Christmas that everyone is already in the holiday spirit, and it's a wonderful time to spend with family and friends. But while we're all really thankful, we also know that it's all about the food, right? There's got to be a lot of it, and each dish has got to be better than the next.
That's a lot of pressure to put on a host or hostess! Of course, you can always go the potluck route and just have everyone bring a side or dessert. Or, you can come out of this day looking like a kitchen hero while barely breaking a sweat. All you have to do is follow these tips for your Thanksgiving feast.
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1. Brine your turkey
Almost everyone loves turkey, but no one's going to like it if it gets dried out in the oven. This is such an easy thing that can happen to anyone. But there is a trick around it. You just have to brine your turkey. Brine works in a couple of ways to keep that turkey moist and juicy. First, it actually puts more moisture into the meat, so even when it loses some during the cooking process, there's a lot that meat can still fall back on. Secondly, it relaxes the protein fibers, which tend to seize up and bind together during the cooking process, leaving you with tough, dry meat.
Almost everyone loves turkey, but no one's going to like it if it gets dried out in the oven. This is such an easy thing that can happen to anyone. But there is a trick around it. You just have to brine your turkey. Brine works in a couple of ways to keep that turkey moist and juicy. First, it actually puts more moisture into the meat, so even when it loses some during the cooking process, there's a lot that meat can still fall back on. Secondly, it relaxes the protein fibers, which tend to seize up and bind together during the cooking process, leaving you with tough, dry meat.
So, how do you do it?
Fill a very large pot — or cooler if you want to save room in your fridge — with water and ice. The ice is especially important if you're using a cooler to ensure the temperature stays well below 38 F, the safe zone for stored food. Leave just enough room for a few more cups of water.
On the stove in a medium saucepan, combine 2-3 more cups of water, a generous cup of salt and a half a cup of sugar. This is your basic brine. From there you can add whatever flavoring you'd like. Cloves, bay leaf, garlic, rosemary twigs and even lemons that have been halved are all good options. Place them into the smaller saucepan and bring everything to a boil. This is just to dissolve the salt and sugar. Then add the brine mixture to the ice water and give it a good swirl so all the ingredients can get to know each other. Then lower your turkey in, making sure the entire turkey is covered in brine, and let it soak in its bath anywhere from 24-48 hours.
Remember to give the turkey a good rinse, then pat it dry after taking it out of the brine. A brined turkey should be moist and flavorful, not overly salty.
2. Make your turkey the day before
Sounds crazy, right? But it will actually save you a ton of stress, not to mention free up some of that precious oven real estate on the big day. By taking your time with the turkey and not sweating over the fact that it may or may not be done at the same time as your sides, you'll end up with a perfect turkey that everyone will be able to enjoy. And it will still be hot and moist by the time it lands on the table. Here's how you do it.
Sounds crazy, right? But it will actually save you a ton of stress, not to mention free up some of that precious oven real estate on the big day. By taking your time with the turkey and not sweating over the fact that it may or may not be done at the same time as your sides, you'll end up with a perfect turkey that everyone will be able to enjoy. And it will still be hot and moist by the time it lands on the table. Here's how you do it.
Using your favorite turkey-cooking method, cook your turkey until it's cooked throughout. Allow it to rest, then carve it, just as you would as if you were serving it in a few minutes. Next, wrap all the slices and pieces tightly in an airtight container or in plastic wrap, and store them in the fridge.
The next day, about half an hour before dinner, fill a shallow pot or roasting pan with enough chicken stock to just cover the turkey. Bring it to a boil to get it really hot, and then turn the heat to low. Once the stock is no longer boiling, place all your turkey slices and pieces into the pot or pan. Let them warm gently through, and when everything is hot, place all those pieces on a platter and serve! You'll have turkey that's juicy and hot without messing with it too much on the day of.
3. Make as many sides as you can the day before
A lot of traditional sides show up on any Thanksgiving table. No holiday table would be complete without stuffing, cranberry sauce and maybe even the proverbial green bean casserole. All of these are examples of dishes that can be made the day before. And in fact, cranberry sauce should be made the day before, so it has time to set up in the fridge.
A lot of traditional sides show up on any Thanksgiving table. No holiday table would be complete without stuffing, cranberry sauce and maybe even the proverbial green bean casserole. All of these are examples of dishes that can be made the day before. And in fact, cranberry sauce should be made the day before, so it has time to set up in the fridge.
But your other sides can also be made the day before, wrapped tightly after cooling, and then simply popped into the fridge. When you're reheating your turkey — or letting it rest if you don't want to cook it ahead of time — just pop them into the oven to let them warm through again.
And remember, if you've also taken on dessert duty, pies, cakes and tarts can be made two days in advance.
4. Let your slow cooker take over mashed potatoes
This can be done in a couple of ways. You can either make your mashed potatoes the traditional way early on Thanksgiving morning or the day before, and then put them in the slow cooker with a little more cream or milk to ensure they don't dry out. Place the lid on, turn the slow cooker on low, and let the mashed potatoes keep warm or warmed through once again.
This can be done in a couple of ways. You can either make your mashed potatoes the traditional way early on Thanksgiving morning or the day before, and then put them in the slow cooker with a little more cream or milk to ensure they don't dry out. Place the lid on, turn the slow cooker on low, and let the mashed potatoes keep warm or warmed through once again.
Or, you could go the route of cooking the potatoes entirely in the slow cooker. Peel the potatoes, or leave the skins on if you like texture, and quarter them before placing them in the slow cooker. Cover, turn the slow cooker to low, and let the potatoes cook through for about 6 hours. When it comes time to mash, turn off the heat and add butter, cream, a bit of sour cream, and salt and pepper. Then mash as usual and serve. If your slow cooker has an insert, you can even bring the entire insert over to the table. It will save you another serving dish and keep the potatoes warmer longer to boot!
5. Make gravy the easy way
No, we're not talking about packets of gravy here. You can easily get homemade gravy in just a few minutes, and it can be perfect. The trick to getting a great gravy is to make sure that it's been skimmed, so it doesn't end up leaving a pool of grease all over that food you've worked so hard for.
No, we're not talking about packets of gravy here. You can easily get homemade gravy in just a few minutes, and it can be perfect. The trick to getting a great gravy is to make sure that it's been skimmed, so it doesn't end up leaving a pool of grease all over that food you've worked so hard for.
But to do this, you actually need to skim the pan drippings before you even start to make the gravy. Pour all of the drippings into a measuring cup, and then place that measuring cup in the freezer for a few minutes. As the drippings cool, the fat will rise to the top and harden, leaving the pan drippings underneath. When you take the drippings out of the freezer, use a spoon to scoop the fat off and discard, and pour the drippings into a saucepan or the roasting pan to start making your gravy.
6. Put a thermos to good use
You can even make your gravy ahead of time using broth, butter and flour, and then adding the drippings at the last minute to give your gravy that rich turkey flavor. Plus, you don't have to take up room on your stove just to keep it warm either.
You can even make your gravy ahead of time using broth, butter and flour, and then adding the drippings at the last minute to give your gravy that rich turkey flavor. Plus, you don't have to take up room on your stove just to keep it warm either.
Start by creating a roux in a medium-sized saucepan. Melt 1/4 cup of butter, then add 1/4 cup of flour. Whisk these two ingredients together vigorously over medium heat. Let them cook for 2 minutes, whisking all the while. Slowly add your broth, about 2 cups, but as much as you want until it's your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer for just a few minutes.
Then, to keep the gravy piping hot until mealtime, pour it into a thermos and place the lid on. When it's dinnertime, add the pan drippings, give the thermos a good shake or stir, and then pour the gravy into your gravy boat.
7. Place all drinks in a cooler
Drinks can take up a lot of space in the refrigerator, space that could be used for storing side dishes or appetizers. Besides taking up space in the fridge, they'll also indirectly take up space in your kitchen as your guests continue to come in and out to take those drinks out of the fridge.
Drinks can take up a lot of space in the refrigerator, space that could be used for storing side dishes or appetizers. Besides taking up space in the fridge, they'll also indirectly take up space in your kitchen as your guests continue to come in and out to take those drinks out of the fridge.
Solve both problems by filling a cooler with ice and all the drinks that need to be served cold. Place the cooler in the guest area, and tell them to help themselves. You've just made it easier on them, yourself and your fridge!
8. Let your cupboard doors do double duty
It's not just space in your fridge you need; you also need lots of counter space to make all those delicious dishes. So it's space that shouldn't be taken up by cookbooks and recipe cards. Instead, tape these to your cupboard doors. They'll be easier to look at while you're cooking, and you'll free up your counter space.
It's not just space in your fridge you need; you also need lots of counter space to make all those delicious dishes. So it's space that shouldn't be taken up by cookbooks and recipe cards. Instead, tape these to your cupboard doors. They'll be easier to look at while you're cooking, and you'll free up your counter space.
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If you have a really bulky cookbook, you can still enlist the help of your cupboard doors. Use a pants or skirt hanger that has a clip at each end. Place the hook around your cupboard door, and clip the cookbook into those two clips. Let it hang there, open to the recipe you need. It's an ingenious trick that will free up space while still letting you cook out of grandma's favorite cookbook!