Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get cooking. Looking to save time, stay organized, AND have the most delicious bird on the block? We’ve got 7 easy tips that’ll help make every Thanksgiving dinner one for the history books.
1. Spatchcock Your Turkey!
Say what? AKA butterflying, this simply means removing the backbone of your turkey, and pushing the breast down towards the tray, so the bird lays relatively flat in the pan. It both SIGNIFICANTLY reduces overall cook time and allows all the meat to cook evenly. This ensures that white and dark meat are both juicy and cooked to perfection. Genius! For a quick tutorial, check out Tasteofhome.com.
2. Keep Your Cool
Tired of playing fridge-Tetris trying to make everything fit? For those of us without easily accessible outdoor space, pull out hard and soft-sided coolers, fill them with ice, and put them somewhere handy. Don’t have spare coolers, task a guest to bring one. It’s an easy way to make them work for their supper!
3. Think Outside the Boat
Accurately timing out all of the Thanksgiving variables is daunting. If the gravy is ready early, pull out an odor-free thermos, pour it in and keep it warm until it’s ready to be served. Make sure to give it a good shake before pouring it into your serving vessel.
4. Prepare for the inevitable
It happens every year. Someone, at some point, has a catastrophic spill. Best case scenario, they only get themselves, but more often than not, the spill hits the carpet or a “fancy meal” fabric like holiday napkins or table cloth. Plan ahead! Put together a triage kit with vinegar, baking soda, stain sticks and other stain-fighting stalwarts. The folks at Real Simple have put together a great stain removal how-to.
5. Get a Grip
You know the drill, your meal prep is going smoothly until you run into a jar lid that just. Won’t. Budge. You’ve lightly tapped the edges, run under warm water and wrenched the lid to no avail. Before you call for back up, wrap a couple rubber bands around the lid and give it another twist. The rubber bands can substantially increase your grip, giving you that edge you need to once again defeat your circular nemesis.
6. Po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe
No matter how you say it, no one at my house likes to scrub them. If your so-called-helpers are also tuber averse, pop your potatoes into the dishwasher WITHOUT detergent, and set for it for a quick rinse. Easy as pie. Which still needs to be made.
7. Set the table for success
Put early birds and underfoot guests to work setting the table. It gives helps them feel like they are contributing and it helps you check another thing off of your list.
We hope our tips help make your holiday get-together less stressful. Happy Thanksgiving to all our wonderful customers!