If you’re not a foodie who spends a big chunk of your time in the kitchen, cooking for Thanksgiving can seem intimidating. With the turkey roasting, killing the mac and cheese, seasoning the potatoes and baking pies, there’s a lot to juggle. We know you’ve got Thanksgiving cooking questions and we’ve got the answers.
If you’re not the most experienced cook, roasting is the easier choice. If done right, deep-fried turkeys have fantastic flavor and are really delicious. But there’s just too many things that can go wrong, so beginners or moderate cooks should stick to roasting. Keep in mind, there are also multiple restaurants and stores that offer fully cooked birds and meals, so you can relax on the big day.
Brining the turkey means you’re soaking it in water seasoned with salt and other herbs. It produces a more tender and juicier bird.. It’s not difficult, but it is time consuming. Depending on the size of your turkey, you need to brine for 8 to 24 hours. Personally, I don’t feel like the results merit the added work during an already busy period. If you give yourself plenty of time and cook the turkey properly, you’ll be OK.
Some people like to baste every 45 minutes to an hour. However, you don’t want to open the oven door too often, as that lets heat out and slows down the cooking process. Depending on the size of the turkey and how long you’ll be roasting it, you can go with every hour and 20 minutes to every 90 minutes. If you’re cooking a smaller turkey or just a turkey breast, you should baste every hour.
Let’s be honest, the turkey is not really the star of the Thanksgiving show. It’s actually the mac and cheese. This means only the most trusted cook in your family can be responsible for it. Just make sure you only have one person prepare it, because the last thing anyone needs is a mac and cheese competition. This could turn your family meal into the next Hunger Games movie.
Honestly, there’s no strict answer to this one. Whether you like that little crunch with your mac and cheese is really up to your family. However, I tend to live by the rule that the chef gets the final say.
We’ve previously answered the marshmallow debate with a resounding “hell nah.” They bring nothing to the dish and ruin the texture of the sweet potatoes. Skip ‘em!
Again, this comes down to personal preference, but I’ve always felt that a little texture in your potatoes (or in other words, lumpy) really gives them a scratch made feeling. Also, a few peaks and valleys helps them hold the gravy better.
Being health conscious isn’t easy during the holidays, so I can understand looking for tricks wherever you can. There’s a lot of carbs on a Thanksgiving table. If you’re thinking you don’t need two kinds of potatoes in one meal, maybe split them up and have one for Thanksgiving and the other for Christmas.
Here’s the difference: Stuffing is when you stuff the bird and dressing is when it’s cooked outside the turkey. You can still stuff the turkey, but you’ll want to closely monitor temperatures to make sure everything is safe. Personally, I like the idea of cooking it separately so you can add your own spin to it without affecting the turkey.
Cornbread is the most popular choice because its texture and sweetness are perfect for stuffing. However, you can use any bread you want. Though, I would suggest you stick with a softer bread. Something like French bread or focaccia might be harder to work with. Hawaiian rolls and challah are also really fun choices. If you have time, consider doing a combination for something different.
If your gravy is too thick, simply whisk in broth until it’s at the desired consistency.
For thin gravy whisk in a small amount of cornstarch until smooth. Or make a roux by melting a small amount of butter on medium heat, then whisk in a little flour until you have a paste. Whisk this in your gravy until smooth.
No offense pumpkin, but y’all already know Black folks’ answer to this one.
