Last Minute Thanksgiving Meal Advice that Impresses
Whether you are having a small Friends-giving or a large Thanksgiving with your family, these procrastination tips can help you pull off a successful dinner that’ll impress everyone. This does require a little more than an empty fridge for ingredients.
This is the best tip I’ve learned with preparing a Turkey (or any poultry), brine it. This means soaking the whole, thawed turkey in salty water. About a cup of salt per gallon. Feel free to add herbs, spices, or even honey to this brine to give it flavor. This whole process might require some space in your fridge, I recommend doing it in a large pot, or even a Turkey Roasting Bag. The brine does a great job of keeping the turkey moist and flavorful, regardless of the method of cooking. I recommend refrigerating it day before, but if you’re in a jam, the morning of will work too.
Mashed Potatoes are a staple side dish for Thanksgiving. Everybody loves their starchy goodness! Whether you are using the instant potatoes or mashing your own, here are a few ingredients to step-up those potatoes: butter, heavy cream (whole milk or half n’ half will work), minced garlic, salt, and pepper. If you are using instant potatoes, chances are they are already salted enough. I digress, but add these ingredients to your taste. Keep adding each one until it seems sufficient and taste along the way. You will know what delicious, creamy potatoes are like!
No thanksgiving is complete without gravy. A great sauce is a fresh sauce! Use your turkey drippings! They should already contain lots of flavor from your brine and seasonings. Melt 1/4 cup (half a stick) of unsalted butter in a small pot, gradually whisk 1/4 cup of flower into the butter. Then gradually add 2 1/2 cups of turkey drippings into your roux (flour and butter mixture). Whisk and simmer until thickened. About 5 minutes. Add seasonings and herbs.
These 3 Thanksgiving dishes are a part of most American’s dinner tables and are regularly consumed throughout the holidays. I urge you to explore your tastes and culture to make your Thanksgiving enjoyable.
