Thanksgiving Cooking Tips 2022

Are you planning on hosting a Thanksgiving gathering this year? With Thanksgiving approaching, it is important to start preparing and planning for your festivities. Preparing a feast for your guests and/or family is a crucial task when preparing a Thanksgiving feast. Traditionally, a vast number of dishes are made for Thanksgiving. Some of the most common dishes made include mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pie, casseroles, candied yams, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, and last but not least, turkey! Cooking and prepping some of these dishes can be time-consuming…

Here are a few tips to keep in mind, so that you can be more efficient while cooking and planning for your get-together:

• Make a list of all ingredients needed to prepare your dishes! (Be sure to purchase these ingredients ahead of time to prevent last-minute grocery trips!)
• Buy pre-cut ingredients. This will reduce the time spent cutting produce.
• Thaw your turkey a few days ahead of your feast. According to the USDA, you should allow your turkey to refrigerator thaw for one day for every 4-5 pounds of weight. Your turkey is safe to cook for two days after is has been thawed. Along with the time it can take to thaw a turkey, it also takes an average of 3 hours to cook an unstuffed turkey. A stuffed turkey should be cooked at 15 minutes per pound.
• Frying your turkey (if you have a fryer large enough for your turkey) can help reduce cooking time.
• Make a few dishes ahead of time. Prepare foods/ingredients that can be stored in the freezer, such as pie crust, that can be thawed out the day before your gathering. Dishes that can sit overnight and be consumed the next day are also ideal to make.
• Ask your guests to bring a dish to share with others. This will also help to lessen the amount of cooking that you, as the host, will need to do.
• Use a lid when cooking ingredients in a pot over the stove. Using a lid will hold heat inside of the pot. Holding in heat allows food to cook faster.
• Reduce the surface area of your food by cutting it into smaller pieces. Reducing the surface area of your food is also a way to cook your food faster.
• Use all-purpose seasonings to reduce the amount of time spent searching for multiple seasonings.
• Cook meat at a high temperature. Allowing meat to cook at a higher temp will cook it quicker. Remember to check the internal temperature of the meat to ensure that is cooked to your preference.

While following these tips, it is important to ensure that your dishes are cooked to your desired result. Being prepared for your celebration, while ensuring your dishes are tasty, will undoubtingly help your guests leave satisfied! Last, but certainly not least, always remember to have fun, and enjoy the special time spent amongst friends and family this Thanksgiving. Happy cooking!

References:

Benshosan, April. “12 Time-Saving Tips for Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner, Chefs Say.” Eat This Not That, 17 Nov. 2022, https://www.eatthis.com/thanksgiving-dinner-tips-save-time/.

Clark, Melissa, et al. “How to Cook a Turkey: The Simplest Method for the Best Bird.” Epicurious, 11 Nov. 2022, www.epicurious.com/holidays-events/the-easiest-way-to-cook-turkey-article.

Gravely, Marianne. “How to Safely Thaw A Turkey.” USDA, 21 Feb. 2017, www.usda.gov/media/blog/2016/11/18/how-safely-thaw-turkey

Elizabeth, Erin. “17 Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas.” Restaurant Clicks, 7 Sept. 2022, https://restaurantclicks.com/thanksgiving-dinner-foods/