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THINGS COOKS KNOW
Experts share their tried-and-true tips for a foolproof Thanksgiving that’s as easy as
BY JENNA HELWIG
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THE ISSUE
Cooking this massive meal in one day requires superhuman endurance and an advanced degree in logistics.
THE FIX Make ahead, make ahead, make ahead! “On Thanksgiving Day, I’m really only concerned with the turkey. Everything else is already fully or partially prepared,” says John Kanell, author of Preppy Kitchen: Recipes for Seasonal Dishes and Simple Pleasures. A few days in advance, cook the sides, chop vegetables for stuffing, make cranberry sauce, and get your rolls ready to bake. “If you do as much as you can before Thursday, Thanksgiving might almost feel leisurely,” Kanell says. “Almost.”
Pies can also be made early. “I refrigerate the pumpkin pie custard and crust separately, then fill the pie and bake it first thing Thanksgiving morning,” says Amy Thielen, author of the upcoming cookbook Company: The Radically Casual Art of Cooking for Others. “The spices in the custard need time to bloom, so it tastes better after a day or two in the fridge, and baking the pie fills the house with wonderful Thanksgiving smells.”
The Issue
You’re working with just one oven
(you know, like most people).
THE FIX Cooking in a standard kitchen on Thanksgiving Day can be a bit of a brainteaser. (If two dishes go into the oven at the same time, how long will it take the train to get to the station?!) Skip the mental gymnastics and call on your small appliances. Kanell suggests heating up a dish or two in the microwave. An Instant Pot set on the Sauté setting becomes an extra burner for warming up gravy or vegetables. An air fryer can warm up or even bake rolls. And Thielen swears by those bonus countertop burners for big meals: “They’re much better than they used to be and get quite hot.” We like the Duxtop 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop Countertop Burner ($57; amazon.com). And remember that your turkey will stay warm for up to an hour on the counter after roasting. Use that hour to reheat sides in the already hot oven.
