THE REAL Thanksgiving Food Thread 2021

[Anonymous]

Let’s do this. I want it all. I want boring questions about food prep, I want “this is the best recipe ever” links, and I want your flouting-traditions menus AND your embracing-traditions menus.

I want people to start fights over what appetizers are “trashy” and which ones “set the right tone.”

I want people to tell people who do a wet brine that they are absurd, and that dry brining is the only way to go.

And finally, I want people to praise Tante Marie’s sage advice:

[Anonymous]

I’ve got a boring food prep question!

What tips do you have for cooking with one oven? I don’t want anything to get cold.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve got a boring food prep question!

What tips do you have for cooking with one oven? I don’t want anything to get cold.

OP here. Crock pot dressing. It is one less thing taking up room in the oven, and it makes the house smell good all day.

In the oven:
Turkey
Rolls (while turkey rests)
Brussels sprouts with pancetta and balsamic glaze (while turkey rests)

On the stovetop:
Mashed potatoes
Gravy

Crockpot:
Dressing

Microwave:
Steam-bag green beans (come at me)
Heat up the mashed rutabagas that my MIL/FIL brought the day before

Cold:
Salad with pomegranate seeds, feta, croutons

There’s more to the spread, that’s just a breakdown of what is where that has to be done day-of

[Anonymous]

I want to know what everyone will eat AFTER they get home from Thanksgiving at someone else's house. Me? I'll have some popcorn lined up.

[Anonymous]

Mashed potatoes in an instant pot, stuffing in the crockpot 🙌

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want to know what everyone will eat AFTER they get home from Thanksgiving at someone else's house. Me? I'll have some popcorn lined up.

We’ll be houseguests at my ILs, and while I appreciate their hospitality, how I WISH we would be in our own home that night! The upside is, at least we’ll have some leftovers to enjoy while we are there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve got a boring food prep question!

What tips do you have for cooking with one oven? I don’t want anything to get cold.

It varies with what you’re cooking, but I pre-cook things like the yams and anything else that would be in a casserole type of dish like potatoes or macaroni and cheese. When the turkey comes out of the oven to rest before it’s carved, the casserole dishes go into the oven to be reheated. I leave the oven on to heat more rolls or cornbread during dinner and to reheat the already cooked pies. If I don’t do turkey, then that changes things a bit. Key though is that most side dishes and desserts are cooked the day before, so only the stuffed turkey and maybe the breads actually need to be cooked on Thanksgiving day.

[Anonymous]

Favorite cranberry sauce recipe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Favorite cranberry sauce recipe?

I just boil a package of cranberries over medium with one cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar until they start popping, then I lower/stir/eventually turn off the heat. I like my cranberry sauce really simple. I always do this one or two days before.

[Anonymous]

For anyone who likes mushrooms, this is a super easy side. We did this last year and everyone loved it.

https://www.closetcooking.com/roasted-mushrooms-in-browned-butter/

[Anonymous]

How do y’all get the yeast to rise for rolls/bread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Favorite cranberry sauce recipe?

I just boil a package of cranberries over medium with one cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar until they start popping, then I lower/stir/eventually turn off the heat. I like my cranberry sauce really simple. I always do this one or two days before.

I add some allspice, craisins and chopped apples. And I sub brown sugar for half the white sugar.

Agree it needs to be done at least a day in advance to chill and meld.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Favorite cranberry sauce recipe?

I just boil a package of cranberries over medium with one cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar until they start popping, then I lower/stir/eventually turn off the heat. I like my cranberry sauce really simple. I always do this one or two days before.

Same. And I’ve been known to eat a small bowl of just cranberry sauce. So so good

[Anonymous]

If you're hosting a ton of people (22 people will be in my house), make sure your dishwasher is unloaded so everything is clean & ready for use and there's plenty of room for dirty dishes.

And triple line the trash bags so it's one less step to fiddle with in the throes of hosting when it comes to take out full garbage bags.

And don't be afraid to delegate dishes. I keep my inner control freak in check on Thanksgiving when people show up with sides/appetizers/beverages I personally would never eat, but fun to try and makes for great conversation.

[Anonymous]

Last year I learned about putting eggs in stuffing, which blew my mind. I'd been doing it wrong for years.

After reading recipes here and online, I apparently saved this one: https://www.averiecooks.com/classic-traditional-thanksgiving-stuffing/

I also have this note saved with it: "halve the butter and add some minced mushrooms".