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Avoid These 5 Fatal Thanksgiving Dinner Mistakes!
By Juliette White | November 8, 2009
You’ve invited over family and friends for Thanksgiving but you’re getting a little worried as there are only a few days to go and you want everything to be right. When you’re cooking for a good number of people and it’s a special occasion there is more to worry about – more can go wrong. There is however no need for anxiety if you know how to deal with any problem that might arise and this article will put you wise.
Preparing ahead as much as possible makes it easier on the day but there is always a chance of something going wrong, Read on to find out the most common mistakes and problems and how to deal with them. Don’t leave your frozen turkey in the sink or on the countertop to defrost. It does not do so well left at room temperature, but should instead thaw more slowly in the refrigerator. This can take two or three days for a large bird so you need to allow for this. There is nothing worse than when you come to cook it on the big day it is still part frozen.
You will want to get your stuffing ready ahead of time but this is beast achieved by getting all the ingredients ready where they can all be mixed together on the morning of Thanksgiving. You can dry the bread for breadcrumbs by leaving it out, covered, for a day or two, or, baking it for a short while in an oven at about 250 degrees until it becomes crunchy.
You can let the bread dry out up to two days ahead of time, or, make breadcrumbs and pop the on a baking tray on a low oven for 20-30 minutes. Let them cool and put them into an airtight container and they will be fine for a day or two. Saute the vegetables and herbs that you plan to use, and then let them cool and refrigerate. Consider having your stuffing “kit” ready to hand to save time on the big day. Besides the bread and vegetable mix, your kit should include broth and eggs (eggs should have been kept refrigerated). On the morning of Thanksgiving you just need to make up the stuffing ready for the bird.
The mistakes that can occur on the day itself are as follows:
Dry turkey If the turkey is too dry you can slice it and put into a roasting tin with some of the juices plus some chicken stock. Then add some knobs of butter around the pan and cover with foil. Place in a warm oven for a while until the butter melts.
Turkey is done too soon. If the turkey is cooked before you are ready to serve you can keep it warm by making a tent of foil over it after removing it from the oven. A turkey should rest for about 15 minutes anyway after cooking so a little longer won’t hurt.
The gravy is too thin. This is a common occurrence that can be corrected by continued simmering to boil off more liquid or by the simple expedient of adding in a little cornstarch. You should mix the cornstarch with equal parts of water first, then, add slowly, stirring all the time. You may find you get a few lumps but these can easily be removed with a strainer.
4. The gravy is too salty to the taste – In this case you can alter the taste and make it satisfactory by adding a few pinches of sugar. Add in small increments, tasting until it comes right. Another trick chef’s use is to place a whole peeled potato into the gravy and let it simmer for a while. The potato will absorb a lot of the salt. Just remember to remove the potato before serving!
5. The mashed potato is too watery – This can happen if the potatoes are boiled for too long. However, all you need to do is to add one of the following ingredients: baking soda, instant potato mash, or some powdered milk and then stir vigorously or whip to get a good consistency.
If you are prepared for any of the above mistakes that can occur you will be able to deal with them without stress or panic, and hence have an enjoyable Thanksgiving dinner.
Author: Juliette White is an experienced chef. If you don’t want to risk your Thanksgiving and you want to surprise your friends and parents with a great Thanksgiving meal don’t miss to get a free Thanksgiving Recipe Ebook . If you want more truly simple and free recipes and register here
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