" I ’m curious about appetizers at Thanksgiving — and what to serve that is not too much ( so citizenry do n’t get stuffed before the primary effect ) . I know a cheese plate or charcuterie circuit card is always the go - to choice , but I wonder if there are any other options that feel special and are n’t too much work … "
Hi, all! Welcome back toCooking Conundrumswith Ross, a column where I, a food writer (and in this instance, a Thanksgiving fiend) take super-specific food questions from BuzzFeed readers and offer the best solutions and cooking wisdom I can in return.
I don’t mean to send a shiver down anyone’s spine, but Thanksgiving is right around the corner. That means everyone’s holiday-related fears, anxieties, and stressors should be arriving just about…now. (I’m doing Friendsgiving for around 22 people in my 500-square-foot apartment in a few days, so believe me, I’m right there with you.)
With this cosmopolitan moment of apprehension on the sensible horizon for anyone hosting ( or attend ! ) a Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving gathering this year , I recently asked readers to send their burning Thanksgiving - related questions my way . These are the heavily - hitting and very relatable interrogation that I simply could n’t pass up the opportunity to respond . And in doing so , y' all in reality helped to quell some of myownThanksgiving anxieties . So thank you !
QUESTION #1: “As someone who overspends like it’s my job while Thanksgiving shopping, what can I do to avoid unnecessary splurging during my many grocery runs? I always budget around $200 for 8–10 people but end up spending closer to $400…”
ANSWER: Grace, you’re preaching to the choir with this one. I’ve always found that the culprit is choosing dishes that arewaytoo expensive in the first place, but not realizing it until you’re about to swipe your credit card. To mitigate that “dear god, help me” feeling as you pull out your wallet at the register, do a test grocery run via an online retailer to see your total bill before you hit the physical store, then tweak your menu as needed to lower the overall cost.
When you look at the price of each individual detail on your computer or phone screen , you ’ll probably pant at how much some of them monetary value . Identify the most expensive items — the $ 15 bottles of vanilla extract , the $ 4 packages of each and every fresh herbaceous plant known to humankind — and if you ’re not absolutely married to cooking those exact stunner , see if you may trade in something else that swear on chinchy ingredients alternatively .
QUESTION #2: “How in the hell do I keep hoards of people out of the kitchen while I’m cooking?”
ANSWER: Keep any items that people need to frequently access — like a bar or food station —outof your kitchen. Preferably as far away from your kitchen as your floor plan will allow. While you’re at it, enlist someone close to you (like a spouse orbest friend) to serve as Guest Wrangler for the holiday.
In my experience , people crowd around the cook because they require to be near the host … and they also need to make it known that they ’re available to help . While kind in theory , it ’s almost always frustrating — so I feel you ! To minimize kitchen hovering , appoint a partner or close friend as your guest wrangler and make it clear that theironlyjob is to usher groups of people out of the kitchen whenever it becomes the hot spot to congregate around . Ideally , nominate someone very extroverted who can seamlessly move the party from the kitchen to the support elbow room ; appetizers , pitchers of luscious drinks , and even games can all be great room to lure a mass of guest away from your cooking zone .
And if you ’re lucky enough to not have an open floor plan and you have a doorway to your kitchen — something I would quite literally kill for — fight your inherent aptitude to keep it open and SHUT IT!You will thank yourself by and by .
QUESTION #3: “I host a yearly Friendsgiving potluck for 15 or more, and every year I run into the issue of the people whodon’tcook bringing awful side dishes, store-bought pies, or nothing at all. How can I make sure my guests are bringing things that are actually useful?”
ANSWER: As a nightmarish Type A monster, I like to send around a spreadsheet to Friendsgiving (or Thanksgiving) guests that clearly lists what I’m making, what I could use help with, and what Idon’tneed. There are plenty of goodtemplatesout there. Most importantly, however, I actually think it’s beneficial to let guests contribute to a Friendsgiving “fund” of sorts if they really don’t feel comfortable making anything.
I ’m trusted mass will discord with me , but I actually think it’smorepolite to give your cookery - antipathetic booster an out byallowing them to contribute cash instead of trying their script at a side dish or dessert . No one like showing up with store - corrupt food for thought ( and most of the fourth dimension , no one like use up it ) , so a immediate payment fund is a winnings - win ; you ’ll have more money to shop for the big sidereal day , and no one will dread usher up with something lackluster .
I ’d be remiss not to remark that you may , of course , have your preparation - averse Edgar Guest land beverages , but I ’d recommend you to be as specific as potential . Without any direction , you ’ll probably end up with an sempiternal hoard of cherry-red wine … which is by no means a trouble , but it ’s tedious after a while . Ask someone to bring a bottle of hard liquor for a batch seasonal cocktail . quest that another someone bestow mixers and sparkling water . If there are kids involve , you may even appoint someone as the juice box person!The point is , do n’t be afraid to nudge the great unwashed toward the thing you need .
QUESTION #4: “Any tips for cooking Thanksgiving dinner in a smallNew YorkCity kitchen?”
ANSWER: Straight from my own small NYC kitchen, I have plenty.
• If you do n’t have a dishwasher ( and with a belittled NYC kitchen , this is probably the case ) , wash dishes as you go — but more importantly , make certain you dry out and put off each and every dish , utensil , and part of cookware as you go . There ’s no elbow room for your dishes to hang out and drip dry on Thanksgiving , so launder ‘em , dry ‘em , then put them off . And candidly , you ’ll carry through even more antagonistic space by putting your drying rack aside for the day .
•As previously mentioned , check that your bar or drinkable place is as far away from your kitchen as possible . Sure , maybe it ’ll be annoying once or twice to have to walk across the room to replenish potable or ice , but the easiest fashion to invite guest into your already cramped kitchen space is to accidentally tease them with the promise of drink .
•Take 10 minutes before starting your homework and cooking cognitive operation to gently " choreograph " where all the side will a ) reheat in the oven and b ) hang up out on the counter until it ’s time to serve . As prove by the below , I actually like to sketch out where I ’ll reheat side in my oven . Remember that you could apply your oven floor for even more space , so long as it ’s sic to a grim temperature , and do n’t be afraid to heap items ( like the carrots ! ) if you could do so in a stable elbow room . On the countertop front , remember about designating a new piece of furniture item ( like afoldable tablethat easily computer storage in the back of a W.C. ) or an existing one ( I ’ve used a nightstand in a pinch ) for any inevitable overflow .
QUESTION #5: “Do people brine their turkeys anymore? Was that just a fad? What is the tried-and-true way?!”
ANSWER: Yes! People still wet brine their turkeys, but for texture and food safety reasons, it’s not my favorite method. My go-to is the dry brine, and here’s why.
With a wet brine , you ’ll submerge your turkey in a vat of piquant piddle , usually with spice and aromatics added for spirit . The increase of water system is said to keep the meat more moist , but it come with a few con , IMO : Your skin wo n’t embrown as nicely , and it ’s a food - bear illness calamity waiting to happen ( splashing H2O + raw turkey succus = my grownup nightmare ) .
alternatively , I ’m quite fond tothe teetotal brine method , where you rub salt and spices directly onto the turkey and pop it into the fridge — usually around 24 hours before you plan on misrepresent it . Doing so tolerate the skin to dry out out a little bit , which results in easier John M. Browning and hide that ’s crisp without any chewiness . ( You did n’t necessitate , but I ’m actually giving thisdry - buttermilk - brined turkeyfrom Rebecca Firkser a go this yr for this exact understanding . )
QUESTION #6: “I’m always curious about appetizers at Thanksgiving — what to serve that is still special but nottoomuch (so people don’t get stuffed before the main events). I know a cheese plate or charcuterie board is always the go-to obvious choice, but are there any other options that feel special and aren’t too much work?”
ANSWER: Apps are always unexpectedly tricky because you want things that don’t require any babysitting (like small bowls of crackers or nuts you’ll constantly have to replenish), and they need to feel impressive while being pretty easy to prepare. Because of that, I’m very pro-homemade, room-temperature dips thattasteshowstopping but are easy to serve the day of.
IMO , you ca n’t go unseasonable with a really good French onion pickpocket ; everyone loves the store - buy material , which means that masses utterly freak over thehomemade rendering . Make a double batch and go waste with plenty of fun store - buy dippables like cheese straws , potato micro chip , and every vegetable under the Dominicus . essentially , buy every playfulness micro chip or cracker in strain at your local Trader Joe ’s . prepare it out in your living orbit with a grown batched cocktail , and your guests will be self - sufficient until it ’s fourth dimension for the main case .
Controversial opinion : In my experience with raging apps , yesthey’ll go tight , and everyone will absolutely love them ( looking at you , pigs in a blanket ) , but guests will gourmandize themselves like it ’s dinnertime because they ’re so bloody good . I have sex this because I have ( proudly ) been that guest . Room temperature apps still give your guests something delicious to nosh on , but they finger less like an " event " that everyone rushes to gobble up , andpeople will be far less likely to exaggerate it before they sit down for the repast you ’ve worked on for many , many Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
QUESTION #7: “I hope you don’t judge me for saying this, but year after year I get trapped with guests overstaying their welcome after dinner and dessert. I don’t want to drink with you until 1:00 a.m. — I want to ice my feet in bed with a cup of tea as soon as I’ve started the dishwasher. How can I politely get people out of my house without asking them to leave?!”
ANSWER: No judgment, Kerry, only respect. My sole suggestion is to make a big event out of packing up everyone’s leftovers when you’re ready for your guests to hit the road. Be loud, obvious, and unashamed about it — order yourself somequartortakeout containersand pass out leftovers to all your guests while you politely thank them for coming. Honestly, they probably want to go home and sleep, anyway, so don’t feel too guilty.
Giving away all your leftovers is a pocket-sized but worthwhile cost to pay for a Nox of peace , quiet , and tea - sipping after many days of readying . You ’ve earned it .
QUESTION #8: “How can I make a very small group Thanksgiving still feel sweet and special without being wasteful?”
ANSWER: In my humble opinion, skip the turkey for something smaller and better. Limit your sides, too — but make sure they’re all make-ahead-friendly for one important reason.
For large Thanksgiving gatherings , it ’s promiscuous ( albeit low - key depressing ) to slide away into the kitchen and James Cook without being noticed or missed , really . But for a pocket-size , sexual mathematical group , connecting with your node in a meaningful path should be your telephone number - one priority , along with making sure you ’re not ready a mountain of food for thought that you wo n’t come close to finishing .
In ordering to accomplish this , pick a blue-ribbon few dish that taste great when made in advance , and wo n’t require you to babysit them as they reheat :
• To start , countersink out some snacky thing ( chip , cracker , veggies ) with a make - ahead dip thatdoesn’thave to be reheated .
• Unless you ’re a Thanksgiving purist , opt for a smaller , gentle - to - manage knock volaille to minimize intellectual nourishment waste . If youarea Thanksgiving purist , go for a Republic of Turkey boob or else of the whole chick . ( But listen , if it were me , I ’d rather have roast chicken remnant . )
• Most importantly , pickno morethan three to four side that you may prep in onward motion , even if the restriction vote out you . Something bready ( like regular or cornbread stuffing ) , something with potatoes ( rather squeeze , for microwavable heating plant - and - eat ease ) , something newly - tasting and green ( like sautéed immature beans you could pip together just before serve ) , and a wildcard that easily reheats in the oven or does n’t need to be reheated at all .
• Align on one pie , and one pie only . I know it ’s severe .
If you conform to the above formula , you ’ll belittle your solid food waste while ultimately spending more time with the people you actually desire to socialise with on Thanksgiving … instead of babysitting 14 dissimilar side dishes that ’ll ultimately just get lay away as remnant you may or may not get around to .
QUESTION #9: “I’m cooking for a big crowd this year. Should I do two smaller turkeys, or onebigone?”
ANSWER: Please, please, please do two small! My rule of thumb is to never buy a turkey over 15 pounds; any larger and you’ll have a cooked bird that’s bone dry in some spots while giving medium-rare chaos in others.
Also , cogitate of the logistics of get a 24 - Cypriot pound turkey in and out of the oven . Two smaller dud — rather on two jest at single-foot or rag pans — will greatly decrease the chance that you have a heavy turkey - related fumble and end up do sides only .
QUESTION #10: “What are the best dishes to bring to a potluck?”
ANSWER: The answer is almost always the dish that the host tells you to bring when you reach out to them in advance — which you should absolutely do for any Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving dinner. But if your host gives you the “you pick!” answer, pick a dish that either doesn’t have to be reheated, or if it does, something you can pack into a vessel with a tiny footprint.
Your host will probably be scrambling to get a whole lot of red-hot dish onto the table all at once , so dishes that are neat at way temperature ( cerebrate : salads , dip , cheese boards , dessert ) are your best bet for a zero - tension addition . But if you ’d really care to add something hot , play something that does n’t require a large composition of cooking utensil to reheat it . Instead of a bed sheet pan of roast vegetables or a vat of your nan ’s famous mac ' n ' high mallow , opt for mash white potato that can reheat in the microwave , or even a casserole in a pocket-sized but gamey - surround bag that can easily creep into the oven an hour before dinnertime without have to play the world ’s hot , most piteous game of Oven Tetris .
QUESTION #11: “Any tips for keeping everything hot for when it’s time to serve?”
ANSWER: From personal experience, if you have an Instant Pot or slow cooker, designate it as the mashed potato warmer in advance. Other than that, a double layer of foil on the top of any dish will work wonders, especially when you place a large, heavy item on top (like a wooden cutting board) to further minimize heat loss.
Honestly , my best tip is tomake sure the last preparation step you ’re complete before serving dinner party have nothing to do with finishing any actual cookery in the oven , so you may turn it down all the way and utilize it as a elephantine food warmer .
And , a second reminder that you may use the story of your oven as a third " stand " of kind to keep matter ardent , so long as you keep it at the down in the mouth possible temperature !
QUESTION #12: “How do you present both vegan and non-vegan options without offending anyone?”
ANSWER: Minimize any weirdness by a) being transparent with vegan and vegetarian guests from the start, and b) making sure at least half of your side dishes are vegan-friendly by default.
If I ’ve learned one thing about hosting parties ( and life , honestly ) , it ’s that multitude do n’t like to be caught off - guard , and no one likes to finger disoriented . If you ’re worried that any vegan guests will take offensive to your decision to serve a joker , text them in advance and let them love what you ’re recollect menu - heady . Most people will understand a emcee ’s motive to cater to a slew of dietary restriction and predilection , so they can make the conclusion to attend or respectfully decline when they do it what they ’re in for . And if there ’s still dramatic event … well , you have written proof that you tried to nip it in the bud out front of clock time .
On the insolent side of this conundrum , you may help to make all your guests feel included by making at least one-half of your side delicious dishes that just so bump to be vegan . Find plant - based versions of your darling that can easily exist alongside any non - vegan side of meat , and avoid designate one section of side as the " vegan options . " Vegan food is , after all , food . Your non - vegan client can ( and should ! ) eat and enjoy it .
Happy Thanksgiving , everyone . You ’ve got this !
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