The most celebrated meal of the year shouldn't also be the most nerve-racking. Prepare to be prepared with updated classics, no-bake desserts, and more in our Thanksgiving 2015 guide.
There's nothing like Thanksgiving to make you question everything you thought you knew about cooking (and also yourself): What if I undercook the whole turkey? Can I serve un-mashed potatoes? What would my parents do? And how do I keep everyone sober(ish) until dinner? But just because it's the most celebrated meal of the year doesn't mean it also has to be the most nerve-racking (and kitchen-cluttering and disaster-prone). So we turned to a source we know we can rely on—our Test Kitchen editors—to get the answers to some of our most burning Thanksgiving Day questions.<a name="top"></a>
Turkey
Unless you've already secured a heritage-breed turkey, now is not the time to go down this path. Not only would you have had to order the bird weeks ago, but it really is a different bird, and if you don’t have experience cooking it, there are reasonable odds that you could spend a lot of money on something that would then turn out dry and disappointing. Go with what you know, which for most of us is the Broad Breasted White. Just make sure it’s a high-quality, free-range, organic bird.
A 12- to 14-pound turkey is as large as you should go: It will fit in a standard large roasting pan and will easily feed 12. Need to feed 20? Roast two.
If you’re worried there won’t be enough for sandwiches, buy a separate bone-in, skin-on breast. Season it generously with salt and pepper (the day before, if possible), and brown it skin-side down in a large skillet with a bit of olive oil. Remove the skillet from the heat, turn breast skin-side up, add a little turkey or chicken stock, and transfer it to a 350-degree oven. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 160 degrees. Make as many turkey sandwiches as your heart desires.
At many grocery stores, you'll find legs with thighs attached already shrink-wrapped or in the meat case. If you don't see them, don't panic: Just ask the butcher to cut them for you. You may need to buy the whole bird, in which case, roast the breasts for leftover sandwiches.
First congratulations: You haven't yet turned it into a dry, cottony mess. Second, you can still save Thanksgiving. Carve the breasts and legs off the carcass (keeping the pieces whole), place them on a rimmed baking sheet, and pop them back in the oven at 350° until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°.
Put gravy on it. A lot of gravy. Afterward, shred the leftovers, and add plenty of mayonnaise for turkey salad.
It’s not ideal, but you can force-thaw a turkey in a pinch. Place the unwrapped turkey in your largest pot and set it under cold running water, letting the water overflow the pot. Once the bird’s thawed, pat it dry very thoroughly with paper towels. Now proceed.
Wrong. If you’ve ever attempted to carve a roast turkey after 15 minutes, you’ve probably burned your fingertips trying to separate the meat from the breastbone. (The bones inside the bird are excellent heat conductors, so they stay hot for a very long time.) Let your turkey rest for at least an hour, which conveniently frees your oven for reheating your<a name="potatoes"></a> potatoes and sides.
Top | Turkey | Potatoes | Stuffing | Sides | Dessert
If you over-mash, you'll release the potatoes' gummy starches. Instead, work them as little as possible. Use a ricer on hot potatoes, then fold in dairy until just combined. Then stop! And never mash cold potatoes.
It depends on what you’re making. For a mash, we like the creaminess of Yukon Golds. If fluffy mashed potatoes are a priority, add some Russets to the mix. We like Russets for gratin—their extra starch helps thicken the cream. Just want a simple roasted potato? Try fingerlings or baby Yukons, which crisp up well while the inside stays creamy.
Make them the morning of, then reheat gently in a double boiler, adding some reserved potato-cooking water and a few extra pats of butter.
Top | Turkey | Potatoes | Stuffing | Sides | Dessert
Your baking dish might be too deep, which means the heat isn’t conducting well. We always use a 3-quart 13x9” Pyrex baking dish. More surface area means more crisp edges, and the glass allows you to see when the bottom and sides are golden brown.
Think of the bread like a sponge: When starting out, it should be very dry so it can soak up a lot of liquid. Then add stock until the bread is fully hydrated but no liquid is sitting in the bottom of the bowl.
If you’ve added plenty of liquid, the problem is most likely that you’re not adding enough fat. <a name="sides"></a>Without plenty of fat (e.g. butter), the stuffing will lose too much moisture in the oven as you’re waiting for the top, edges, and bottom to crisp.
Top | Turkey | Potatoes | Stuffing | Sides | Dessert
It's not Thanksgiving unless there's more food than you know what to do with. Guests should be able to sample something new with each extra helping, but remember: With so many options on the table, a recipe that serves eight will easily stretch to 12. (NB: This does not apply to gravy, of which you can never have too much.)
Roasted or glazed vegetables cooked with olive oil (not butter or cream): For sure. But dress them at the last minute to make sure the vegetables don't get soggy. Also, the key is for these sides to be room—not refrigerator—temperature, so take them out of the fridge at least an hour before you serve them.
While some fat is needed to create a roux, too much makes a broken, greasy mess. <a name="dessert"></a> Pour pan drippings into a large measuring cup (don't bother with a single-purpose fat separator) and, using a large spoon, skim the fat off the top. Reserve ¼ cup and toss the rest.
Top | Turkey | Potatoes | Stuffing | Sides | Dessert
Of course. At its best, basic pumpkin pie is still okay (let's be honest), so why not serve something that even the fullest guest will make room for? Take a look at this gorgeous chocolate cream pie. Who knows, it could become your new tradition!
It's hard to beat a Pink Lady for pies and tarts: They have a superior sweet-tart balance and hold their shape beautifully during long baking times. If you can't find them, there are tons of other great-tasting varieties that bake up firm but tender like Gala, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious.
When you mix your crust for too long, you’re developing gluten. This will cause the crust to shrink as it bakes (the protein is overworked and tight). If you feel your pie is in danger of this happening, add more pie weights than usual to create added support.
That’s right. Sure, you could roast your own, but then you’ve got all sorts of variables: flavor, water content, sweetness. Good ol’ Libby’s is made with peak pumpkins and processed the same way, every time. Consistency is worth a thousand pies.
Top | Turkey | Potatoes | Stuffing | Sides | Dessert
Get our November issue delivered in time for Thanksgiving by subscribing today!