Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes- What Mistakes Should You Avoid?

It’s that time of year again, when you gather together with friends and family for a splendid slap up dinner – and you have decided to host it! Hopefully you have done all your shopping and not left it till the last minute as you may not find a suitably large turkey and the, assuming it’s frozen, it will need two fays to thaw slowly and evenly in the refrigerator. Have you invited your guests and worked out your menu?

Do you have your timetable for cooking planned out? For the inexperienced cook preparing a large dinner for guests on Thanksgiving can be a source of considerable worry and anxiety. Follow the guidelines that you have for the meal preparation but make sure you read this article to avoid making 5 mistakes that could cause you embarrassment.

Don’t leave it too late to start thawing the turkey. It is much better thawed slowly in the refrigerator than left out at room temperature. You may want to make the stuffing ahead of time but you don’t want food poisoning so it’s best to get the ingredients ready beforehand and then make up the stuffing early on the actual day.

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.

When you are preparing a meal for many people, there is always the chance of something going wrong. Here are the common mistakes and how to correct them.

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.

The turkey is done too early – Take it out of the oven and make a foil tent to cover it. It should keep warm this way for up to 45 minutes. It is best anyway to let the turkey rest for about 15 minutes after cooking as it tends to become tenderer.

3. The gravy is too thin-If this happens you can boil lightly to evaporate more liquid, or, add some corn flour mixed with water. This should be added slowly and well stirred in to avoid lumps. If you do get a few lumps you can strain the gravy just before serving.

Gravy is too salty-Add a pinch or two of sugar, a little bit at a time, tasting as you go until it comes right. An alternative is to place a whole raw peeled potato into the pan and let it simmer for a while. This will draw a lot of salt out of the gravy.

Mashed potatoes are too watery-Add one of the following: baking sodas, instant potatoes buds, a sprinkle of powdered milk and then use a hand or a powered whisk to incorporate and thicken.

If you are aware of what can go wrong and are prepared to deal with any problems that may arise you will be under less stress and more able to enjoy the dinner!

Author: Juliette White is an skilled cooking expert. If you don’t want to risk your Thanksgiving and you want to surprise your friends and parents with a great Thanksgiving meal make sure you get a free Thanksgiving Recipe Ebook . If you want more truly simple and free recipes and register here