As thanksgiving comes close, having some kitchen tricks up your sleeve will help you loosen up and relax while preparing something special for the family. Here are some chef's secrets that can help you do just that.
Get the Timing Right
Chef Ed McFarland of Ed's Lobster Bar told Today that timing is very important.
"If you just think about what takes the longest to cook, get that started, and know things will hold their heat," he said.
According to McFarland, turkey, for example, can be taken out of the oven four hours before it's actually needed. "The stuffing is going to stay hot, covered, and you could always pull the stuff out, leave it sitting in a warm area, and then heat it back up right before you're ready to serve it."
Prepare Everything in Advance
Wonder How-To shares that one of the first lessons taught to professional cooks or chefs is the French phrase “Mise en place,” which means “set in place.”
Preparing ingredients before cooking, or cooking other necessary ingredients in advance, may mean having more dishes to wash, but it will make your cooking easier, and your foods better prepared.
New York magazine culinary editor Gillian Duffy advises preparing even as early as two to three days in advance.
"Work out what you can do ahead of time — and quite a lot of it you can do ahead of time," she said. "So that on the day, it's not really too difficult."
Simple Tweaks Can do Wonders
Chefs suggest simplicity when it comes to thanksgiving, although they would remind that simple additions can actually do wonders.
Upland restaurant's chef Justin Smillie said adding lighter dishes like a Brussels sprout salad can balance out traditional, heavy food.
Shallots are an example of a good, simple flavor booster. Chef Anthony Bourdain is reported to use 20 pounds of these in his restaurant daily in improving any savory dish.
Use fresh produce
Choose what to use depending on what's fresh and in season. Chef Shaun Hergatt of Juni, said new food combinations can be made depending on the season.
"Because of the opposite seasons, we always have red currants with turkey," he said. "You can pickle them, you can dry them, you can freeze them, you can liquid nitrogen them, you can do whatever you want, but it all tastes delicious with turkey."
Regarding herbs and spices, this also applies. Fresh herbs (unless it's needed dried) and spices are always better than old ones stocked up in cabinets for years.
That's it for now. Do you have tips you want to share? Put them in the comments section below.
Happy cooking!
