Disclosure I received compensation in exchange for sharing this information. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.
If you are charged with hosting Thanksgiving dinner then you know it’s the one time of the year when you press everything into service – microwaves, toasters, ovens, grills, slow cookers. If it can heat, warm or cook something you will probably need to make sure it is clean and in good working order because theirs is no doubt you will need to use it.
Now is the time to take stock of your cooking equipment including baking dishes, pots, pans and serving ware because you want to be sure to have exactly what you need. It’s a good idea to begin by planning the menu, determining what vessel will be used to cook each dish and how they will be served (don’t forget to allocate enough serving spoons and forks along with pie servers and so on.)
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Slow cookers can be a hostess or host’s best friend because they are easy to operate and can be used to both cook and serve food while keeping it warm at the same time. If you line the slow cooker with a heat resistant bag or foil then cleanup is a breeze; this is also a good time to look into getting some disposable aluminum pans which can be tossed after the meal. Plan for leftovers as well – if you will be sending them home with guests then you will want some inexpensive food storage containers; if you plan on reheating the leftovers then glass storage containers may be a better option.
How Much Turkey Will Be Gobbled Up?
Part of the challenge of pulling off an awesome Thanksgiving is deciding how large a turkey to buy. If you go too big you will be stuck with leftovers but you also don’t want to come up short on turkey. Experts recommend allocating one pound per person but you might want to go for a pound and a half if you enjoy leftovers. Next there is the issue of the turkey roasting pan – the bird has got to fit in the pan and the pan has got to fit into your oven so be sure to measure and double check before you buy. If you need a larger pan, or you prefer to try a different turkey cooking method such as brining or deep fat frying, BedBathandBeyond.com has a terrific selection and it is so easy to browse and buy online.
The trick to cooking turkey is the delicate balance between cooking it enough but making sure the bird does not dry out. This is when tenting the turkey can help to seal in moisture or you can baste the turkey but that requires constant monitoring which can get tedious. Beer can turkey is another cooking method which is said to seal in moisture and results in a flavorful and tender bird.
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