Thanksgiving part 2 — your questions, answered!
I love Thanksgiving!
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I love Thanksgiving!! I’m sending out my newsletter early because by Tuesday, I’m guessing the only thing anyone will be reading is a recipe. I thought it could be helpful to do a longer Q&A this week with answers to the specific holiday questions so many of you have commented or sent in. If one person is asking, three other people are probably wondering the same thing!
I hope these answers help make your Thanksgiving easier and even more delicious.
Ask Ina:
“How do you decorate for Thanksgiving?”
I’ll set the table and choose all the serving dishes the day before. I like solid colors for plates and platters — patterns don’t make food look as good. I light a fire in the fireplace and put vases of flowers and bowls of clementines on the table!
“How long do you let your turkey rest before carving it? What is the safe time?”
Let it rest 15 to 30 minutes, but after that it will start cooling off.
“I tried the Brussels Sprouts recipe last night. It was great. Now, can I make ahead and freeze until turkey day? Then defrost, heat, and add the glaze?”
You can cut them up the day before and put them in the fridge in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel, but you really need to sauté them just before serving.
“Can you make the Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie ahead and freeze it?”
It’s so easy to make, and I wouldn’t recommend freezing it. You could bake it early in the day and let it sit out at room temperature.
“Can you make an Apple Crisp ahead? Or at least bake the apples and reheat with topping T-giving Day?”
It’s never going to be as good as the first day you make it! I think because apples tend to get soft, they won’t have the same texture if you make it, cool it, refrigerate it, and reheat it. If you really wanted to, you could make it in the morning, leave it at room temperature, and then reheat it.
“I’m making a 19 lb turkey on Thanksgiving Day — Do I use your Make-Ahead recipe or the Accidental Turkey recipe? How long shall I roast it for?”
Call the Butterball hotline! Follow the make-ahead recipe for this. A large unstuffed turkey (18 to 22 pounds) will take 3 to 5 hours in a 350-degree oven, depending on the size of the bird. The best way to know if a turkey is done is to put an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. When it reaches 160 degrees, remove the turkey from the oven, cover it with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest for 20 minutes.
I also recommend making it with bread pudding instead of stuffing. Cooking the stuffing in a large turkey will take even longer, which will dry out the bird.
“My family is not into pumpkin. Can your flan be made without it?”
I would choose something else because the balance of flavors in that recipe is pumpkin and caramel. You could try my Panna Cotta instead.
“Can you roast the turkey, carve it, and place it in a pan with gravy or broth the day before Thanksgiving?”
Unfortunately, it will dry out and change the texture of the turkey. If you’re making the Make-Ahead Turkey, you can carve the turkey, put it on the gravy, and leave it at room temperature for — at most — an hour before you plan to reheat it.
“Can the Tuscan Turkey Roulade be prepared and refrigerated two days prior to Thanksgiving?”
You can prepare and simmer the onion and herb mixture two days ahead and let it cool completely in the fridge overnight. When it’s completely cool, you can assemble the Tuscan Turkey Roulade and refrigerate it until you’re ready to roast it on Thursday.
*For the Roasted Turkey Roulade, the stuffing can be prepared one day ahead, cooled, and stored in the refrigerator overnight.
I always say the real secret to a relaxed holiday is writing out a detailed cooking schedule and doing as much as you can in advance. That way, you can actually enjoy the day with the people you love!
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
This Week’s Favorites:
Putting my feet up and watching old movies with Jeffrey!
I hope you and Jeffrey have a wonderful holiday! Your readers and viewers all love you very much and we're thankful for all you have shared with us!
Ina, I have all of your cookbooks and have cooked from all of them! I only wish I had an index of all the recipes so I don’t have to look through the indexes of all your books to find what I’m looking for! Also, when is your next cookbook coming out? I love your show and your memoir was heartwarming. Thanks for it all!🥰