A family member (who shall remain nameless) argues annually that Thanksgiving Dinner is the easiest meal of the year to prepare. Anyone can cook a Turkey, she asserts. Just pop the bird in the oven and use a meat thermometer to make sure it’s done. While I admire this sort of culinary chutzpa, it’s a view many don’t share.
This point is clear as I read many print and online food sections this week offering information on dining out for the big celebration next week. C’mon! There’s no need to throw in the towel, folks. We’re fortunate to have a wealth of advice at our fingertips to help create a wonderful and memorable Turkey Dinner with minimal stress. To offer you the best tips, gThankYou has poured over pages to pluck the top tips:
- Roast a Turkey just like Mom’s with a gThankYou! to eHow.com.
- gThankYou! to Cooks Illustrated, often called the Consumer Reports of cooking magazines, which offers its Thanksgiving Survival Guide.
- The National Turkey Federation’s Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide offers a really fabulous Thanksgiving Prep Timeline (gThankYou!) as well as safety tips and a great video on proper roasting times.
- Finally, a big gThankYou! to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline which posts great information on planning a safe and easy Thanksgiving Dinner.
Thawing is widely considered the number one issue in preparing a Turkey. So, if you plan to serve a frozen Turkey, The National Turkey Federation advises you thaw it 24 hours for every five pounds of bird weight in the refrigerator. This comes out to 3-4 days thaw time when you do the math for a 16-20 pound Turkey. You can eat out or rely on pre-made meals from your freezer before Thanksgiving while looking forward to cooking Thanksgiving Dinner.
Lynn Welch is a contributor to gThankYou, LLC, based in Madison, WI. gThankYou® Certificates of Gratitude™ are one way savvy companies recognize employees’ great work at Holiday Time. The company is best known for its Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Cards.
