10 Easily Avoidable Thanksgiving Cooking Errors

December 5, 2012 •Emily Murray •Las Vegas • 0 Comments

10 Easily Avoidable Thanksgiving Cooking Errors

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner for your entire family has to be one of the most stressful situations you encounter all year.  The pressure of making sure everything is just right. The turkey must be perfect, the yams can’t be soggy and the stuffing must be delicious.  Here are 10 cooking errors that can be easily avoided. 

1. Cooking too many items at the last minute. Plan ahead, if you can prep food and even cook in advance than go ahead and cook it and reheat it just before dinner.
   
2. Don’t cook everything in the same spot. Never plan your Thanksgiving meal with everything cooking on the stove-top or in the oven. Thanksgiving is a big meal and cooking tops can run out of space quickly.
   
3. Overcooking the turkey – probably the biggest fear in everyone.  Trying to find the perfect temperature for the perfect turkey.  Watch your temperature it should be taken out when the leg thigh registers at 165 degrees.
   
4. Not letting your turkey rest long enough.  Ideally your turkey should rest for 20 or even 30 minutes before carving.
   
5. Opening the oven door too often.  You’re anxious, it’s okay, but you don’t want to have the door constantly open or the turkey won’t cook evenly or worse, at all. When basting take the turkey out of the oven and close the door quickly. That way it won’t lose its heat. 
   
6. Taking the wishbone out before you carve.  Carving the turkey is an art form, if the wishbone is out than you can’ properly carve the white meat.
7. Over mashing the potatoes. By the time you’re ready to mash the potatoes it’s probably crunch time and you’re in a rush. Don’t take your stress out on the potatoes, if you over mash they will become solid and gluey.
   
8. Serving hot food cold.  Make sure the food that’s supposed to be hot stays hot. Serve the food on  warm plates, or with a warm sauce drizzled over it.
   
9. Serving too much before the meal.  Chances are people will show well before the actual dinner, after all it is Thanksgiving.  Watch how many appetizers you have, you don’t want your guests to be full prior to the big event.
   
10. Leaving the food out after the meal.  One of the best parts of Thanksgiving are the leftovers, if the food is left on the table too long it will spoil and you can say goodbye to the leftovers.

 

Hopefully, by paying attention to these 10 things you should avoid you can have fun, relax and enjoy your Thanksgiving.

This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training program. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/LasVegas for more information. 
Find disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.chefs.edu/disclosures.  Le Cordon Bleu® and the Le Cordon Bleu logo are registered trademarks of Career Education Corporation. Le Cordon Bleu cannot guarantee employment or salary. Credits earned are unlikely to transfer.

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