Just in time for the holidays, we wanted to share some of our social media followers’ favorite Thanksgiving recipes.
But, first, following are a few tips that will go a long way in making sure your Thanksgiving bird is the talk of the table!
Most people follow great grandma’s recipe – buy a huge turkey, stuff if, put it in a roasting pan, cook it to 190 degrees, tent it, cut the breast in horizontal slices. But, that’s not the way to get a tender, sumptuous turkey!
- Instead of cooking one 25 pound turkey, opt for two 15 pounders. Big turkeys, by definition, end up in a combination of meat that is barely done, and meat that is very overdone. Going smaller can result in juicier and more tender meat.
- Resist the urge to cook your stuffing inside the turkey. By the time the stuffing is safe to consume, the breasts will be the consistency of cardboard. Instead, cook your stuffing in muffin pans. Everyone will get perfectly done “stuffins.”
- If you set your turkey down into the roasting pan, the breasts will cook much faster than the thighs. For an evenly cooked turkey, set the turkey on a rack just above the pan with a bit of water to catch your gravy drippings.
- Once the turkey is done, don’t tent it with foil. You’ve worked hard to get a nice crispy skin – tenting the bird will cause the skin to turn mushy… no one likes that!
- When you’re ready to serve the turkey, scoop the breasts out and cross-cut them so that everyone gets the perfect mix of crispy skin and white meat.
Now, on to the recipes. These mouth-watering dishes are sure to make any Thanksgiving gathering memorable!
(Click on each image below to enlarge the recipe.)
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!