What You Must Have in Your Kitchen for Thanksgiving Dinner
Cooking Thanksgiving dinner is a significant undertaking, and making sure your kitchen is stocked ahead of time minimizes the need to interrupt your valuable cooking time to wash pots and pans. As the length of your guest list grows, so does the number of cooking pans, utensils and appliances you need to finish all of your dishes at the same time. From the essential roaster to the useful slow-cooker, here are the items you should have in your kitchen to make a memorable feast.
After deciding on your menu, inventory your cookware well before the big day to ensure that you have an appropriate cooking vessel for each dish. If you plan to bake a bird, a turkey roaster is a necessity. Select a deep, wide roasting pan with a rack in the bottom to promote even browning and crisping of the skin. From pie plates to saucepans, cooking pots and pans in several sizes are also necessary for boiling potatoes and other vegetables, simmering gravy and baking dressing and desserts. With multiple cooking pans simmering on the stove top or baking in the oven, slow cookers give you more space and allow you to prepare and warm some of your menu items well ahead of time. Other small appliances that can save you time include a food processor for chopping nuts or making breadcrumbs, an electric knife for carving turkey and ham and a hand mixer for whipping cream or potatoes. Finally, you must have enough spatulas, spoons and other utensils for both cooking and serving your dishes.
Knowing what goes where when you start cooking can reduce your stress and leave you feeling confident. With advanced planning and a list to which you can refer, you can dish up the perfect Thanksgiving feast for your loved ones.