Thanksgiving is the greatest holiday of the year, but it is also one of the most stressful. Between the turkey, sides, apps and pies, there's a lot of cooking that has to happen. All at once. So that everything is done at the same time. Still warm. It's a delicate dance that only the most skilled of home cooks knew the steps to. Until, hacks.
Cooking hacks have made it possible for the weakest of us to peel butternut squash with hulk-like strength. They have taught us how to slice through a box of cherry tomatoes with one flick of the wrist. And now, they are making Thanksgiving dinner so much easier for all of us.
We rounded up all the greatest cooking hacks to use on Thanksgiving Day to make sure your holiday takes off without a hitch.
1.
Add a little baking powder for fluffier mashed potatoes.
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2.
Keep the mashed potatoes warmed in a slow cooker.
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You'll have a whole extra burner for making gravy.
3.
Don't waste time washing and peeling potatoes.
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Let your dishwasher wash the potatoes for you -- and peel them when they come out clean. OR, boil them with the skin on and give them a dunk in cold water once cooked. This will shock the skins loose and make peeling a breeze.
4.
Slowcook the turkey overnight.
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Yes, you can. And yes, this will make your Thanksgiving feel infinitely easier. Pop the bird in the oven the evening before and wake up to a nearly completed Thanksgiving feast. Here's the recipe.
5.
Use chicken broth to save a dried out turkey.
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If you've overcooked your bird -- and this is more common than you think -- pour a little warm chicken broth on top of the slices to add flavor and warmth.
6.
Make your pie dough way in advance and freeze it.
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It's one less thing you have to do around the big day. Or, you could just buy one already made. We won't tell.
7.
Use beans for pie weights.
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Not many of us bake pies on the regular, so we don't have things like pie weights and shields on hand. Luckily, there's no need. Use dried beans or rice in place of pie weights and fashion yourself a pie shield out of aluminum foil.
8.
Prepare your gravy ahead of time.
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Yes, it's possible. This recipe will show you how. That way you don't have to stress about the gravy when all you and everyone else wants to do is sit down and eat.
9.
Keep your gravy warm with a thermos.
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Another way to take the last-minute work out of gravy.
10.
Chop your veggies ahead of time.
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Store the chopped onions, celery and carrots -- already portioned for each recipe -- in clearly labeled containers in the fridge or freezer.
11.
Use the garlic-peeling shortcut.
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Saveur showed us how to peel a whole head of garlic in just 10 seconds. This is an essential trick to know on Thanksgiving.
12.
Use your cooler.
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It works as a second fridge. Everything that doesn't fit in the refrigerator -- which is a lot on Thanksgiving -- goes in the cooler. It's so simple, yet so genius.
13.
Put the cookbooks away.
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If you're following recipes this Thanksgiving, print them out and tape them to your cabinets. It'll free up the much-needed counter space that cookbooks or computers take up. We suggest filling that space with snacks for the cook: you. Happy Thanksgiving!