For many hungry Americans, Thanksgiving sides may be as important as the main course, and few are as universally beloved as stuffing. This delicious, bready delight is the perfect contrast to the creamy mashed potatoes, tangy cranberry sauce and juicy turkey. However, if you’re waiting until turkey day to prepare your favorite recipe, you’re making a big and avoidable mistake.
Although everyone makes many mistakes when it comes to stuffing, not preparing it early enough is one of the most common mistakes. This is a simple recognition of the reality that most home kitchens are quite busy on Thanksgiving; Many recipes are competing for burners on the stove, space in the oven and prep space on the counter. Luckily, it’s very easy to start your stuffing preparation right away without sacrificing any quality for the final product.
The level of pre-Thanksgiving work may vary depending on your preferences and recipe. For example, if you’re using your own bread, start drying it a few days in advance. Other steps you can take ahead of time include preparing the stock or cooking the vegetable and herb mixture in advance. This way, all that’s left to do on your holiday is mix the ingredients and pop the dish in the oven. This saves home cooks valuable time and is so simple that it can be entrusted to even the most inexperienced holiday helper.
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Starting your stuffing early can help prevent other problems that often plague those preparing for a Thanksgiving feast. You won’t be tempted to cook the stuffing inside the turkey, which creates potential difficulties in ensuring that both the stuffing and the bird reach safe temperatures and could put diners at risk of foodborne illness. Pre-cooking also helps eliminate holiday-induced stress, so you can focus on getting the different elements of stuffing right, from breaking your bread into bite-sized pieces to allowing the proper time to combine the wet and dry ingredients.
This tip may seem obvious to some people. However, as difficult as it may be to prepare for Thanksgiving, it is even more worth it for those who want to dine without any restrictions. Some home cooks start the process several weeks before the holidays and finish packing in the last few days.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re whipping up an old family recipe or experimenting with one of the many ways to upgrade homemade stuffing. Save yourself some hassle and gift yourself a peaceful Thanksgiving Day by doing all the heavy lifting for your stuffing in advance.
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