TURKEY/POULTRY: My definitive guide to buying, preparing, and cooking a turkey: www.seriouseats.com/buying-prepping-cooking-carving-Thanksgiving-turkey-complete-guide-food-lab My spatchcock turkey recipe and video: www.seriouseats.com/butterfiled-roast-turkey-with-gravy-recipe My herb-rubbed spatchcock turkey: www.seriouseats.com/herb-butter-rubbed-crisp-skinned-butterflied-spatchcock-roast-turkey-Thanksgiving-recipe How to roast a whole turkey with a pizza stone: th-cam.com/video/HquPptrACtk/w-d-xo.html My spatchcock chicken recipe and video: th-cam.com/video/bbqZJZOUM6I/w-d-xo.html My quick and dirty turkey brining guide: www.seriouseats.com/quick-and-dirty-guide-to-brining-turkey-chicken-Thanksgiving The truth about brining turkey: www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-the-truth-about-brining-turkey-Thanksgiving How to deep fry a turkey: www.seriouseats.com/basic-deep-fried-turkey-recipe My deep-fried whole Buffalo turkey: www.seriouseats.com/deep-fried-whole-buffalo-turkey-recipe My extra-crisp chicken recipe from Cook’s Illustrated (paywall): www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4125-crisp-roast-chicken My oven-fried chicken wings: www.seriouseats.com/the-best-buffalo-wings-oven-fried-wings-recipe A recent oven-fried wings video: th-cam.com/video/mh2AXh1eRmE/w-d-xo.html An older oven-fried wings video: th-cam.com/video/Gg7mNNKYvGA/w-d-xo.html How baking powder can make for crisper turkey skin: www.seriouseats.com/how-to-get-crispier-chicken-turkey-poultry-skin-with-baking-powder Kevin Bacon on my turkey recipe: th-cam.com/video/UbC7x5uJ1TY/w-d-xo.htmlsi=30yfRDWDOBw9-a5Z&t=33 My NYT mayo-rubbed turkey recipe (paywall): cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023623-mayo-roasted-Thanksgiving-turkey-with-gravy How to tell if your turkey is cooked right: www.seriouseats.com/how-to-take-the-temperature-of-your-turkey-video How long should the turkey rest?: th-cam.com/video/jVKh5t_xUww/w-d-xo.html& My simple roast turkey breast: goodcheapeats.com/herb-roasted-turkey-breast/ My turkey porchetta recipe: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-porchetta-food-lab-recipe My turkey porchetta video: th-cam.com/video/--98VRFpvEQ/w-d-xo.html My sous-vide turkey: www.seriouseats.com/sous-vide-turkey-breast-crispy-skin-recipe-Thanksgiving Not another cooking show’s turkey porchetta video: th-cam.com/video/h2_HEDco1Uk/w-d-xo.html My herb-roasted turkey breast with stuffing: www.seriouseats.com/roast-turkey-breast-stuffing-recipe My smoked turkey: www.seriouseats.com/spice-rubbed-butterflied-smoked-turkey-food-lab-recipe STUFFING: My classic sage and sausage stuffing recipe: www.seriouseats.com/classic-sage-and-sausage-stuffing-or-dressing-recipe My classic sage and sausage stuffing video: th-cam.com/video/J5ZraZz-L4A/w-d-xo.html Slow-cooker stuffing: www.seriouseats.com/slow-cooker-sage-sausage-stuffing-recipe MASHED POTATOES: My fluffy mashed potatoes: www.seriouseats.com/ultra-fluffy-mashed-potatoes-recipe My creamy mashed potatoes: www.seriouseats.com/rich-and-creamy-mashed-potatoes-recipe How to make potatoes in advance: www.seriouseats.com/ways-to-make-mashed-potatoes-in-advance-Thanksgiving-easy SIDES: My easy roasted broccoli: www.seriouseats.com/easy-roasted-broccoli-recipe How to Roast Carrots and Parsnips: www.seriouseats.com/how-to-roast-carrots My easy roasted Brussels sprouts: www.seriouseats.com/easy-roasted-brussels-sprouts-food-lab-recipe My Roasted Brussels sprouts with shallots and balsamic: www.seriouseats.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-and-shallots-with-balsamic-vinegar-Thanksgiving-recipe My Roasted Brussels sprouts with chorizo and sherry vinegar: www.seriouseats.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-chorizo-sherry-vinegar-recipe My Roasted Brussels sprouts with kimchi and ginger: www.seriouseats.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-kimchi-ginger-recipe My Homemade green bean casserole: www.seriouseats.com/homemade-green-bean-casserole-recipe My roasted pear salad with endive, blue cheese, and hazelnuts (this will work with apples!): www.seriouseats.com/roasted-pear-salad-with-endive-pomegranate-stilton-hazelnut My winter green salad with walnuts, apples, and Parmesan-anchovy dressing: www.seriouseats.com/winter-green-salad-with-walnuts-apples-and-parmesan-anchovy-dressing-recipe My really easy cranberry sauce: www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-Thanksgiving-special-the-worlds-easiest-cranberry-sauce A quick & easy cranberry sauce video: th-cam.com/video/ZbxsGx8VqnY/w-d-xo.html Donna Currie's Parker House rolls: www.seriouseats.com/bread-baking-parker-house-rolls Stella Parks' dinner rolls: www.seriouseats.com/crusty-dinner-rolls-recipe My pull-apart stuffing rolls: www.seriouseats.com/pull-apart-Thanksgiving-stuffing-roll-bread-recipe My Cook's Illustrated "Almost no-knead bread": www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4028-almost-no-knead-bread My "Better no-knead bread": www.seriouseats.com/better-no-knead-bread-recipe My NYT "Updated no-knead bread" (paywall): cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022147-updated-no-knead-bread My No-Knead Bread video: th-cam.com/video/6RUDa0FKplk/w-d-xo.html GRAVY: My turkey gravy recipe: www.seriouseats.com/the-best-turkey-gravy-recipe My turkey gravy video: th-cam.com/video/S8qhzb0YI3E/w-d-xo.html Chef John's "Hot roux, cold milk, no lumps" article: foodwishes.blogspot.com/2010/04/secret-to-lump-free-sauce.html America's Test Kitchen's Better than Bouillon taste test: th-cam.com/video/BmXYar9OgGY/w-d-xo.html A VEGETARIAN Thanksgiving: My Vegetables Wellington: www.seriouseats.com/vegetables-wellington-the-ultimate-plant-based-vegan-holiday-roast-recipe My pumpkin lasagna: www.seriouseats.com/the-best-squash-lasagna-food-lab-recipe Vegan stock for gravy: www.seriouseats.com/hearty-vegetable-stock-vegan-recipe PIE: My "foolproof" vodka pie crust: www.seriouseats.com/cooks-illustrated-foolproof-pie-dough-recipe My pie dough recipe and Stella Park's pie dough recipe: www.seriouseats.com/easy-pie-dough-crust-bravetart-food-lab My apple pie recipe: www.seriouseats.com/gooey-deep-dish-apple-pie-recipe My apple pie video: th-cam.com/video/DkRMDdcddf0/w-d-xo.html How to get the best texture from apples: th-cam.com/video/r_MaoAKYa-c/w-d-xo.html The best apples for pie: www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-what-are-the-best-apples-for-apple-pies-how-to-make-pie Cook's Illustrated's pumpkin pie (paywall): www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4521-pumpkin-pie LEFTOVERS: My stuffing waffles: www.seriouseats.com/stuffing-waffles-recipe My stuffing waffle croquettes madame: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-stuffing-waffle-Thanksgiving-croque-madame-sandwich-recipe My potato pancakes with leftover mashed potatoes: www.seriouseats.com/sweet-potato-pancakes-made-with-leftover-mash My hot and numbing shredded turkey: www.seriouseats.com/Thanksgiving-leftovers-sichuan-style-hot-and-numbing-sliced-turkey My turkey carnitas recipe: www.seriouseats.com/leftover-Thanksgiving-turkey-carnitas-recipe My roast turkey and rice soup: www.seriouseats.com/roast-turkey-soup-recipe My turkey tortilla soup: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-tortilla-soup-recipe My turkey and dumplings recipe: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-n-dumplings-recipe My turkey paitan ramen recipe: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-paitain-ramen-crispy-turkey-soft-cooked-egg-recipe My turkey and black bean quesadilla recipe: www.seriouseats.com/roast-turkey-and-black-bean-quesadillas-jkla My cheese-free sweet potato quesadilla: www.seriouseats.com/cheese-free-sweet-potato-quesadilla-recipe My 15-minute turkey enchiladas: www.seriouseats.com/15-minute-turkey-mole-enchilada-recipe My turkey Hot Brown: www.seriouseats.com/kentucky-hot-brown-mornay-sauce-recipe My Thanksgiving leftovers grilled cheese: www.seriouseats.com/Thanksgiving-leftover-grilled-cheese-recipe My easy turkey and Brussels sprouts quesadilla: www.seriouseats.com/easy-turkey-brussels-sprouts-quesadilla-recipe PLANNING: My big guide to planning Thanksgiving: www.seriouseats.com/food-lab-Thanksgiving-survival-guide RANDOM: Expiration dates: www.nytimes.com/article/expiration-dates.html Jacques Pepin’s Turkey: th-cam.com/video/HPWEMZwxKjo/w-d-xo.html
My issue has always been that the top of the breast and the bottom (near the rib cage) don't cook evenly, even after spatchcocking and using a baking sheet. by the time the temp near the rib cage is complete, the outside of the breast meat is boarderline dry. Obviously not an issue when I apply the same technique to chicken. Any idea what to do in this case? Milk Street seems to suggest adding some water to the pan under the turkey to semi-steam it.
Did you lose a bunch of weight? You look way better here than in the short intro I see in your go pro kitchen vids from a year or two ago. Sorry for what's really an insult I guess if it's just a better angle and you didn't. Lol not the intention
I just love Kenji's vibe. The turkey is bad? Ok, enjoy each others company. Kids are making noise while your making a video? So what, they're having fun and you can still hear me. We're here because cooking is important, but there are several more important things. So chill, go with the flow, do your best and at the very least hope you're in good company.
I'm from Germany, so Thanksgiving is not a thing in our tradition. Still, I know I'm gonna watch this whole thing because I love Kenji explaining to me the science of how to roast a whole turkey, a bird that wouldn't fit in most central european ovens anyways (the traditional Christmas Bird in Germany is goose) and trying to come up with ways to incorporate his techniques into my cookery. Thank you, Kenji. Love from Cologne.
Bear in mind that goose bones are MUCH thicker and stronger than turkey bones. I really wouldn't try to spatchcock a goose at home, and I think it probably wouldn't be a good idea anyway. It's not just the bones, the meat is very different too - a turkey is just a big chicken, and it doesn't cook the same way as a goose.
True! However, imagine Lilliputions with sliced "soft-breadstix". I've just, thinly sliced an Hot Dog. It would equate to a Bologna sandwich in Our world(ha-ha). Cheers & enjoy the Holiday.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt Speaking on behalf of your fans and supporters, we appreciate you endlessly, but this video truly is gold. Honestly, the level of service that you have donated here is inspiring. Thank you. Truly. Btw, yellow apron is a huge W for you, shoutout to whomever put you onto the idea of wearing it, suits you well.
This guy is so fkng cool. I'm a Chef and whenever I feel like I'm in a rut, or looking to learn more about things I don't know so much about, this is the guy I turn to. Endless inspiration in my opinion.
I just finished the whole thing and I think this video has the potential to become a real classic. The density of actionable information is pretty amazing. I think this is something to book mark and watch every year at the beginning of november
I think this shows of how much i like listening kenji talk about cooking, I watched an hour long video about turkey making while not being american and knowing I'll never cook a turkey in my life
Another Kenji-told benefit of Dry-brining vs. Wet-brining is that dry brining helps desiccate the skin and reduce surface moisture. You can pat dry the wet-brined bird but it will never get as dry as the surface of a dry-brined, which will hurt your skin-browning efforts. In other words, all things equal-- a dry-brined bird will brown and crisp much better.
This is your Thanksgiving opus. Jam packed with everything needed to make the meal a success (no guarantees on the family getting along). Thanks for the crazy effort you put into this Kenji. This one is timeless.
My grandmother always put apple chunks, dried cranberries, and nuts in her stuffing and it really is incredible. The slight sweet-tartness balances the savoury flavour of the sausage and the stock wonderfully.
Kenji, thank you so much for this! Don’t need to look anywhere else. And thank you so much for being so down to earth. I can relate to you, even as a home cook.
Like this guy - he cooks like me - uncomplicated, not afraid of shortcuts, creatively jazzes things up sometimes. Great explanations of why food does what it does, too.
Mushroom (cooked in a fat) blended into gravy, can add potato starch, blend it with coconut milk , miso, soy sauce, other traditional seasonings. My blended mushroom gravy has been a hit with everyone.
Wow, thanks Kenji- as always you deliver peak content. I know all food media/publishing folk feel obligated to delivery the annual thanksgiving tips n tricks type of vid but a fully fleshed out, no bs, all you need compendium like this really raises the bar and as useful as it gets as an eternal resource on the topic at hand
46:48 pretty much - gravy fixes so many sins. Also thank you so much for putting this together Kenji - it looks like it was a lot of work from all the chapter notations, edited in clips/pictures, transitions, and your mega-comment with all the links. You are legendary.
I have been watching you for years. Not only am I much better cook by using all your ideas as well as using your two cook books. The food lab and the Wok. Everyone get these for many, many insights and great recipes. Love love them both. Also so happy you are looking happy, healthy and thriving!!! Thanks so much
After having taken Kenji's advice for previous Thanksgiving preps I will never not prepare a spatchcocked turkey dry-brined for 36 hours slathered in herb-infused mayo. It is foolproof, cooks quickly, there is no risk of uneven doneness and the flavor is the best I've ever had.
Sounds good, I’m going to try that this year out of curiosity. Are you just leaving the Mayo for the dry brine or do you salt and season for dry brine and then use the mayo trick for cooking?
My favorite "planover" use for the turkey I made yesterday with the half if a whole frozen turkey i asked the butcher to cut in half is the Hot Brown plus addional sandwich meat. I'll roast the other half next week for the traditional thxgiv dinner, making the gravy ahead with the first half pan drippings i saved in the freezer, both essentially spatchcocked.
Last year I spatchcocked my turkey after brining it in Samin Nosrat's lovely buttermilk chicken brining recipe. People said it was the best turkey they had ever tasted...and some of them were in their 70's. That's a lot of birds. Also, I made Samin's Cilantro Date Chutney as a spicier alternative to cranberries. Wonderful!
The Spatchcock turkey with your dry brine, salt, and baking powder was excellent. We cooked it on the smoker at the same recommended temp and time on their recipe. It came out stellar! The best turkey we've made!
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU! I never thought to include BAKING POWDER in my dry brine BUT JUST WOW! I also stuffed with orange and lemon slices, in the cavity and under the skin, after dry brining over night.😊
One of the international questions reminded of a squabble my wife and I got into when we were still newly dating and trying to figure out which of each of our family’s traditions would become our traditions, and ended with her snipping at me, “You’re a ham holiday!” Still makes me smile.
I'm not big on cranberry sauce but I did an orange ginger cranberry sauce this year (Canadian) that was very very good! A little bit more going on but nothing crazy. Highly recommend.
I work as a checker in a major grocery store. I hate the holidays- because some people are sooo horrible. But Kenji has gotten me excited and I will happily endure the next week of stressed, crabby cooks. Gonna remind folks WHY we do this is more important than the specific results. Let’s face it- we only remember the crazy stuff that happens, and never the perfect culinary and artistic table scapes . Have fun - enjoy yourself, love everyone, and be kind. Joy and prosperity to you all.
This was SO fun to watch! I've been a Kenji fan for a long time and have been cooking for Thanksgiving for a lot of years but I actually learned some new things in this video which will come in handy tomorrow! Fortunately, all my guests will bring something but I still roast the turkey (yes, spatchcocked!) and make the dressing (already done!) and I am the gravy queen! And if you have enough gravy, dry turkey is never a problem. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Hi Kenji, thanks for the tips! My Thanksgiving dinner always includes a riff on a Morrocan vegetable tagine of garnet yams with harissa, cilantro and pomegranate molasses and seeds. It is a good color pop on the plate, to!
I bought a 12# frozen turkey the other day and had the butcher cut in half. I got it for $.99/#. I didnt want to cook the entire thing, wanting half for sandwiches, the carcass and drumstick, pan drippings to make gravy next week prior to roasting the other half for the traditional thxgiv dinner. It is essentially spatchcocked and it took only about 1.5 hrs at 325f. I then cranked the oven up too 500f for 10 min. It browned beautifully. Yes, after thawing in the fridge for 3 days it was ready to dry brine the bird overnight. It was the juciest turkey i ever prepared. Listen to Kenji....he know cool stuff!BTW, I brushed on melted butter prior to putting in the oven. I did no other basting. I opened the oven door once and that was to check the internal temp and it was perfect. I didn't touch it for 30 min before slicing and it was still warm 3 hrs later so i could refrigerate the remainder. Have you ever found perfectly roasted and sliced turkey in the deli case for $.99 per pound? Im not waiting till next thxgiv to do this again!
Loved this! Thrilled to see so much stuffing love. In my area, it's always one of the least-appreciated dishes. I hear descriptions like, "it's just soggy bread", etc. I will wholeheartedly defend stuffing until the day I die. When made well, stuffing is the best thing on the table.
One more safety precaution for deep-fried turkey. Once oil is to temp, turn the gas flame off while you are lowering it in. This way, if anything goes awry, you only have a hot oil problem, not an oil fire.
Loved your answer for the smooth gravy! The way I always learned it is anything with a roux... Either mix cold into hot, or hot into cold. Either the roux is cold and mixed into hot liquids, or the roux is hot with cold liquids getting mixed into it. That's been a lifesaver for me.
I haven't watched his videos in a while, and I almost didn't recognise Kenji. The voice is the same, the usual depth of knowledge, but he must be on a fitness journey, and good for you, Kenji!! Keep it up!
Being from Germany Thanksgiving is something wholly unfamiliar to me but honestly it sounds like something I'd like to experience. Besides the food sounding delicious it just sounds like a really cozy holiday.
Thanks so much for this JKLA. I really appreciate you answering my question about the "cranberry" lol in this video. It shows you put so much effort into this content for us. "Lingon" "Berry" "Jam" it is!
Thanks, this is the best Thanksgiving food video I've ever seen. I love the explanations about why techniques work or don't. Kenji is always good and I love that he cooks in a regular kitchen with kids and dogs around.
re Mashed Potatoes, I make them ahead wiith all my butter , cream and sour ceam (even a day ahead) the put them in my sous vide @ 150 degrees for an hour or so ! works great
Our favorite use of leftovers (besides stuffing waffles, of course) is to make Turkey risotto. I use turkey broth and all the little bits of meat that fall off the carcass.
Solve the grainy issue mentioned with the Better than Boullion: mix the BtB in a small quantity of freshly boiled water to dissolve it on the side, then add to gravy. Kinda reminds me of mixing wasabi into small amount of soy sauce then adding more soy.
Thanks so much for the video, Kenji; I was thrilled to see an hour long presentation from you. Planning on getting the food lab for myself for Christmas!
Ha! That Kevin Bacon story is great. Also, have seen your comments on a couple music related channels, makes me respect you even more! Thanks for the Thanksgiving tips!
Pickled cranberries! Game changer for cranberry sauce. My granny used to make a flour and cold water slurry to thicken her gravy. SO much easier than a roux! Also, cooking your spatchcocked bird ON TOP if the stuffing id=s safe and thr drippings go directly into it to boost favor. You could roast some turkey legs or thighs in advance to get drippings for the gravy.
great answers, thanks! my suggestion for bringing something to a thanksgiving potluck, is homemade rolls.. you can make them way ahead, bake and cool, then freeze in ziploc storage bag. you can bring them frozen, wrapped in aluminum foil, and then reheat them for service in 20-25 minutes (into the oven once the turkey is out). enjoy
I am going to show this video to my wife and ask her which recipes she wants me to make! So many great suggestions. This was a very well thought out video idea! Thank you Kenji!
Sub orange juice for water, teaspoon ginger grated, teaspoon five spice, orange zest too, cup sugar and pkg cranberries rinsed and checked over..easy, best cranberry sauce! (Cook on stove, add couple pats of butter to stop foaming, and some salt n pepper..) Too much fresh ginger is too hot, so be careful..love this sauce on everything!
So much to love about this video, Kenji! The week leading up to Thanksgiving is one of my favorites each year, because I can't get enough videos like this.
So there are a few stuffing/dressings I love to make or had growing up. A German Polish all meats stuffing with very little binders with just veg and aromatics (my best friend Bill's Dad's recipe), my family friend used to make a smoked oyster stuffing basically you basic bread stuffing with a few cans of smoked oysters chopped through, and my mom uses to do a cellophane noodle with black fungus and pork stuffing in the bird. These were awesome growing up. Gravy, I add a tablespoon or so of a good fish sauce at the end of the cooking process to a simple roux and broth gravy especially if you are making it from an not great store broth. I also add a teaspoon of mushroom powder and a teaspoon of better than bouillon or a bouillon cube to a box of store broth when I am reducing it with the veg and aromatics. Please note don't add salt until the end and add to taste. Oh if you are over gravy or just want to give people a choice. Chimichurri and a herb chutney. They are quick simple and a nice twist to the old school basics. I know no one is going to read these comments but I hope whoever reads it has a great Thanksgiving.
Shout out to all of us under dumb family pressure lmao. I did one mediocre wet brine last year and now I'm the *_Turkey Lord_* of my extended family. This year I'm doing a simple salt 48 hr dry brine, then a wintery herb butter under and on the skin before roasting. It's a 20 pound ogre of a bird so I'll duct tape my thermometer to my hand
My mom alwsys saved the "heels" of sliced bread, leftover hotdog & hamburger buns, any bread trimmings and kept in the freezer for a couple months prior to thxgiv. She did make a batch of cornbread to add to the stuffing as it was loved by all of us. Once in a while she would experiment with fresh oysters or sausage. It was ok but we preferred her original.
Pork porchetta is awesome. In my previous home city there was a place named Pasta Works that not only sold fresh pasta and related items (such as pesto) but also porchetta. It was always a treat to get a couple of servings if it was available when I went there. I've never thought of doing it with a turkey breast. I don't know that I would do it since I'm single with no family but would love to try it.
Just wanted to add to the frying turkey safely thing.. Test the volume with water. I would place the still frozen and wrapped turkey into the pot, add water to submerge, remove the turkey, and note the level of the water. Put that much oil in when it's time to fry. Sometimes, I'll even let it sit a while in the water to speed the thawing. Also, make sure it is defrosted AND dry. Not as big an issue as ice in most cases, but it will minimize how much the oil reacts.
For mash potatoes what I like to do is sous vide them. Easy to do ahead of time and just warm it up when needed. Plus the bag can as a piper so you could do fancy design. Mashing it at the end is very easy
3:00 Plant the seed of the spatchcocking method by making a chicken first with immediate family & friends. Get their feedback (because they'll likely LOVE it). They'll tell the rest of the family members and it will sell itself over time.
Have you ever tried making a Thompson Turkey? If you like stuffing, you have to try this recipe. It's a ton of ingredients and takes a long time to prepare and make, but WOW, it's the best stuffing ever. Ignore the actual turkey parts of the recipe, just do the stuffing. I've been making TT stuffing along with your spatchcocked turkey recipe (from your SE video) for years and they're always big hits.
TURKEY/POULTRY:
My definitive guide to buying, preparing, and cooking a turkey: www.seriouseats.com/buying-prepping-cooking-carving-Thanksgiving-turkey-complete-guide-food-lab
My spatchcock turkey recipe and video: www.seriouseats.com/butterfiled-roast-turkey-with-gravy-recipe
My herb-rubbed spatchcock turkey: www.seriouseats.com/herb-butter-rubbed-crisp-skinned-butterflied-spatchcock-roast-turkey-Thanksgiving-recipe
How to roast a whole turkey with a pizza stone: th-cam.com/video/HquPptrACtk/w-d-xo.html
My spatchcock chicken recipe and video: th-cam.com/video/bbqZJZOUM6I/w-d-xo.html
My quick and dirty turkey brining guide: www.seriouseats.com/quick-and-dirty-guide-to-brining-turkey-chicken-Thanksgiving
The truth about brining turkey: www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-the-truth-about-brining-turkey-Thanksgiving
How to deep fry a turkey: www.seriouseats.com/basic-deep-fried-turkey-recipe
My deep-fried whole Buffalo turkey: www.seriouseats.com/deep-fried-whole-buffalo-turkey-recipe
My extra-crisp chicken recipe from Cook’s Illustrated (paywall): www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4125-crisp-roast-chicken
My oven-fried chicken wings: www.seriouseats.com/the-best-buffalo-wings-oven-fried-wings-recipe
A recent oven-fried wings video: th-cam.com/video/mh2AXh1eRmE/w-d-xo.html
An older oven-fried wings video: th-cam.com/video/Gg7mNNKYvGA/w-d-xo.html
How baking powder can make for crisper turkey skin: www.seriouseats.com/how-to-get-crispier-chicken-turkey-poultry-skin-with-baking-powder
Kevin Bacon on my turkey recipe: th-cam.com/video/UbC7x5uJ1TY/w-d-xo.htmlsi=30yfRDWDOBw9-a5Z&t=33
My NYT mayo-rubbed turkey recipe (paywall): cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023623-mayo-roasted-Thanksgiving-turkey-with-gravy
How to tell if your turkey is cooked right: www.seriouseats.com/how-to-take-the-temperature-of-your-turkey-video
How long should the turkey rest?: th-cam.com/video/jVKh5t_xUww/w-d-xo.html&
My simple roast turkey breast: goodcheapeats.com/herb-roasted-turkey-breast/
My turkey porchetta recipe: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-porchetta-food-lab-recipe
My turkey porchetta video: th-cam.com/video/--98VRFpvEQ/w-d-xo.html
My sous-vide turkey: www.seriouseats.com/sous-vide-turkey-breast-crispy-skin-recipe-Thanksgiving
Not another cooking show’s turkey porchetta video: th-cam.com/video/h2_HEDco1Uk/w-d-xo.html
My herb-roasted turkey breast with stuffing: www.seriouseats.com/roast-turkey-breast-stuffing-recipe
My smoked turkey: www.seriouseats.com/spice-rubbed-butterflied-smoked-turkey-food-lab-recipe
STUFFING:
My classic sage and sausage stuffing recipe: www.seriouseats.com/classic-sage-and-sausage-stuffing-or-dressing-recipe
My classic sage and sausage stuffing video: th-cam.com/video/J5ZraZz-L4A/w-d-xo.html
Slow-cooker stuffing: www.seriouseats.com/slow-cooker-sage-sausage-stuffing-recipe
MASHED POTATOES:
My fluffy mashed potatoes: www.seriouseats.com/ultra-fluffy-mashed-potatoes-recipe
My creamy mashed potatoes: www.seriouseats.com/rich-and-creamy-mashed-potatoes-recipe
How to make potatoes in advance: www.seriouseats.com/ways-to-make-mashed-potatoes-in-advance-Thanksgiving-easy
SIDES:
My easy roasted broccoli: www.seriouseats.com/easy-roasted-broccoli-recipe
How to Roast Carrots and Parsnips: www.seriouseats.com/how-to-roast-carrots
My easy roasted Brussels sprouts: www.seriouseats.com/easy-roasted-brussels-sprouts-food-lab-recipe
My Roasted Brussels sprouts with shallots and balsamic: www.seriouseats.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-and-shallots-with-balsamic-vinegar-Thanksgiving-recipe
My Roasted Brussels sprouts with chorizo and sherry vinegar: www.seriouseats.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-chorizo-sherry-vinegar-recipe
My Roasted Brussels sprouts with kimchi and ginger: www.seriouseats.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-kimchi-ginger-recipe
My Homemade green bean casserole: www.seriouseats.com/homemade-green-bean-casserole-recipe
My roasted pear salad with endive, blue cheese, and hazelnuts (this will work with apples!): www.seriouseats.com/roasted-pear-salad-with-endive-pomegranate-stilton-hazelnut
My winter green salad with walnuts, apples, and Parmesan-anchovy dressing: www.seriouseats.com/winter-green-salad-with-walnuts-apples-and-parmesan-anchovy-dressing-recipe
My really easy cranberry sauce: www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-Thanksgiving-special-the-worlds-easiest-cranberry-sauce
A quick & easy cranberry sauce video: th-cam.com/video/ZbxsGx8VqnY/w-d-xo.html
Donna Currie's Parker House rolls: www.seriouseats.com/bread-baking-parker-house-rolls
Stella Parks' dinner rolls: www.seriouseats.com/crusty-dinner-rolls-recipe
My pull-apart stuffing rolls: www.seriouseats.com/pull-apart-Thanksgiving-stuffing-roll-bread-recipe
My Cook's Illustrated "Almost no-knead bread": www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4028-almost-no-knead-bread
My "Better no-knead bread": www.seriouseats.com/better-no-knead-bread-recipe
My NYT "Updated no-knead bread" (paywall): cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022147-updated-no-knead-bread
My No-Knead Bread video: th-cam.com/video/6RUDa0FKplk/w-d-xo.html
GRAVY:
My turkey gravy recipe: www.seriouseats.com/the-best-turkey-gravy-recipe
My turkey gravy video: th-cam.com/video/S8qhzb0YI3E/w-d-xo.html
Chef John's "Hot roux, cold milk, no lumps" article: foodwishes.blogspot.com/2010/04/secret-to-lump-free-sauce.html
America's Test Kitchen's Better than Bouillon taste test: th-cam.com/video/BmXYar9OgGY/w-d-xo.html
A VEGETARIAN Thanksgiving:
My Vegetables Wellington: www.seriouseats.com/vegetables-wellington-the-ultimate-plant-based-vegan-holiday-roast-recipe
My pumpkin lasagna: www.seriouseats.com/the-best-squash-lasagna-food-lab-recipe
Vegan stock for gravy: www.seriouseats.com/hearty-vegetable-stock-vegan-recipe
PIE:
My "foolproof" vodka pie crust: www.seriouseats.com/cooks-illustrated-foolproof-pie-dough-recipe
My pie dough recipe and Stella Park's pie dough recipe: www.seriouseats.com/easy-pie-dough-crust-bravetart-food-lab
My apple pie recipe: www.seriouseats.com/gooey-deep-dish-apple-pie-recipe
My apple pie video: th-cam.com/video/DkRMDdcddf0/w-d-xo.html
How to get the best texture from apples: th-cam.com/video/r_MaoAKYa-c/w-d-xo.html
The best apples for pie: www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-what-are-the-best-apples-for-apple-pies-how-to-make-pie
Cook's Illustrated's pumpkin pie (paywall): www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4521-pumpkin-pie
LEFTOVERS:
My stuffing waffles: www.seriouseats.com/stuffing-waffles-recipe
My stuffing waffle croquettes madame: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-stuffing-waffle-Thanksgiving-croque-madame-sandwich-recipe
My potato pancakes with leftover mashed potatoes: www.seriouseats.com/sweet-potato-pancakes-made-with-leftover-mash
My hot and numbing shredded turkey: www.seriouseats.com/Thanksgiving-leftovers-sichuan-style-hot-and-numbing-sliced-turkey
My turkey carnitas recipe: www.seriouseats.com/leftover-Thanksgiving-turkey-carnitas-recipe
My roast turkey and rice soup: www.seriouseats.com/roast-turkey-soup-recipe
My turkey tortilla soup: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-tortilla-soup-recipe
My turkey and dumplings recipe: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-n-dumplings-recipe
My turkey paitan ramen recipe: www.seriouseats.com/turkey-paitain-ramen-crispy-turkey-soft-cooked-egg-recipe
My turkey and black bean quesadilla recipe: www.seriouseats.com/roast-turkey-and-black-bean-quesadillas-jkla
My cheese-free sweet potato quesadilla: www.seriouseats.com/cheese-free-sweet-potato-quesadilla-recipe
My 15-minute turkey enchiladas: www.seriouseats.com/15-minute-turkey-mole-enchilada-recipe
My turkey Hot Brown: www.seriouseats.com/kentucky-hot-brown-mornay-sauce-recipe
My Thanksgiving leftovers grilled cheese: www.seriouseats.com/Thanksgiving-leftover-grilled-cheese-recipe
My easy turkey and Brussels sprouts quesadilla: www.seriouseats.com/easy-turkey-brussels-sprouts-quesadilla-recipe
PLANNING:
My big guide to planning Thanksgiving: www.seriouseats.com/food-lab-Thanksgiving-survival-guide
RANDOM:
Expiration dates: www.nytimes.com/article/expiration-dates.html
Jacques Pepin’s Turkey: th-cam.com/video/HPWEMZwxKjo/w-d-xo.html
My issue has always been that the top of the breast and the bottom (near the rib cage) don't cook evenly, even after spatchcocking and using a baking sheet. by the time the temp near the rib cage is complete, the outside of the breast meat is boarderline dry.
Obviously not an issue when I apply the same technique to chicken. Any idea what to do in this case? Milk Street seems to suggest adding some water to the pan under the turkey to semi-steam it.
Did you lose a bunch of weight? You look way better here than in the short intro I see in your go pro kitchen vids from a year or two ago.
Sorry for what's really an insult I guess if it's just a better angle and you didn't. Lol not the intention
Thank you for this incredible resource, I can see myself using this for years to come
I disregard the colour; if that's what U mean.@@andytu6331
Great video with so many much-needed tips! I especially loved the part about how to prevent lumps in the gravy. :) Thanks for the shout out!
Thank you chef. Let’s grab that drink some time!
The GOAT of all of TH-cam cooking
Oh please colab, for the love of all that is holy!
the crossover I never knew I needed
Two TH-cam universes coming together! 😍
I just love Kenji's vibe. The turkey is bad? Ok, enjoy each others company. Kids are making noise while your making a video? So what, they're having fun and you can still hear me. We're here because cooking is important, but there are several more important things. So chill, go with the flow, do your best and at the very least hope you're in good company.
I'm from Germany, so Thanksgiving is not a thing in our tradition.
Still, I know I'm gonna watch this whole thing because I love Kenji explaining to me the science of how to roast a whole turkey, a bird that wouldn't fit in most central european ovens anyways (the traditional Christmas Bird in Germany is goose) and trying to come up with ways to incorporate his techniques into my cookery.
Thank you, Kenji. Love from Cologne.
American turkeys are often >10kg. Order a turkey less than around 6-7kgs and it fits fine into a European oven.
Same. I’m vegetarian too. Still gonna watch for the science.
Bear in mind that goose bones are MUCH thicker and stronger than turkey bones. I really wouldn't try to spatchcock a goose at home, and I think it probably wouldn't be a good idea anyway. It's not just the bones, the meat is very different too - a turkey is just a big chicken, and it doesn't cook the same way as a goose.
Or do a chicken. We do chicken instead of turkey just due to preference. Hope you have a great Thursday November 23rd 😂
From South Africa here, thanksgiving also not a thing, but also indeed watched the full hour. lol :)
This is my Roman empire this is all I will think about until next thanksgiving
This is his Roman empire this is all he will think about until next thanksgiving
@@johnr2724 Gobble gobble! Hope you haven't forgotten!
"If the turkey is dry, that's fine, just enjoy each other's company." Kenji lives in a world very different from mine.
I do like his addition that "Everything gets covered up with gravy anyway."
An hour of Kenji?!? It's been quite a week, and this is very much needed!
True! However, imagine Lilliputions with sliced "soft-breadstix". I've just, thinly sliced an Hot Dog. It would equate to a Bologna sandwich in Our world(ha-ha). Cheers & enjoy the Holiday.
Love this format. Must've taken forever to edit with all of the graphics and b-roll (but that's what makes it good). Well done, Kenji!
This was definitely my highest effort post in a very long time.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt Speaking on behalf of your fans and supporters, we appreciate you endlessly, but this video truly is gold. Honestly, the level of service that you have donated here is inspiring. Thank you. Truly. Btw, yellow apron is a huge W for you, shoutout to whomever put you onto the idea of wearing it, suits you well.
This guy is so fkng cool. I'm a Chef and whenever I feel like I'm in a rut, or looking to learn more about things I don't know so much about, this is the guy I turn to. Endless inspiration in my opinion.
kenji is a national treasure
I just finished the whole thing and I think this video has the potential to become a real classic. The density of actionable information is pretty amazing. I think this is something to book mark and watch every year at the beginning of november
I think this shows of how much i like listening kenji talk about cooking, I watched an hour long video about turkey making while not being american and knowing I'll never cook a turkey in my life
Another Kenji-told benefit of Dry-brining vs. Wet-brining is that dry brining helps desiccate the skin and reduce surface moisture. You can pat dry the wet-brined bird but it will never get as dry as the surface of a dry-brined, which will hurt your skin-browning efforts. In other words, all things equal-- a dry-brined bird will brown and crisp much better.
You serious eats sage sausage stuffing recipe and spatchcock turkey article have been my go to for years now, thankful for your work!
Babe, hour long Kenji video just DROPPED
This is your Thanksgiving opus. Jam packed with everything needed to make the meal a success (no guarantees on the family getting along). Thanks for the crazy effort you put into this Kenji. This one is timeless.
My grandmother always put apple chunks, dried cranberries, and nuts in her stuffing and it really is incredible. The slight sweet-tartness balances the savoury flavour of the sausage and the stock wonderfully.
Kenji, thank you so much for this! Don’t need to look anywhere else. And thank you so much for being so down to earth. I can relate to you, even as a home cook.
Love all this valuable information! But that jingle is going to be in my head for weeks
Like this guy - he cooks like me - uncomplicated, not afraid of shortcuts, creatively jazzes things up sometimes. Great explanations of why food does what it does, too.
Mushroom (cooked in a fat) blended into gravy, can add potato starch, blend it with coconut milk , miso, soy sauce, other traditional seasonings. My blended mushroom gravy has been a hit with everyone.
I *love* this idea! A big themed Q&A gives people the chance to receive concentrated Kenji wisdom!
Wow, thanks Kenji- as always you deliver peak content. I know all food media/publishing folk feel obligated to delivery the annual thanksgiving tips n tricks type of vid but a fully fleshed out, no bs, all you need compendium like this really raises the bar and as useful as it gets as an eternal resource on the topic at hand
46:48 pretty much - gravy fixes so many sins. Also thank you so much for putting this together Kenji - it looks like it was a lot of work from all the chapter notations, edited in clips/pictures, transitions, and your mega-comment with all the links. You are legendary.
I have been watching you for years. Not only am I much better cook by using all your ideas as well as using your two cook books. The food lab and the Wok. Everyone get these for many, many insights and great recipes.
Love love them both. Also so happy you are looking happy, healthy and thriving!!! Thanks so much
After having taken Kenji's advice for previous Thanksgiving preps I will never not prepare a spatchcocked turkey dry-brined for 36 hours slathered in herb-infused mayo. It is foolproof, cooks quickly, there is no risk of uneven doneness and the flavor is the best I've ever had.
Sounds good, I’m going to try that this year out of curiosity. Are you just leaving the Mayo for the dry brine or do you salt and season for dry brine and then use the mayo trick for cooking?
My favorite "planover" use for the turkey I made yesterday with the half if a whole frozen turkey i asked the butcher to cut in half is the Hot Brown plus addional sandwich meat. I'll roast the other half next week for the traditional thxgiv dinner, making the gravy ahead with the first half pan drippings i saved in the freezer, both essentially spatchcocked.
wait a minute, am I falling in love with Kenji? or is he just incredible?
Kenji is an absolute legend. Its amazing to hear how many ubiquitous tips and tricks originated with kenji!
We spatchcocked, dry brined (with added baking powder) and mayo rubbed this year. The best turkey we’ve ever made! Big Kenji fans in our house
OMG, such a clean version :)) I'm really not used with this! I still want more late night silent cooking no matter what, please and thank you :D
Nothing better than pretending to be the Rat on Kenji's hair a la Ratatouille
Last year I spatchcocked my turkey after brining it in Samin Nosrat's lovely buttermilk chicken brining recipe. People said it was the best turkey they had ever tasted...and some of them were in their 70's. That's a lot of birds.
Also, I made Samin's Cilantro Date Chutney as a spicier alternative to cranberries. Wonderful!
Samin's spatchcocked buttermilk turkey is the best way I've ever made poultry. Samin & Kenji are my two favorite chefs- great food and kind vibes!
I must look that up, ty!
The Spatchcock turkey with your dry brine, salt, and baking powder was excellent. We cooked it on the smoker at the same recommended temp and time on their recipe. It came out stellar! The best turkey we've made!
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU! I never thought to include BAKING POWDER in my dry brine BUT JUST WOW! I also stuffed with orange and lemon slices, in the cavity and under the skin, after dry brining over night.😊
One of the international questions reminded of a squabble my wife and I got into when we were still newly dating and trying to figure out which of each of our family’s traditions would become our traditions, and ended with her snipping at me, “You’re a ham holiday!” Still makes me smile.
Wow, that's a devastating remark.
Love how this is kind of a highlight show to the collection of Thanksgiving videos I watch of yours every year
I'm not big on cranberry sauce but I did an orange ginger cranberry sauce this year (Canadian) that was very very good! A little bit more going on but nothing crazy. Highly recommend.
Orange and jalapeño is also very good. Just mince a jalapeño very fine and cook with the orange juice and sugar and a touch of salt
I work as a checker in a major grocery store. I hate the holidays- because some people are sooo horrible. But Kenji has gotten me excited and I will happily endure the next week of stressed, crabby cooks. Gonna remind folks WHY we do this is more important than the specific results. Let’s face it- we only remember the crazy stuff that happens, and never the perfect culinary and artistic table scapes . Have fun - enjoy yourself, love everyone, and be kind. Joy and prosperity to you all.
This was SO fun to watch! I've been a Kenji fan for a long time and have been cooking for Thanksgiving for a lot of years but I actually learned some new things in this video which will come in handy tomorrow! Fortunately, all my guests will bring something but I still roast the turkey (yes, spatchcocked!) and make the dressing (already done!) and I am the gravy queen! And if you have enough gravy, dry turkey is never a problem.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Love the impromptu scare quotes. Thanks for making this video ahead of time and putting in the hours for editing!!!!
Gravy fixes so many things! Good Tip!
Hi Kenji, thanks for the tips! My Thanksgiving dinner always includes a riff on a Morrocan vegetable tagine of garnet yams with harissa, cilantro and pomegranate molasses and seeds. It is a good color pop on the plate, to!
I bought a 12# frozen turkey the other day and had the butcher cut in half. I got it for $.99/#. I didnt want to cook the entire thing, wanting half for sandwiches, the carcass and drumstick, pan drippings to make gravy next week prior to roasting the other half for the traditional thxgiv dinner. It is essentially spatchcocked and it took only about 1.5 hrs at 325f. I then cranked the oven up too 500f for 10 min. It browned beautifully. Yes, after thawing in the fridge for 3 days it was ready to dry brine the bird overnight. It was the juciest turkey i ever prepared. Listen to Kenji....he know cool stuff!BTW, I brushed on melted butter prior to putting in the oven. I did no other basting. I opened the oven door once and that was to check the internal temp and it was perfect. I didn't touch it for 30 min before slicing and it was still warm 3 hrs later so i could refrigerate the remainder. Have you ever found perfectly roasted and sliced turkey in the deli case for $.99 per pound? Im not waiting till next thxgiv to do this again!
Loved this! Thrilled to see so much stuffing love. In my area, it's always one of the least-appreciated dishes. I hear descriptions like, "it's just soggy bread", etc. I will wholeheartedly defend stuffing until the day I die. When made well, stuffing is the best thing on the table.
One more safety precaution for deep-fried turkey. Once oil is to temp, turn the gas flame off while you are lowering it in. This way, if anything goes awry, you only have a hot oil problem, not an oil fire.
Hot oil, a still awful but exponentially less awful problem than an oil fire problem 👍
48:10 lol at the small footnote. this is why I love Kenji.
Loved your answer for the smooth gravy! The way I always learned it is anything with a roux... Either mix cold into hot, or hot into cold. Either the roux is cold and mixed into hot liquids, or the roux is hot with cold liquids getting mixed into it. That's been a lifesaver for me.
I love that you gave a shout-out to Dan Souza. Very cool. And a very charming video. Thank you.
I haven't watched his videos in a while, and I almost didn't recognise Kenji. The voice is the same, the usual depth of knowledge, but he must be on a fitness journey, and good for you, Kenji!! Keep it up!
Being from Germany Thanksgiving is something wholly unfamiliar to me but honestly it sounds like something I'd like to experience. Besides the food sounding delicious it just sounds like a really cozy holiday.
You're invited to my house in St. Louis, Missouri next year for a traditional mid-western Thanksgiving with lots of food, laughter and loud relatives!
Thanksgiving isn't even a thing where I live, but this is such a lovely cosy video I still ended up watching the whole thing.
So many terrific, unique and clever tips. Thank you & Dry brining all the way! Love the Global contingent Q & A!
I already use so many of these recipes and techniques, nice to watch this AMA and have all these links together! Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
Thanks so much for this JKLA. I really appreciate you answering my question about the "cranberry" lol in this video. It shows you put so much effort into this content for us. "Lingon" "Berry" "Jam" it is!
Thanks, this is the best Thanksgiving food video I've ever seen. I love the explanations about why techniques work or don't. Kenji is always good and I love that he cooks in a regular kitchen with kids and dogs around.
re Mashed Potatoes, I make them ahead wiith all my butter , cream and sour ceam (even a day ahead) the put them in my sous vide @ 150 degrees for an hour or so ! works great
I really enjoyed this format. What topic can you do next? Christmas baking/desserts?
Our favorite use of leftovers (besides stuffing waffles, of course) is to make Turkey risotto. I use turkey broth and all the little bits of meat that fall off the carcass.
Solve the grainy issue mentioned with the Better than Boullion: mix the BtB in a small quantity of freshly boiled water to dissolve it on the side, then add to gravy. Kinda reminds me of mixing wasabi into small amount of soy sauce then adding more soy.
Wish I could like this video more than once. It's full of amazing info. Thanks Kenji.
This is a really comprehensive video filled with great information. Thanks, Kenji!
Thanks so much for the video, Kenji; I was thrilled to see an hour long presentation from you. Planning on getting the food lab for myself for Christmas!
Ha! That Kevin Bacon story is great. Also, have seen your comments on a couple music related channels, makes me respect you even more! Thanks for the Thanksgiving tips!
I'd love a signed copy, but I already own them! @Kengi, you are a national treasure and what you do for food is incredible!
The king has spoken
Pickled cranberries! Game changer for cranberry sauce. My granny used to make a flour and cold water slurry to thicken her gravy. SO much easier than a roux! Also, cooking your spatchcocked bird ON TOP if the stuffing id=s safe and thr drippings go directly into it to boost favor. You could roast some turkey legs or thighs in advance to get drippings for the gravy.
Kenji is a godsend.
great answers, thanks!
my suggestion for bringing something to a thanksgiving potluck, is homemade rolls.. you can make them way ahead, bake and cool, then freeze in ziploc storage bag. you can bring them frozen, wrapped in aluminum foil, and then reheat them for service in 20-25 minutes (into the oven once the turkey is out). enjoy
Great idea!
You’re amazing, our resident food scientist, Kenji ❤️
As to color in t-day dinner -- I always serve bright orange butternut squash.
I am going to show this video to my wife and ask her which recipes she wants me to make! So many great suggestions. This was a very well thought out video idea! Thank you Kenji!
Sub orange juice for water, teaspoon ginger grated, teaspoon five spice, orange zest too, cup sugar and pkg cranberries rinsed and checked over..easy, best cranberry sauce! (Cook on stove, add couple pats of butter to stop foaming, and some salt n pepper..) Too much fresh ginger is too hot, so be careful..love this sauce on everything!
So much to love about this video, Kenji! The week leading up to Thanksgiving is one of my favorites each year, because I can't get enough videos like this.
We love you Kenji for everything you do for everyone in culinary need
The stuffing he mentions is incredible. As is his Hasselback gratin potato recipe. Both need to be on your table this year.
So there are a few stuffing/dressings I love to make or had growing up. A German Polish all meats stuffing with very little binders with just veg and aromatics (my best friend Bill's Dad's recipe), my family friend used to make a smoked oyster stuffing basically you basic bread stuffing with a few cans of smoked oysters chopped through, and my mom uses to do a cellophane noodle with black fungus and pork stuffing in the bird. These were awesome growing up.
Gravy, I add a tablespoon or so of a good fish sauce at the end of the cooking process to a simple roux and broth gravy especially if you are making it from an not great store broth. I also add a teaspoon of mushroom powder and a teaspoon of better than bouillon or a bouillon cube to a box of store broth when I am reducing it with the veg and aromatics. Please note don't add salt until the end and add to taste.
Oh if you are over gravy or just want to give people a choice. Chimichurri and a herb chutney. They are quick simple and a nice twist to the old school basics.
I know no one is going to read these comments but I hope whoever reads it has a great Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving 🎉
Happy thanksgiving. Noodle and black fungus stuffing sounds awesome.
Shout out to all of us under dumb family pressure lmao. I did one mediocre wet brine last year and now I'm the *_Turkey Lord_* of my extended family.
This year I'm doing a simple salt 48 hr dry brine, then a wintery herb butter under and on the skin before roasting. It's a 20 pound ogre of a bird so I'll duct tape my thermometer to my hand
Holy shit, I thought this was an off the cuff livestream. This is amazing!
An hour of quick fire Kenji, I love it!
Wow good prices on those books! Thanks for your knowledge and the manner in which you share it
Thanks so much for the gravy answer, Kenji! Always a huge help. Loved the whole video.
My mom alwsys saved the "heels" of sliced bread, leftover hotdog & hamburger buns, any bread trimmings and kept in the freezer for a couple months prior to thxgiv. She did make a batch of cornbread to add to the stuffing as it was loved by all of us. Once in a while she would experiment with fresh oysters or sausage. It was ok but we preferred her original.
Great vid as always, Kenji. You're looking good too, buddy! Svelte!
I still love the old Molly Katzen mushroom gravy recipe from “Vegetable Heaven”. That’s one recipe I haven’t messed with since the 1990s.
Pork porchetta is awesome. In my previous home city there was a place named Pasta Works that not only sold fresh pasta and related items (such as pesto) but also porchetta. It was always a treat to get a couple of servings if it was available when I went there. I've never thought of doing it with a turkey breast. I don't know that I would do it since I'm single with no family but would love to try it.
Just wanted to add to the frying turkey safely thing.. Test the volume with water. I would place the still frozen and wrapped turkey into the pot, add water to submerge, remove the turkey, and note the level of the water. Put that much oil in when it's time to fry. Sometimes, I'll even let it sit a while in the water to speed the thawing.
Also, make sure it is defrosted AND dry. Not as big an issue as ice in most cases, but it will minimize how much the oil reacts.
incredible, kenji is my hero
I already have The Food Lab and The Wok but I've just ordered a signed personalised copy of The Food Lab as a Christmas present to myself!
Thank You Kenji, this is very helpful. Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family🌿🍥🍮
This has me so motivated for Thanksgiving.
thanks for answering my question about stuffing! I'll have to give the method a try!
For mash potatoes what I like to do is sous vide them. Easy to do ahead of time and just warm it up when needed. Plus the bag can as a piper so you could do fancy design. Mashing it at the end is very easy
I do slow cooker!
3:00 Plant the seed of the spatchcocking method by making a chicken first with immediate family & friends. Get their feedback (because they'll likely LOVE it). They'll tell the rest of the family members and it will sell itself over time.
I love this style of videos!!! You're a natural!
I am not, it’s years of practice!!
I LOVE YOU, KENJI!
Have you ever tried making a Thompson Turkey? If you like stuffing, you have to try this recipe. It's a ton of ingredients and takes a long time to prepare and make, but WOW, it's the best stuffing ever. Ignore the actual turkey parts of the recipe, just do the stuffing. I've been making TT stuffing along with your spatchcocked turkey recipe (from your SE video) for years and they're always big hits.
Our favorite leftover: Turkey pot pies with the gravy and leftover veggies
Thanks for answering my question! Happy holidays 🎉
the cookbooks as a laptop stand is a power move.
exudes confidence and a winning attitude
Absolutely love this subtle self-product placement.
You can make an ultra hearty and tasty vegan pot pie with root veggies, mushrooms, and white beans!
Have a good Thanksgiving Kenji! Thanks for making me a better cook!