Thanksgiving, a time to honor the harvest, give gratitude for the blessings of the past year, and indulge in one of the most memorable meals of the year.
Thanksgiving has been a tradition since 1621 and became a national holiday in 1863. Normally, Thanksgiving dinner is made up of a collection of family favorites. There is always some form of potatoes, and most people include a sweet cranberry sauce and a savory gravy to complement the main event of turkey or honey baked ham. Some people also choose to add a salad, and maybe even a pie for dessert.
However, if you asked me my opinion on the perfect Thanksgiving plate. I would tell you it consists of turkey, mashed and sweet potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean salad, and a slice of apple and pumpkin pie. Many people argue in favor of honey-baked ham rather than turkey, claiming that ham is juicer and easier to cook. However, according to Thanksgiving expert Bryan Gieszl, “Most people’s turkey is dry because they cook it for too long. Most people think you need to cook a turkey at a low temperature for a long time. The trick is to cook the turkey at a high temperature for less time to crisp the edges and trap the moisture.”
On top of that, people frequently overcomplicate the preparation process. Although seasoning, preparation, and proper cooking time do help enhance flavor, picking a high-quality turkey is often a foolproof plan for enjoying your main course.
“You should brine for 12-24 hours, season the skin with butter, herbs, and salt and pepper, and choose a quality turkey from the store,” Gieszl says.
Another Thanksgiving dish that is overlooked is mashed sweet potatoes. Although many people do eat sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving, they are known best as a dessert, never being given the recognition they deserve. A simple way to enjoy sweet potatoes as a side to your main course, rather than a dessert is to “Bake the potatoes, mash them, add coconut milk and cinnamon, and mix.”
Each year, this foolproof recipe finds its way onto everyone’s plate, and most of the time, is accompanied by the classic mashed potatoes, topped with turkey gravy. These two sides make for a dynamic duo of sweet and savory, and never fail to amaze. Next, the most important topping for the turkey is a good cranberry sauce. Similar to the sweet and savory combination of potatoes, cranberry sauce adds a sweet-tart flavor to the turkey balancing out the flavors .
Finally, the best Thanksgiving dessert is a slice of apple and pumpkin pie. Both pies are the perfect fall addition, as both plants are just coming off of their peak season, and have had enough time to fully ripen. Altogether, these classic Thanksgiving dishes create a delicious, flavorful, and filling feast, perfect for celebrating the best of the season’s harvest and traditions.