The Answers to All Your Thanksgiving Questions
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TURKEY/POULTRY:
My definitive guide to buying, preparing, and cooking a turkey: https://www.seriouseats.com/buying-prepping-cooking-carving-Thanksgiving-turkey-complete-guide-food-lab
My spatchcock turkey recipe and video: https://www.seriouseats.com/butterfiled-roast-turkey-with-gravy-recipe
My herb-rubbed spatchcock turkey: https://www.seriouseats.com/herb-butter-rubbed-crisp-skinned-butterflied-spatchcock-roast-turkey-Thanksgiving-recipe
How to roast a whole turkey with a pizza stone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HquPptrACtk&t=154s
My spatchcock chicken recipe and video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbqZJZOUM6I
My quick and dirty turkey brining guide: https://www.seriouseats.com/quick-and-dirty-guide-to-brining-turkey-chicken-Thanksgiving
The truth about brining turkey: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-the-truth-about-brining-turkey-Thanksgiving
How to deep fry a turkey: https://www.seriouseats.com/basic-deep-fried-turkey-recipe
My deep-fried whole Buffalo turkey: https://www.seriouseats.com/deep-fried-whole-buffalo-turkey-recipe
My extra-crisp chicken recipe from Cook’s Illustrated (paywall): https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4125-crisp-roast-chicken
My oven-fried chicken wings: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-buffalo-wings-oven-fried-wings-recipe
A recent oven-fried wings video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh2AXh1eRmE
An older oven-fried wings video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg7mNNKYvGA
How baking powder can make for crisper turkey skin: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-get-crispier-chicken-turkey-poultry-skin-with-baking-powder
Kevin Bacon on my turkey recipe: https://youtu.be/UbC7x5uJ1TY?si=30yfRDWDOBw9-a5Z&t=33
My NYT mayo-rubbed turkey recipe (paywall): https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023623-mayo-roasted-Thanksgiving-turkey-with-gravy
How to tell if your turkey is cooked right: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-take-the-temperature-of-your-turkey-video
How long should the turkey rest?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVKh5t_xUww&
My simple roast turkey breast: https://goodcheapeats.com/herb-roasted-turkey-breast/
My turkey porchetta recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/turkey-porchetta-food-lab-recipe
My turkey porchetta video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–98VRFpvEQ
My sous-vide turkey: https://www.seriouseats.com/sous-vide-turkey-breast-crispy-skin-recipe-Thanksgiving
Not another cooking show’s turkey porchetta video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2_HEDco1Uk
My herb-roasted turkey breast with stuffing: https://www.seriouseats.com/roast-turkey-breast-stuffing-recipe
My smoked turkey: https://www.seriouseats.com/spice-rubbed-butterflied-smoked-turkey-food-lab-recipe
STUFFING:
My classic sage and sausage stuffing recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/classic-sage-and-sausage-stuffing-or-dressing-recipe
My classic sage and sausage stuffing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ZraZz-L4A
Slow-cooker stuffing: https://www.seriouseats.com/slow-cooker-sage-sausage-stuffing-recipe
MASHED POTATOES:
My fluffy mashed potatoes: https://www.seriouseats.com/ultra-fluffy-mashed-potatoes-recipe
My creamy mashed potatoes: https://www.seriouseats.com/rich-and-creamy-mashed-potatoes-recipe
How to make potatoes in advance: https://www.seriouseats.com/ways-to-make-mashed-potatoes-in-advance-Thanksgiving-easy
SIDES:
My easy roasted broccoli: https://www.seriouseats.com/easy-roasted-broccoli-recipe
How to Roast Carrots and Parsnips: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-roast-carrots
My easy roasted Brussels sprouts: https://www.seriouseats.com/easy-roasted-brussels-sprouts-food-lab-recipe
My Roasted Brussels sprouts with shallots and balsamic: https://www.seriouseats.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-and-shallots-with-balsamic-vinegar-Thanksgiving-recipe
My Roasted Brussels sprouts with chorizo and sherry vinegar: https://www.seriouseats.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-chorizo-sherry-vinegar-recipe
My Roasted Brussels sprouts with kimchi and ginger: https://www.seriouseats.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-kimchi-ginger-recipe
My Homemade green bean casserole: https://www.seriouseats.com/homemade-green-bean-casserole-recipe
My roasted pear salad with endive, blue cheese, and hazelnuts (this will work with apples!): https://www.seriouseats.com/roasted-pear-salad-with-endive-pomegranate-stilton-hazelnut
My winter green salad with walnuts, apples, and Parmesan-anchovy dressing: https://www.seriouseats.com/winter-green-salad-with-walnuts-apples-and-parmesan-anchovy-dressing-recipe
My really easy cranberry sauce: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-Thanksgiving-special-the-worlds-easiest-cranberry-sauce
A quick & easy cranberry sauce video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbxsGx8VqnY
Donna Currie's Parker House rolls: https://www.seriouseats.com/bread-baking-parker-house-rolls
Stella Parks' dinner rolls: https://www.seriouseats.com/crusty-dinner-rolls-recipe
My pull-apart stuffing rolls: https://www.seriouseats.com/pull-apart-Thanksgiving-stuffing-roll-bread-recipe
My Cook's Illustrated "Almost no-knead bread": https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4028-almost-no-knead-bread
My "Better no-knead bread": https://www.seriouseats.com/better-no-knead-bread-recipe
My NYT "Updated no-knead bread" (paywall): https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022147-updated-no-knead-bread
My No-Knead Bread video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RUDa0FKplk
GRAVY:
My turkey gravy recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-turkey-gravy-recipe
My turkey gravy video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8qhzb0YI3E
Chef John's "Hot roux, cold milk, no lumps" article: https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2010/04/secret-to-lump-free-sauce.html
America's Test Kitchen's Better than Bouillon taste test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmXYar9OgGY
A VEGETARIAN Thanksgiving:
My Vegetables Wellington: https://www.seriouseats.com/vegetables-wellington-the-ultimate-plant-based-vegan-holiday-roast-recipe
My pumpkin lasagna: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-squash-lasagna-food-lab-recipe
Vegan stock for gravy: https://www.seriouseats.com/hearty-vegetable-stock-vegan-recipe
PIE:
My "foolproof" vodka pie crust: https://www.seriouseats.com/cooks-illustrated-foolproof-pie-dough-recipe
My pie dough recipe and Stella Park's pie dough recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/easy-pie-dough-crust-bravetart-food-lab
My apple pie recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/gooey-deep-dish-apple-pie-recipe
My apple pie video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkRMDdcddf0
How to get the best texture from apples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_MaoAKYa-c
The best apples for pie: https://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): https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/4521-pumpkin-pie
LEFTOVERS:
My stuffing waffles: https://www.seriouseats.com/stuffing-waffles-recipe
My stuffing waffle croquettes madame: https://www.seriouseats.com/turkey-stuffing-waffle-Thanksgiving-croque-madame-sandwich-recipe
My potato pancakes with leftover mashed potatoes: https://www.seriouseats.com/sweet-potato-pancakes-made-with-leftover-mash
My hot and numbing shredded turkey: https://www.seriouseats.com/Thanksgiving-leftovers-sichuan-style-hot-and-numbing-sliced-turkey
My turkey carnitas recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/leftover-Thanksgiving-turkey-carnitas-recipe
My roast turkey and rice soup: https://www.seriouseats.com/roast-turkey-soup-recipe
My turkey tortilla soup: https://www.seriouseats.com/turkey-tortilla-soup-recipe
My turkey and dumplings recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/turkey-n-dumplings-recipe
My turkey paitan ramen recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/turkey-paitain-ramen-crispy-turkey-soft-cooked-egg-recipe
My turkey and black bean quesadilla recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/roast-turkey-and-black-bean-quesadillas-jkla
My cheese-free sweet potato quesadilla: https://www.seriouseats.com/cheese-free-sweet-potato-quesadilla-recipe
My 15-minute turkey enchiladas: https://www.seriouseats.com/15-minute-turkey-mole-enchilada-recipe
My turkey Hot Brown: https://www.seriouseats.com/kentucky-hot-brown-mornay-sauce-recipe
My Thanksgiving leftovers grilled cheese: https://www.seriouseats.com/Thanksgiving-leftover-grilled-cheese-recipe
My easy turkey and Brussels sprouts quesadilla: https://www.seriouseats.com/easy-turkey-brussels-sprouts-quesadilla-recipe
PLANNING:
My big guide to planning Thanksgiving: https://www.seriouseats.com/food-lab-Thanksgiving-survival-guide
RANDOM:
Expiration dates: https://www.nytimes.com/article/expiration-dates.html
Jacques Pepin’s Turkey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPWEMZwxKjo
Thanks so much for the gravy answer, Kenji! Always a huge help. Loved the whole video.
I thought this was gonna be personal questions 😢😢
Love the impromptu scare quotes. Thanks for making this video ahead of time and putting in the hours for editing!!!!
Damn Kenji looks like he's gotten younger
Kenji built like mat stonie what happen
incredible, kenji is my hero
Great tips , thank you !
Why do you look 15 years younger , I want to know your secret?
Use Turkey broth for your stuffing or roast wings on top of the stuffing
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 don’t know if I’m crazy but you look like ya lost some weight
I already use so many of these recipes and techniques, nice to watch this AMA and have all these links together! Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
Any ideas for replacing the skin in the turchetta recipe for someone who does not eat skin?
This is gold, thank you so much!
Seeing as gluten is what makes pastry difficult to work with: why is gluten free pastry 10x more difficult to work with?!
I imagine during your experimentation you've played with gluten free flours as alternatives when creating pie doughs and I was wondering what about them cause the whole thing to invariably be a flaky awful mess?
My uncle gave me a KellyBronze turkey. I was going to spatchcock it, but he’s adamant that I follow the instructions – start the bird breast-side down, then flip over. Isn’t spatchcocking a better way? I don’t want to ruin the turkey, but I can’t see the downside of spatchcocking.
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!
Hey Kenji, I've read you love your beans, but I've not found any real information from any site or your content about pressure cooked beans VS beans cooked in a normal pot. Is that something you checked for taste/texture differences?
@9:58 oh
did you lose a lot of weight or something? i can't tell exactly what it is, but you look so different here! looking good kenji!
holy shit was that stovetop commercial the kid from ET?
Fantastic! Thank you!
Thank you Kenji. This was awesome!
Thanks James
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 Kenji, this is very helpful. Happy Thanksgiving to you & your family🌿🍥🍮
Thanks for the video Kenji! Love your videos and you're looking great!
The interjected sound effect music after each question was a bit distracting.
Very impressive video, thanks!
Because of you I add soy sauce to most of my stews, soups and chili UMAMI BOMB
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.
Nice apron!
I microwave my apples to par cook them. Works great.
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.
55:00 In the words of the great Anthony Bourdain: «When Jacques Pepin tells you this is how you do it? That’s how you fucking do it!»
A UK traditional side dish to add acidity at Xmas is spiced red cabbage, dead simple and very tasty! Just google it. you can add apples or raisins if you like, very festive.
I am a little unclear as to comment on genocide. Armenian, Jewish, Palestinian or just a superficial rap on politics.
Thanksgiving minus the genocide. Amen to that!
I’m making the mayo turkey 🤞. I will attempt the gravy as well but bought some from Costco just in case 😂.