Pre-Thanksgiving Prep

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cmontg34

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Jul 26, 2011
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95
Hi all,

I have a few questions about what all I can make the day before Thanksgiving that I am hoping someone can answer.

1. Brussels Sprouts: Can I steam/par-boil these, and then just saute them the day after? I am mainly worried about flavor, as I don't want them to taste too sulfuric after sitting overnight. Also, will it affect the texture much?

2. Mashed Potatoes: Can I chop the potatoes and leave them in water overnight? I know I have seen this in the past, but I can't remember if it changes the color or flavor of the finished product.

3. Roasted Root Vegetables: Basically I want to completely cook these and then just re-heat before the dinner. Does anyone see a problem in doing this? Veggies will include sweet potato, parsnips, new potatoes, and onion.

Thanks for any and all help
 
What a great article, he gave some very helpful tips. Thank you for your help!
 
cmontg34 said:
Hi all,

I have a few questions about what all I can make the day before Thanksgiving that I am hoping someone can answer.

1. Brussels Sprouts: Can I steam/par-boil these, and then just saute them the day after? I am mainly worried about flavor, as I don't want them to taste too sulfuric after sitting overnight. Also, will it affect the texture much?

2. Mashed Potatoes: Can I chop the potatoes and leave them in water overnight? I know I have seen this in the past, but I can't remember if it changes the color or flavor of the finished product.

3. Roasted Root Vegetables: Basically I want to completely cook these and then just re-heat before the dinner. Does anyone see a problem in doing this? Veggies will include sweet potato, parsnips, new potatoes, and onion.

Thanks for any and all help
Click to expand...

Yes to everything except the potatoes. I wouldn't want the chopped potatoes to sit in water overnight. If you want to prep the day before, go ahead and make the mashed potatoes. It reheats beautifully. I do that all the time. :)
 
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Cheryl J said:
Yes to everything except the potatoes. I wouldn't want the chopped potatoes to sit in water overnight. If you want to prep the day before, go ahead and make the mashed potatoes. It reheats beautifully. I do that all the time. :)
Click to expand...

I haven't done it myself, but restaurants do it all the time. We did it in cooking school, too. Made tournéed potatoes and then covered them with water to make mashers two days later.
 
GotGarlic said:
I haven't done it myself, but restaurants do it all the time. We did it in cooking school, too. Made tournéed potatoes and then covered them with water to make mashers two days later.
Click to expand...

I've never heard of tourneed potatoes and had to look that up. :) I figured the OP was just talking about a normal family Thanksgiving dinner and what could be prepped ahead.
 
So no soaking the mashed potatoes, but they can be cooked ahead of time anyway. That works just as well! :)
 
Cheryl J said:
I've never heard of tourneed potatoes and had to look that up. :) I figured the OP was just talking about a normal family Thanksgiving dinner and what could be prepped ahead.
Click to expand...

I assumed so, too. I just meant that we had peeled and cut them for class (tourné is one of the knife cuts we were required to learn), and then covered them with water and refrigerated them for later.

They can be done either way.
 
cmontg34 said:
...2. Mashed Potatoes: Can I chop the potatoes and leave them in water overnight? I know I have seen this in the past, but I can't remember if it changes the color or flavor of the finished product...
Click to expand...
I have pared and cut up potatoes ahead of time on many occasions with no ill effects. I do store them in the fridge in a Tupperware-type container, covered completely with water, then drain-rinse-drain them just before putting them into the pot with fresh water to cook. If any part of a potato stays above the water, it will usually turn some shade of grey.

cmontg34 said:
1. Brussels Sprouts: Can I steam/par-boil these, and then just saute them the day after? I am mainly worried about flavor, as I don't want them to taste too sulfuric after sitting overnight. Also, will it affect the texture much?
Click to expand...
GotGarlic said:
..I don't think precooking will make any difference with Brussels sprouts, but sauté them in bacon grease and no one will care...
Click to expand...
I make a Brussels sprouts "casserole" that is even better the second day! It includes bacon and mushrooms (along with tarragon and garlic powder), but if you're interested cmontg, I'll be happy to post my recipe.
 
Cheryl J said:
Yes to everything except the potatoes. I wouldn't want the chopped potatoes to sit in water overnight. If you want to prep the day before, go ahead and make the mashed potatoes. It reheats beautifully. I do that all the time. :)
Click to expand...

This was going to be my suggestion. My wife does a make-ahead mashed potato recipe with sour cream and cream cheese that is delicious, and she always does them the day before, then just pops them in the oven for about the last hour with the turkey. Her recipe is similar to THIS except that I don't think she uses the onion powder.
 
One job I do ahead of time is the dressing or stuffing. Since I never stuff the bird and always make my stock ahead of time, I can make the dressing, put it into the baking dish and cover with foil until the next day. Then bake.
This saves me a lot of time.

I have never done it, but it sounds like a plan on the potato's.
I have read and have heard its perfectly fine to peel and cut up the spuds and leave them in water in the fridge overnight. ( I do do this for several hours on some occasions)
I might just make them completely the day before and then heat and fluff on turkey day.
I have got to find some ways to make this holiday easier as I have not been well.
 
I have a balancing act between preparing dishes ahead of time and finding adequate refrigerator space to store it all. The turkey, pies and other ingredients take up a lot of space.
 
I always prepare the dressing the day before and refrigerate it in the removable well of my Nesco 6qt. roaster oven.

Like so many, the day before I also fully prepare the mashed potato recipe (no milk, only sour cream, cream cheese, butter). Preparing ahead with milk gives the dish that "left over" taste to be avoided.

Flat cookie sheets can sometimes act as shelves allowing flat dishes to be stacked in the refrigerator.
 
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I also make the stuffing in the Nesco the day before and serve it out of the cooking well. In fact, almost everything but the turkey is done the day before. Mashed potatoes are done the day before, and we like sweet potatoes too, so they're mashed and seasoned with a little brown sugar and orange juice, and refrigerated. We usually have fresh green beans and those are cleaned and prepped the day before so all they need is steamed and seasoning.

I usually buy a couple of wings, roast them, and make extra gravy ahead of time, there just never seems to be enough for all the leftovers with just the drippings from the bird.

I dislike having a huge clean up when we're all stuffed and want to just relax after dinner, so the more we can make the day before, the better. :)

My daughter and I share making the sides each year, so neither of us have an overwhelming amount of casserole dishes battling for fridge space. She's roasting the turkey at her house this year and will do a couple of sides, and I'll bring several as well.

Good idea about using the cookie sheets for stacking extras in the fridge, Kay!
 
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Well, I'm hoping the extra folding tables arrive sometime this weekend. I'm
not as fast as I used to be, so I like it if we can "set up" on tuesday, get out serving dishes, which also requires a lot of climbing up and down from higher cupboard shelves etc. Prepare food on Wed. We make dressing and put in baking dishes, peel 10 lb potatoes, Dx makes one pie and I prep a vegetable. Last year we baked one turkey the day before and one the day of, this year we are only making one turkey. I make one pan of gravy the day before. I feel like I am forgetting something. Luckily Dx has a Long List and equally important, a freezer and an extra old frig in the basement so food storage is not an issue.
 
Keep going, everyone......I'm not too old to learn new tricks. I looked at the electric roasters for years but never gave them any consideration......they sound like a great appliance.

The only things prepped before Thanksgiving was baking pies or making refrigerated desserts. I always had my work cut out for me on Thanksgiving Day and had to get a very early start.
 
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