Make your own Thanksgiving dishes

Anyone who follows the American press or its regular series will have already had a Thanksgiving headache from a distance, and it is getting all the attention these days. Besides the turkey, do you know how to make your own thanksgiving dishes ? We suggest you imitate it with our own version through these recipes.

We have already commented that today’s typical dishes would not have much to do with what the pilgrims ate, but it hardly matters. Traditions evolve and settle into popular culture, becoming something special, and in reality no two Thanksgiving menus are identical. Of course there are the “classics”, but in each house there are variations according to the family’s own tastes and customs. So you don’t have to follow any recipe strictly, but with these suggestions you can create a delicious Thanksgiving-style menu.

The turkey, king of the function

Let’s start with what’s important: there is no Thanksgiving without turkey, or without a vegetarian version. It is the main dish around which the entire menu revolves, the one that requires greater preparation and maximum care, since despite its simplicity it can be easy to spoil. It is a very large animal, perfect for satisfying the appetites of large families and with always, always plenty of meat. In fact, leftover turkey is another delicacy that many Americans dream of, ideal for sandwiches and other thanksgiving dishes.

It is normally bought frozen and that is why you also have to remember to take it out in time to start roasting it well in advance . Important points: get the cooking time right, achieve juicy meat with a well-browned exterior, and that it is not too dry or bland. We have a Thanksgiving turkey recipe in the purest American style, without too many complications. Of course, there are also those who prefer it fried, although frying a whole turkey is no mean feat.

Gravy or sauce

It must be admitted that turkey meat is a little dry, even if we are the kings of roasting and cover it well with butter, oil or broth. Eating it alone is unthinkable at a good Thanksgiving dinner, and the sauce or gravy plays a fundamental role. It is another of those essential components of the menu for which each family keeps its secret. Although it seems that in recent years many people prefer to play it safe by buying the sauce directly in a jar.

But if prepared well, the gravy takes on its own prominence and ends up washing down all the other dishes on the table. It’s actually a simple meat sauce that starts with a roux and is cooked with broth, slowly to avoid lumps. The gravy sauce recipe is very useful for other occasions or for chicken, and another option is to fix a roast that does not have sauce , or you can prepare a multipurpose sauce for meats that also works with salads.

Cranberry sauce

We finish the basic trilogy of the Thanksgiving menu with the other essential dressing, the famous cranberry sauce . Surely many of you met it for the first time watching a series or movie – in my case it was ‘Friends’ and its legendary Thanksgiving episodes -, in those times when we didn’t know that red and blue cranberries existed. Cranberries are very typical in the United States during the fall, although in Spain they are still difficult to find, and are usually at exorbitant prices .

So we can go easy and serve our turkey with jam or compote , cranberry jam or some equivalent: currants, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. This sauce does not have as many followers as the previous one, and many homes prefer to buy a jar and save the step. But if you find fresh cranberries , the cranberry sauce recipe goes great with many other thanksgiving dishes. We also recommend trying the recipe for baked red fruit jam . It is a delicacy that combines wonderfully with roasted meats as in this case.

Stuffing or filling

The concept of “stuffing” the Thanksgiving turkey is always curious to us. At least it catches my attention that such a caloric and satiating dish is prepared to accompany an already gargantuan menu. Taking into account that it is served next to the turkey, and not inside . That is, the logical thing would be to stuff the bird with ingredients such as fruits or vegetables with some fat, but traditional stuffing would end up drying it out more.

In this thanksgiving dishes there are many variations depending on the special touch of each family, although the base is cubes or thick bread crumbs , usually corn or a rustic loaf, with bacon, sausage, nuts or fruit, cheese, some vegetables. .. In the turkey recipe you have the instructions to prepare a very easy classic stuffing , which is generally served in a bowl as a garnish.

vegetables cream

To whet your appetite and prepare your stomach, many families in the United States prepare a comforting cream of seasonal vegetables. In theory it is a light dish but I would say that it must be too filling, taking into account that there is a lot more food afterwards. The problem is that what they call creamy soup is usually loaded with cream, butter, milk, cheese and/or bacon, but it cannot be denied that they are comforting.

The most used vegetables to prepare in cream at this party of thanksgiving dishes are cauliflower, broccoli and, of course, pumpkin . I recommend opting for the first in a recipe that does not add too many calories , using all the natural creamy potential of the cauliflower itself . And it is preferable to serve it in small portions, because no matter how light they are, vegetable creams are satisfying.

Mashed potatoes

I doubt there is any Thanksgiving table that doesn’t include mashed potatoes. A simple dish – in appearance, at least -, humble and very basic, but comforting and delicious. It also reminds us of our childhood and makes an explosive pairing with gravy sauce . There are those who like it thicker, with a rustic texture in which you can notice the potato, with pieces of skin… Although almost everyone looks for a very creamy mashed potato.

It is certainly not a light garnish. Mashed potatoes get their succulent texture thanks to the proper cooking of the tuber and also to the added ingredients, such as butter or cream. Surely you have your own trick to give it a special touch, but if you have never made one at home, we also have a trick to make the mashed potatoes fluffy .

Green beans

Among the most repeated garnishes or side dishes at Thanksgiving we find green bean recipes , usually in the form of casserole . Americans use the fine or round variety and usually combine them with some variety of fried, glazed or confit onion, bacon or vegetables, and sometimes a creamy sauce to give them more flavor.

When the oven is too busy, it is also a good option to prepare sautéed green beans to avoid making life more complicated. A good recipe is green beans with grapefruit and nuts , with a different festive touch and quick to prepare. In reality, beans accept almost everything, so don’t be afraid to innovate with different spices, an oriental sauce, some cheese or whatever you fancy.

Brussels sprouts

Loved and hated in equal measure, I am a firm defender of Brussels sprouts .and I love that they are typical at Thanksgiving dinner. Cooked and bland they are boring, bland and unappetizing. but well prepared they become a delicious light garnish that combines very well with the meat of roast turkey.

Again, we could enrich the dish by cooking them in the oven with cream, bacon and a good layer of cheese, but I think it is better to do without fatty additives . Simple but tasty Brussels sprouts with sage can be the ideal accompaniment to all types of meat, with aromas that will pleasantly surprise you.

Garnish sweet potatoes

Sweet potato competes with pumpkin in fall menus and is also essential in a good Thanksgiving menu. Whether roasted, pureed, in soup or in dessert , it is rare that it is not available at this party. The traditional dish of sweet potato casserole with marshmallows has always caught my attention , a creamy gratin covered with clouds of sugar that must be a bomb.

We prefer to opt for a simple garnish recipe for roasted sweet potatoes with spices , lighter but very tasty. The aromas of this tuber mixed with autumn spices make it a very comforting dish that could very well be eaten on its own on a cold night. And, of course, it goes well with turkey and its sauce.

Soft rolls

If the family hosting the Thanksgiving feast has also prepared the homemade bread , it will add many more points for the guests. With so many dishes to cook and so many diners, the truth is that it can be a hassle to have to deal with kneading and rising, but in many homes they continue to maintain the tradition.

In the United States, a good party dinner is accompanied by soft rolls . There are many different recipes depending on the tradition of each house, but in general what is sought is an individual format with a soft and fluffy crumb, like the ones in this butter rolls recipe . In some areas cornbread is preferred , so you can also try the delicious gluten-free corn muffins .

The sweet finale: the cake or pie

What can you do after a very complete menu full of different dishes? Have dessert, of course. And on Thanksgiving the obligatory sweet is the pie , genuinely American. If the family is large, it is normal that several different cakes are served – so that no one is left hungry – and thus there are also no fights over deciding which recipe to prepare.

You can make cakes of many different types, but there are some that are typical and traditional for this celebration. There is the pecan pie , too high in calories for my taste, the sweet potato pie, the American apple pie or also the apple pie version and, of course , the pumpkin pie . I can’t help it and I opt for this last option, an aromatic delight that puts the perfect finishing touch to an autumn feast.

Needless to say, there are many more options for different dishes to complete the Thanksgiving menu, especially when it comes to side dishes. However, with these recipes you can create a feast worthy of any American family, with our own little touch. Prepare to have leftovers for almost a month, remember that it is part of the charm of this traditional festival.

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