GREENSBORO, N.C. — So, you know the routine. You buy everything you need and you spend all day in the kitchen on Thanksgiving working at a feverish pace and you don't even get to enjoy the day. Well, suffer no more.
According to our friends at foodandwine.com, there are some dishes that are actually BETTER if you make them the day before.
1. Stuffing: They say according to the chefs they polled, stuffing should be mixed the day before and then kept in the fridge until Thursday to let the ingredients mix flavors more thoroughly. Then you can bake it on Thanksgiving.
2. Casseroles: Most of the chefs said the very name casserole means that they are built to reheat the next day and they also reheat nicely.
3. Gravy: Most of the chefs said any marinades or sauces can be made even a day or TWO ahead of time.
4. Brussels Sprouts: Now, this one surprised me but makes sense. This one chef says they blanch the sprouts in salted water then saute a bit with onions and bacon. Just pop in the fridge until the big day. Then a quick saute to reheat and those flavors really blow up.
Quick Note: The things they said to NEVER do the day before are the turkey (meats tend to dry out), Anything with fresh greens, rolls or cornbread (again, they dry out), and mashed potatoes, they can get gluey.
Hopefully, these tips can make for a more relaxing Thanksgiving Day for the "home chefs" out there.