Whether this is your first time making a full Thanksgiving dinner, or you’re an experienced turkey-basting connoisseur, there are a few essentials your kitchen needs to make the perfect Thanksgiving dinner.
Make sure your kitchen is well-stocked for all of the best Thanksgiving recipes well before dreams of food comas dance in your head. Here, we’ve pulled together 10 of the most necessary and practical kitchen tools you need to make a killer Thanksgiving meal.
1. Mixer
Planning to make mashed potatoes, homemade pie crust or fresh whipped cream? Let a mixer take the arm work out of Thanksgiving dinner prep.
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2. Dutch Oven
Dutch ovens are the secret to heart, cold-weather meals. (I.E., the best Thanksgiving sides). You can make practically anything in a dutch oven, from mashed potatoes and corn pudding to dressing.
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3. Crock Pot
The crock pot is a lifesaver when it comes to prepping Thanksgiving dinner ahead of time. Just toss in your ingredients, set to cook, and the hard work is done. Try cooking fresh apple cider, homemade butternut squash soup or even mashed potatoes in a crock pot this Thanksgiving.
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If you’re intimidated by cast iron skillets, don’t be. They’re actually ridiculously easy to take care of, and there’s really no comparison when it comes to cripsy, flavorful dishes right out of the oven. This Thanksgiving, try making sides like dressing and green bean casserole in a cast iron skillet for a different twist on these holiday classics.
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Who says you have to eat pie on Thanksgiving? Springform pans are the secret kitchen tool that makes creamy and dreamy cheesecakes at home a reality.
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6. Roasting Pan
Planning to make a turkey? Chances are you’ll need a sturdy, reliable and oversized roasting pan to get the job done. Don’t forget the rack and lifters, too.
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While jelly roll recipes themselves have kind of fallen out of style, the specialty pans for them are a chef’s essential. The raised sides make it better than a cookie sheet for roasting and braising veggies, as well as heating last-minute sides like rolls.
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Honestly, a meat thermometer is just an all-around good kitchen gadget to have around, but it’s especially important if you’re making a full Thanksgiving bird.
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9. Knife Set
A cook is only as good as his or her tools, right? And since basically every Thanksgiving dish will require some amount of chopping, peeling or dicing, it’s best to make sure you have the essentials before the food is ready to prep. Not to mention, you’ll need a start knife to carve your bird.
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10. Pots
Obviously pots and pans are a “duh” kitchen essential for Thanksgiving dinner, but do you have all of the pots you’ll need? Most importantly, you’ll want to make sure you have a large stock pot, a large nonstick skillet and an oversized sauce pan ready to use for all your main dishes.
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