During this time of year, cooking a large family meal can be worrisome. I have found the best way to cook for your family is pre-cooking and reheating as dinner time arrives.
These cooking tips are geared for my upcoming family dinner - so they could bring our whole family together for the holidays. Being a foodie, this comes second nature to me but; wives, sister-in-laws, teenaged kids, and extended family members have asked me for help in the past. So here it is. To make our BIG family dinners easier, I say pre-cook.
- Being a chef for a South Florida Gourmet Market for more than five years, we did a lot of family dinners for people that couldn't or didn't want to cook for their large family gatherings. So these tips are from the experiences of more than five Holiday seasons serving upwards of 700 dinners per holiday.
If you are going to do this right, pre-palnning is important.
Overview of reheating instructions:
Most dishes reheat best and retain their quality better using a CONVENTIONAL oven. The times provided are guidelines, and may vary with each home oven. Testing your oven is necessary on occassion, this is probalby one of those ocassions where you want to do this now. Microwave reheating is not recommended in most cases for the best quality product. If you do choose to use a microwave oven, follow these guidelines:
o Never put foil or metallic containers in the microwave.
o Keep foods loosely covered with microwave-safe wrap.
o Rotate or stir items at least once during the reheating process.
All these times that are listed below are REHEAT times. That means that you have ALREADY cooked the foods to a safe temperature already, COOLED THEM, COVERED AND KEPT IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR at least overnight; and are now just reheating the menu for your Family's dinner.
The best way to arrange your day of REHEATING is to take the item that needs the longest REHEATING time and start it first. So, you know the turkey is going to take the longest time so you will place this in the oven first. Then, as it cooks, back track the time table for each of the other menu suggestions and place them in the oven at the appropriate times needed to finish the dinner together. Ensuring that your dinner is finished all together is just a matter of subtraction.
Use the the following menu as an example of what your family might want to have as there menu. Switch similar items like your Mom's broccoli cheese casserole in place of the suggested roasted veggy I have in the following list.
- Suggested reheating times may need to be increased if reheating either multiple dishes simultaneously or larger quantities of (20 or more portions) the same item. As an example: I have found that for casseroles, add another ten minutes to the reheating time. Bulk items will reheat more evenly if they are arranged in the reheating container in single layers.
- Always check the internal temperature of food with a instant-read, stemmed thermometer before serving. Reheated foods should be brought to an internal temperature of 165F before serving.
- Always keep pre-cooked food covered and refrigerated at 41F degrees or less - using a two step method of cooling. Within two hours, bring the food's temperature to 70 degrees and then to lower than 41 degrees within the next four hours.
For the Turkey:
- Reheat the turkey in a pre-heated oven directly from your refrigerator for 7 minutes per ORIGINAL weight of the RAW turkey. I always suggest saving the pan drippings and basting the turkey as it is recooked, just as you would for the original cooking. Example of cooking times:
A 20 pound - ORIGINAL weight - turkey would take 140 minutes or 2 hours and 20 minutes at 350 degrees - covered with a foil tent to prevent burning; to reheat throughouly. CHECK THE TURKEYS TEMPERATURE AT THE THICKEST PART OF THE THIGH JOINT WHERE THE LEG MEETS THE THIGH FOR AN INTERNAL TRMPERATURE OF AT LEAST OF 145 DEGREES. If you are serving a turkey that is cooked with and internal stuffing, then you will need to cook for 17 minutes per pound for the bird's original weight. Check the internal temperature of the (dressing) turkey by inserting the therometer directly into the inside the turkey - where the stuffing is at it's thickest - for an internal temperature of 145 degrees - no matter what the temperature is at the thigh.
- STARTERS - cooking them last.
CREAMY VEGGY BISQUE:
Remove soup from container and place in a pot over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until temperature is 165F. Cook about 12 minutes.
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP:
Remove soup from container and place in a pot over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until temperature is 165F. Cook about 12 minutes.
STUFFED MUSHROOMS:
Remove lid from container. Place container in a 350F oven for 5-7 minutes, until mushrooms are bubbling and browned and internal temperature reaches 165F.
- SIDES - cooking them inbetween as the turkey is reheated.
TRADITIONAL HERBED STUFFING:
OVEN: Remove covering / packaging from ovenable pan and replace with foil. Place container in a 350F oven and cook for 30-35 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of heating to brown the top.
MICROWAVE: Remove the packaging and lid and cover container loosely with microwave-safe wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes.
If stuffing is in the turkey, stuffing must reach an internal temperature of 165F before it is safe to eat. Always add extra time of ten minutes per pound of "stuffed" turkey, so the dressing finishes cooking inside the bird.
CORNBREAD STUFFING:
OVEN: Remove the packaging and lid from ovenable container and replace with foil. Place in a 350F oven for 30-35 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of heating to brown the top.
MICROWAVE: Remove the lid and cover container loosely with microwave-safe wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. Test with the instant read therometer and continue heating 1-3 minutes more if necessary to internal temperature of 165F.
If stuffing a turkey, stuffing must reach an internal temperature of 165F before it is safe to eat. Add ten minutes per pound of "Stuffed" turkey.
CREAMY MASHED POTATOES:
OVEN: Remove the lid from the ovenable container and replace with foil. Place potatoes in a 350F oven for 30-40 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165F. Stir potatoes halfway through heating.
MICROWAVE: Remove plastic packaging and lid and cover container loosely with microwave-safe wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes. Stir and continue heating 1-3 minutes more to internal temperature of 165F.
SWEET POTATO Mash/puree:
OVEN: Remove the lid from the ovenable container and replace with foil. Place potatoes in a 350F oven for 30-40 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165F. Stir potatoes halfway through heating.
MICROWAVE: Remove the lid and cover container loosely with microwave-safe wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes. Stir and continue heating 1-3 minutes more to internal temperature of 165F.
CANDIED SWEET POTATOES:
OVEN: Remove the lid and replace with foil. Place potatoes in a 350F oven for 20-25 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165F. Stir potatoes halfway through heating and remove foil for remainder of heat time.
MICROWAVE: Remove plastic lid and cover container loosely with mircrowave-safe wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 2-3 minutes. Stir and continue heating 1-3 minutes more to 165F.
ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES:
OVEN: Remove the lid from ovenable container. Place vegetables in a 350F oven for 20-25 minutes, until internal temperature reaches
165F. Stir vegetables halfway through heating.
MICROWAVE: Remove the lid and microwave on HIGH for 2-3 minutes. Stir and continue heating 1-3 more minutes to 165F.
CORN CASSEROLE:
OVEN: Remove the lid from an ovenable container and replace with foil. Place corn in a 350F oven for 25-35 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes of heating to brown the top.
MICROWAVE: Remove plastic packaging and lid and cover container loosely with microwave-safe wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 3
minutes. Check temperature and continue heating 1-3 minutes more until internal temperature reaches 165F.
CREAMED SPINACH:
OVEN: Remove the lid from the ovenable container and replace with foil. Place spinach in a 350F oven for 25-35 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of heating to brown the top.
MICROWAVE: Remove the lid and cover container loosely with microwave-safe wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes. Stir and continue heating 1-3 minutes more to internal temperature of 165F.
GREEN BEANS WITH ALMONDS:
STOVE: Remove green beans from the container and place in saut pan over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165F.
MICROWAVE: Remove plastic lid and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Stir and continue heating 1-2 minutes more to 165F.
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH:
OVEN: Remove the lid from container. Place squash in a 350F oven for 20-25 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165F. Stir squash halfway through heating.
MICROWAVE: Remove plastic lid and microwave on HIGH for 2-3 minutes. Stir and continue heating 1-3 more minutes to 165F.
Words of advice from Chef and Author Michael Bennett - author of "In the Land of Misfits, Pirates and Cooks"; "Underneath a Cloudless Sky" and "Culture of Cuisine". All are available on Amazon.
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