Flaky Pie Crust Tip and More Thanksgiving Prep Shortcuts You’ll Be Seriously Grateful For

Sarah Essex

Thanksgiving is a huge undertaking, so whatever shortcuts we can take, to make our lives a little easier, we are more than happy to take. With just a little planning, this Holiday we are all so grateful for, can be a little more enjoyable to pull together.

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Chop Early and Chop Right

Chopping is the most tedious part of preparing a big Thanksgiving meal, so get it done ahead of time. That way you can spend a little more time enjoying and a little less time stressing on the big day.

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Materials:

  • Clear Tape

  • Sharpie

  • Airtight Containers

  • Rosemary

Tools:

  • Chopping knife

Instructions:

1. A day or two before Thanksgiving, chop the ingredients that you will need for your Thanksgiving recipes. Be sure to chop the correct quantities and divide them as such. Place them in airtight containers.

2. Place a sprig of rosemary in with the chopped veggies, to help retain freshness. (Rosemary is a natural preservative used throughout the ages.)

3. Label the container with the name of the ingredient, the quantity, and any notes you might need to remember.

Frozen Butter for Pie Crust

Everybody loves a flaky pie crust! They key to that flake is minimal handling of the dough. When you grate in your frozen butter, you’ll have less cause to stick your hands in the bowl.

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Materials:

  • Frozen sticks of Butter

Tools:

  • Grater

Instructions:

1. Simply grate the frozen butter into the pie crust flour (instead of cutting it in with a knife) for a very efficient way of keeping the dough cool. This technique calls for less tactile handling of the dough, which results in a more tender, flaky crust.

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Split the Shop

You don’t need to go on one giant, overwhelming shop - you can split it into two, and save yourself the giant haul.

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Materials:

  • Dry Goods List

  • Fresh Goods List

Instructions:

1. Make your list of all the ingredients you will need for the Thanksgiving feast.

2. Divide the ingredients into two columns - one dry, one fresh - and tear the list down the middle.

3. Take your dry list and do your dry goods shopping the week before, when you’re a little less under the gun.

4. Take your fresh list and do your fresh shopping the few days before, to ensure your ingredients are at their finest.

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