Claire Saffitz Cooks Her Ideal Thanksgiving Start to Finish | NYT Cooking

Claire Saffitz kicks off a Thanksgiving cooking marathon by sharing her love for the holiday, which she considers the ultimate event for cooks. She plans to prepare a complete Thanksgiving dinner, including pies, and emphasizes the importance of effort and selection in creating a memorable meal. She recalls a personal Thanksgiving experience that was enjoyable due to minimal preparation and effort, highlighting the dishes she prioritizes: turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, a green vegetable, and pies for dessert.

The process of making a pie crust is detailed, from ingredient selection to the technique of incorporating butter and water. The importance of keeping ingredients cold to prevent overworking the dough is emphasized. Claire then discusses the preparation of turkey stock, explaining the value of using various parts of the turkey, such as wings and giblets, to enhance the flavor. She also shares her approach to roasting the turkey, stressing the importance of using a smaller bird and the mistake of using a bird that's too large.

Claire describes her technique for pre-cooking apples to reduce their juice and ensure they cook thoroughly in the caramel apple pie. She then demonstrates how to make a wet caramel by dissolving sugar in water and cooking it to the desired amber color. The process of adding butter, salt, and ensuring even distribution of the caramel is covered, along with the importance of skimming foam and fat from the stock for clarity.

The video script details the preparation of a pumpkin pie with a twist, including the parbaking of the crust to achieve a crisp texture. Claire emphasizes the importance of a warm filling for a hot crust to ensure even baking. She also discusses toasting pecans and pumpkin seeds for the pumpkin pie topping, noting the timing and visual cues for doneness. The process of seasoning the turkey with salt and pepper is also covered, highlighting the importance of drying the skin for a crispy texture.

Claire shares her recipe for a pecan tart, which involves browning butter for the filling and creating a topping with egg white and sugar to give a candied effect. The importance of chilling the pie before baking is emphasized. She also discusses the preparation of cranberry sauce, highlighting a family recipe that includes orange, raisins, cider vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Additionally, she covers the preparation of brussels sprouts, focusing on cleaning and trimming them for roasting.

The script covers the process of roasting a turkey, including the initial step of roasting breast side down to distribute juices evenly. The importance of letting the turkey rest before carving is mentioned. For gravy, a mixture of butter and flour (a roux) is made, cooked until it reaches a honeycomb texture and turns golden. White wine is then added to the roux to deglaze the pan, followed by the addition of stock to make the gravy thick and rich. Fresh herbs are added for extra flavor.

Claire shares her method for making mashed potatoes using a hand mixer, which results in a creamy and tender texture without the need for a ricer or food mill. She emphasizes the importance of draining the potatoes well and infusing the milk mixture with butter for added richness. The preparation of glazed shallots is also detailed, including the use of butter, sugar, white wine, and chicken stock to create a simple yet flavorful side dish.

The script concludes with serving suggestions for Thanksgiving dinner. Claire advises on the timing and order of assembling and plating each dish, emphasizing the importance of allowing the turkey to rest and the benefits of preparing components like pies and stocks in advance. She shares her excitement about the outcome of the dishes and offers a final word of thanks, wishing viewers a happy Thanksgiving.