Have you started freaking out yet?

Yup, Thanksgiving is exactly two weeks away and if you haven’t started planning on what (or how) you’re going to feed the crowd, don’t worry… too much. Mama’s here to help you make it through unscathed… and I’ve brought in reinforcements.

Chef Jared Case of Chicago’s acclaimed Tribute Restaurant is used to cooking delicious comfort food for hundreds of people every night, so he could probably whip up a Thanksgiving dinner for 25 with his eyes shut… and one hand tied behind his back (he needs the other one for chopping!).

But he’s such a great guy (great chef, great guy… what a combo) he’s offering up some basic tips every cook should know before launching into holiday meal-mode.

Besides friends and family, food is the star of the holiday, so Chef Jared says make sure you have enough of it for everyone to enjoy that day… and a little more for the day after, too. Also, consider who’ll be at your table. Teenagers? Increase the amount of protein (a lot). Vegetarians? Up the vegetables. You get the picture.

• Turkey – A 30 lb. turkey will be enough for 25 guests if everyone gets an average 6 to 8 oz. portion. If your crowd has big eaters, you might consider making a smaller turkey the day before, slicing it and putting it in the fridge. On Thanksgiving Day while the Mega-Turkey is being sliced, your guests can start filling their plates with the re-heated “early bird.”

• Starches (like potatoes and stuffing)—You’re going to need a lot of them… like almost 20 to 30 cups of each if everyone takes a 6 oz. to 8 oz. portion (that’s about a cup per person). But does anyone really measure out what they’re heaping on their plate? No. They just take a huge spoonful. And another. So again, consider who you’re feeding and scale up or down.

• Veggies—Chef Jared says about half a cup (4 oz.) per person, so about 7 lbs. of your favorite fresh vegetable. Double that if you want to serve more than one.

• Gravy— Besides the turkey, this is the one thing you don’t want to run out of. Some guests like it on everything… turkey… vegetables… pumpkin pie. If a portion size is half a cup, you’re going to want to make at least a gallon of gravy for 25 people. I’d make more (you can always freeze it).

And Chef Jared offers up one more bit of advice: Do what you know and don’t try something you’ve never done before. Make your new dish for the family first and see what you like… and don’t like… and make it again.

“Food is undeniable,” says Chef Jared. “Either it tastes good or it doesn’t… just hope your family tells you the truth!”

I’ll have more tips, recipes and words of advice from Chef Jared throughout the holiday season. If you’re in Chicago, check out Tribute Restaurant, on Michigan Avenue. Order “The Big Nasty.”

Trust me on this one.

Tribute Restaurant
800 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
312.957.0000   http://www.tribute-chicago.com/site/index.html 

 

 

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