Need advice on how to cook a turkey? Louisville chefs offer tips for Thanksgiving Day meal

Of the many things to be thankful for on a day like Thanksgiving, don't leave out Google.

That's where many cooks will likely go with last-minute questions about prepping a turkey or pie or figuring out what kind of alcohol to buy.

Sure, you could go online. Or, you could see what another kind of expert — the human kind — has to say.

With this in mind, we turned to four Louisville-area chefs for advice on some frequently asked questions when it comes to Thanksgiving cooking, including Janine Washle, who owns K’s Cafe in Clarkson and does catering in Louisville; Zac Young, executive chef at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse in Louisville; Mae Pike, owner of local home delivery service Home Cuisine, and Shane McBride, executive chef of Pig Beach BBQ, which opened near Waterfront Park earlier this year.

Let's start with McBride's "biggest advice" for turkey day: "Plan ahead," he said. "Make a list and be ready. Have the whole meal in your head. Then write it down and go to battle."

Read on for some helpful tips from local chefs:

When and how should I thaw a Thanksgiving turkey?

Of all the steps involved in a Thanksgiving meal, this is one not to skip, according to the chefs.

“The turkey, depending on the weight, needs to come out of the freezer five or six days before,” Washle advised. “So have it in the back of the refrigerator by Sunday. Put a baking dish under it and let it sit.”

Pike, with Home Cuisine, said “If you buy it frozen, it's easiest to leave it in the fridge for a few days to thaw. Then remove the plastic and either wet brine or dry brine for an additional day. After that, a day to dry out in the fridge, then it's ready to roast.”

What if I forgot how to thaw the Thanksgiving turkey?

“If you forget to thaw your turkey, that’s what Popeyes is for,” McBride said.

When this happened to McBride a few years back, he filled the bathtub with water and the turkey thawed in about three hours.

“We had dinner at 10 p.m. though,” he said.

Pike said she'd “try to make a quick reservation somewhere, but if that fails you can thaw it submerged in ice water for approximately eight to 10 hours,” Pike said. “Just keep it submerged and add more ice as needed making sure the temp never rises above 40 degrees.”

Best way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey?

While Washle said an air fryer makes a surprisingly moist turkey, McBride leans on his barbecue background.

“I break down the turkey into breast and legs,” McBride said. “I smoke the breast slow and low just like we do at Pig Beach. And I cook the legs confit-style, so cure them with salt and herbs for eight to 12 hours and then slowly cook in duck fat until tender.”

Pike said her go-to recipe is “lots of butter, salt and pepper and slow roasted in the oven, maybe some fresh sage leaves under the skin."

Chef Young, with Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, suggests seasonings such as winter spices, including nutmeg, rosemary, and thyme, and brining the turkey with salt and sugar. He said he also cooks a turkey unstuffed, so it cooks more evenly.

“The flavor profile is up to you and maybe the rest of what you’re going to be serving,” he said. “You want to add a little bit of your own signature move.”

“Another mistake people make is not letting it rest. You definitely want to let it rest,” he said. “Let the turkey sit for at least 30 minutes (before carving.)"

How to save a dry or un-flavorful Thanksgiving turkey?

“God invented turkey gravy for this purpose,” Pike said.

Young agrees, saying, “If you do get to the point where your turkey is dry, take those drippings and make a nice gravy and thicken it up with a little bit of roux or cornstarch.”

“If it all goes to heck and a handbasket, do a turkey lasagna and roll with it and own it,” said Washle.

But, there's truly “nothing better than a sauce,” McBride said. “I like a mustard barbecue sauce or salsa verde always covers up dry meat.”

What are your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes and how many should there be?

If you’re deciding what sides to include, consider what you loved as a kid and, for the most part, stick to the traditional, said Pike.

McBride’s favorite side item? Stuffing. “Especially the next day covered with sausage gravy and some fried eggs,” he said.

As far as the number?

“I don’t think you're ever going to have too many sides,” Young said. “The more you have, the better it is.”

Washle agreed. “Let’s face it. Thanksgiving is the eating holiday. If you usually have two sides and a meat, we want to beef it up.”

At the least, she suggests four traditional sides, plus rolls, gravy, and cranberry sauce.

Young’s go-to side items include two dressings, including one made with mushrooms, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and broccoli cheddar quiche. He also has a hack for creamy mashed potatoes: “Butter is amazing. It makes everything better. Butter is going to make a massive difference in those.”

What kind of wine or drinks go best with Thanksgiving dinner?

“Any wine that you like goes perfectly with dinner,” Pike said. “Our personal favorites are sauvignon blanc, then Champagne with desserts.”

Young suggests medium-weight red wines such as pinot noir or cabernet franc and full-bodied white wines, such as chardonnay and rosè to pair with sides.

“Bubbles are always good,” Young said. “Beginning of the meal, end of the meal, during the meal… Champagne is always good.”

Personally, said he enjoys sipping on a light, crisp beer throughout the day.

“Everybody is different, though,” he added. “I’ve got a lot of family who swear by a nice, cold Diet Coke.”

Other cooking advice for Thanksgiving Day?

“Set the table the day before, and have the turkey ready to pop into the oven, along with all the sides,” Pike said.

“I just remember back to my first Thanksgiving and how nervous I was, and I didn't have anybody I could call,” Washle said. “I just wanted to do it perfectly. Don’t be that way. Have that one person you can call, that you trust their advice. If anything looks wrong or you forget to do something or you need help, call them.”

And if something goes wrong, she said, “be able to laugh about it.”

“Just remember it’s about getting together with your family,” Young said. “If there’s a little hiccup, it’s not the end of the world.”

Reach food and dining reporter Amanda Hancock at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How to cook a turkey? Tips to know for your Thanksgiving meal