Seriously? You can actually roast an entire turkey ahead of time and serve it hot at the table? Yes, says Ina, and she now does it often, including on Thanksgiving. Here's the thing… it's not only Ina's taste in flavor combinations and technique that always win us over—it's her knockout ideas. And they are as dazzling as ever in her new book, Make It Ahead. There's the do-ahead turkey and gravy, sides, and desserts—we'll get to those, but also ways to whip cream ahead, freeze things and pull them out, even make your own healthy peanut butter dog biscuits. (She says she's been trying to get her publishers to print that one for ages; this time she insisted.)
It's all about two things for Ina… saying no to the stress of cooking on the spot… and being able to feed her guests well and enjoy their company. You know us. We love that. But what's remarkable about Make It Ahead is that Ina created recipes that are better because they've been made ahead, giving the flavors a chance to marry and settle in together.
When Chris Prosperi tested Ina's slow-roasted spiced pork, which he made the night before and roasted for us on serving day, we slathered the melting meat on corn tortillas, squeezed on some fresh lime, as Ina suggested, and what a world of well-married flavor we encountered. The recipe combines pork butt, chili powder, lots of garlic, ground cumin and chipotle powder, oregano, jalapeño, and Pinot grigio wine. But, really, we know with the holidays approaching, you'd probably like to hear how Ina roasts her turkey ahead of time and serves it with hot, make-ahead gravy.
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GUESTS:
- Ina Garten is the author Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.
- Chris Prosperi is chef and owner of Metro Bis Restaurant in Simsbury, Connecticut.
- Alex Province is a wine expert, food enthusiast, and regular contributor.
Lori Mack and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.
