Are you hosting Thanksgiving…. again? Is it time to dust off your Thanksgiving cooking tools… again? Does the very thought of this make you want to run for the hills? We at FabList think it’s time to get re-inspired with a Thanksgiving cooking tool upgrade and it even includes some comfortable shoes for all that time on your feet in the kitchen!
A few new tools can get you cooking with confidence and today’s cooking tools have come a looooog way since the days of our moms’ casserole dishes. Treat yourself to these upgrades and put some trot in your turkey prep! And don’t think of these items as once a year products – they will up your cooking game all year round.
Roasting Pan
Don’t run to the store Thanksgiving morning and buy another aluminum foil bathtub! Invest in a gorgeous roasting pan for your turkey and giblets and use it all year long for roasted chicken, tenderloin, or a big batch of roasted veggies.
- I’ve had this All-Clad pan for 40 years and it has been a vital piece of kitchen equipment.
- This beauty is another great option and comes with 3 racks. We recommend a stainless steel pan as non-stick coatings may peel and chip and won’t last as long.
Thermometer
Is it done yet? Take the mystery out of the meat temperature with a good thermometer. Both items below are great year round thermometers.
- This wireless model is all the rage and you can easily monitor your cooking progress from in front of the football game using the free app.
- If you need a lower tech option, this Thermapen is a great insta-read option that can also be used as a candy thermometer come Christmas time!
Baster
Are you still using your mother’s old, cracked baster? Check out a newer model below. And did you know you can also use a baster to change out the water in a vase of flowers without disturbing them and also use it to drain fat while cooking ground meat or bacon!
- This one will up your game with its angled tip that gets at hard-to-reach basting juices. And wait there’s more! Its flat foot keeps it from rolling and prevents drips, it has easy-to-read measurements, and both the baster bulb and body are made with high-heat safe materials and won’t warp or crack.
Fat Separator
According to many many many people, gravy is the most important part of Thanksgiving dinner. But as it can also be a very stressful experience we recommend this to help you out!
- This handy dandy tool, that separates fat and solids from liquid, makes making gravy easy peasy. The perforated strainer cover allows pan drippings to gather in the cup while keeping most fats and solids out. Because fat rises, the opening for the spout is at the bottom of the cup. This helps ensure that you only pour out meat juices and leave the fat behind. The measurement markers make following recipes easier and this tool can be used as a measuring cup all year round.
Potato Ricer
Making mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving is a work-out!
- Ricers require a fraction of the effort compared to a conventional masher and produce fluffy mashed potatoes without releasing too much starch which can cause an excessively elastic situation (which fyi and we don’t want)!
Don’t limit yourself to just potatoes – you can use a ricer all year round to effortlessly mash cauliflower, make baby food, and remove excess water from foods such as cooked greens or thawed frozen spinach.
Carving Knife
Getting a perfectly cooked turkey out of the oven and to the table and finding yourself without the right carving tool is not ideal! Carving knives are long, thin and flexible so that they can get into all the turkey’s nooks and crannies — around bones and cartilage — to cut out every last bit of meat.
- This beautiful set, complete with a carving knife and fork, has an elegant design with olive wood handles. In addition to turkey, it can be used all year round for chicken, a leg of lamb, ham, and more.
Good Chopping Knife
Thanksgiving requires a lot of chopping and nothing makes chopping harder than a bad knife.
- Ease the job with this great chef’s knife that makes it easy to chop, slice, dice and mince just about any ingredient. We like Global as their ergonomic, molded handle ensures comfortable slicing and their blade is made from a single piece of high-carbon, stain-resistant stainless steel for incredible strength, durability and performance.
- Another option is this razor sharp one from Henckels.
Measuring Spoons & Cups
Lots of recipes with lots of ingredients means it’s important to have great measuring spoons and cups at the ready!
- These measuring spoons are a FabList best seller. Color-coded and magnetic, these spoons let you use one spoon at a time (without the others being attached and dangling alongside) and then they nest together for easy storage. They also are designed to fit into spice bottles (yeah!) and they lay flat on the counter. No more spilling when you set it down full!
- For measuring cups, we recommended these tempered glass option from Pyrex. They have easy-to read-measurements, a curved spout for mess-free pouring, and can go in the microwave.
Apron
If you’re going to be in the kitchen all day, you may as well look the part, and keep your thanksgiving outfit clean. There are so many cute aprons out there!
- This one, with its iconic floral print, will brighten your mood and if you want a more serious look, a la The Bear, this blue number will do the trick.
- And as long as you’re going to be on your feet all day, why not treat yourself to some new comfy tennies or these popular Birks to keep your feet happy!?
Please check out all of our kitchen product recs here.