Chefs Share Their 16 Secret Weapons for Thanksgiving Dinner

No matter how big or small your gathering, it's all about the love you pour into hosting. Make the holiday meal as successful as possible by using the Thanksgiving essentials that these chefs swear by, from ingredients to techniques and essential tools.

Duck fat

"It's available at most specialty stores. It's a poultry item like turkey but has a lot more flavor. Add some to the stuffing or put it under the skin of the turkey before cooking. You can use it to cook roast vegetables and in the gravy. It will add a ton of flavor to anything and has all the Thanksgiving characteristics you're looking for." — Anthony Zappola, chef/owner, The Rice Shop at Ohio City Galley

An electric knife

"I have an incredible collection of knives at home, but I'll admit I love using an electric knife to carve the turkey. They get the job done so quickly and have a high amusement factor." — Nicolas Houlbert, executive chef consultant

Labels

"Several days before the big meal, pull out all the platters and plates you'll need for the dinner and label them. The last thing you need to do when you're trying to get dinner on the table is to think about what dish goes on what plate. Total time sink." — Sara Moulton, chef, cookbook author, and host of Sara's Weeknight Meals

A good meat thermometer

"How do you know if your meat thermometer still works? Dip it into a pan of boiling water and if it registers 212°F, you know you're good to go." — Sara Moulton

Porcini powder

"Porcini powder is a great weapon to have in the pantry for a burst of umami-enriching flavor. A little added to stuffing or the turkey gravy will boost both to the next level." — Michael Brannock, chef/partner, Streetlight Taco

Condensed milk

"You can add it to anything and I will eat it. What I love about ambrosia in particular, and why I tend to make it at Thanksgiving, is that it's ridiculously simple to make. You make a huge batch and it lasts for the week. It's my go-to for a late-night post-Thanksgiving snack." — 2020 F&W Best New Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph

Turkey someone else cooked

"Don't hate me, but I think preparing the turkey yourself is the biggest waste of time. Cooking a turkey involves several methods that a lot of home cooks may only practice once or twice a year. It's not only time-consuming but stressful, and the holidays should be quality time with family and friends. There are also pans and equipment that only get pulled out of storage when the time comes in November. Find a local barbecue spot that smokes turkeys or a restaurant offering fried or roasted varieties. They're all experts in smoking, frying, and roasting, so let them take that load off your shoulders. You won't have to worry anymore if the turkey's going to be dry or juicy when the carving knife hits it. Let your own sides, desserts, and other accompaniments shine around the turkey." — Michael Brannock

Champagne

"Veuve Clicquot — ice cold." — Linton Hopkins, chef/co-owner of Holeman & Finch, H&F Burger, C. Ellet's, and Hop's Chicken

Panaché

"Mix sparkling lemon soda (preferably Fever-Tree) with a lager of your choice. It's refreshing, delicious, and light in alcohol so you can enjoy it while cooking and not feel like you over-indulged before you sat down to dinner." — Katie Button, executive chef /co-owner of Cúrate

The perfect playlist

"I love getting up early and cooking at my own pace. My secret weapon is to drive the playlist to keep everybody in the right mood. Al Green is my secret weapon." — Joshua Gentry, chef/founder of Little Donkey

A sharp Japanese knife

"Nothing makes prep easier and less stressful when cooking for 30 to 50 people than a knife that's sharp and lightweight ... makes everything way more enjoyable than fighting an old dull heavy blade to crank out prep." — Jacqueline Blanchard, owner of Coutelier

Butter

"You have to have a good ratio of butter to potatoes in the mashed potatoes. And when you think it's a good ratio, you should probably add some more." — Dave Anoia, chef/owner of DiAnoia's Eatery

Chestnuts

"I love using them in stuffing. Roast fresh ones — they're easy to peel, easy to chop, and adds lots of flavor to the stuffing." — Glenn Rolnick, director of culinary operations, Carmine's Italian Restaurant

A food mill

"A food mill is my secret weapon. Mashed potatoes are one of the most crucial Thanksgiving dishes, and who doesn't love a perfectly silky-smooth potato puree without any chunks? It's an easy but often overlooked tool that can really elevate everyone's favorite side dish." — Jim Stein, chef

Dark Beer

"Sweet potatoes, as you cook them, they start to get very sweet, and you're also adding other ingredients to it, which makes it sweet. I've found that sometimes adding something bitter can help offset that. In my case, I don't like beer. I do not like bitter things. But when you reduce it and put it in this context of the sweet potato custard that bakes in the pie, it works really well and offsets a lot of that sweetness, so it doesn't feel monotonous." — Nik Sharma, cookbook author

A Big Green Egg

"At home, I always use a Big Green Egg, which holds temperature really well and infuses amazing smoke flavor." — Rodney Scott, award-winning pit master