The holidays are a great time of year, but they can also be super hectic – especially for whoever is hosting dinner.
Cooking mistakes happen, but the following 16 common blunders can be easily avoided with a little prep and advance knowledge.
You’re not serving snacks.
While you might feel like not serving snacks so that people will dig into the feast you’ve been putting your blood, sweat, and tears into, you also don’t want a horde of hangry people in your kitchen.
You waited until the end to make the vegetables.
Vegetables may seem like the easiest dish to save until last, but it’s better to cook them first.
Celebrity chef John Quilter recommends that instead of trying to cook everything to be ready at the same time, to cook the vegetables early on, but only until they're al dente. Then, all you have to do is reheat them right before serving the entire meal and they should be good to go.
You cooked the turkey whole.
Separating the turkey into parts before cooking it takes less time and saves room in the oven. According to New York Times Cooking, removing the backbone, separating the turkey legs, and taking out the giblets and neck will have the bird cook in only two hours - that's about half the time a turkey usually takes to cook.
You ran out of essential cooking supplies.
No one has time for a last-minute grocery run. Make sure you have essentials you don't usually think twice about buying - like salt, olive oil, tin foil - before you go shopping.
You're not using the tin foil properly.
Using tin foil properly when cooking a turkey or chicken can greatly affect the way it turns out. While you want it in order to keep the meat moist, used improperly it can slow down the cooking time.
The trick is to "tent" the bird in foil, and only use the foil for a portion of the cooking time.
You cooked the turkey right side up.
Most people cook the turkey right side up, however, celebrity chef John Quilter says that cooking the turkey upside down actually keeps the meat more moist. He told The Sun, "What that means is all the juices bleed through into the breast which sits inside it."
You're serving the meat right away.
It is crucial to let your meat rest after cooking it to allow juices to redistribute, ensuring that it is flavorful throughout. This applies to poultry and beef.
A turkey should rest for 30 to 40 minutes, a roast chicken for approximately 15 minutes, and steaks around how long they were cooked for.
You're cooking the roasted potatoes along with the turkey.
Cooking potatoes on their own ensures maximum crispiness.
According to Waitrose Cookery School head chef Gordon McDermott, if a turkey or chicken is in the oven at the same time as your potatoes, the steam coming off the meat will make the potatoes soggy.
You left the dessert to be made on the day.
Most cookies, cakes, and pies are fine to sit out for a day or so. Do yourself a favor and get that part out of the way, and focus on the rest of the meal the day-of.
The Telegraph recommends having a cold dessert that can be kept in the fridge, then served right away.
You're not using a timer.
Making multiple dishes at once can get confusing. Make sure to have one - or multiple - timers on hand to help you avoid overcooking something.
You left everything to be cooked on the day of your holiday dinner.
Don't try and cook everything in one day, and make sure to give yourself plenty of time.
Check out this cooking timeline to see when to start each holiday dish for optimal results. For example, things like gravy, cranberry sauce, stock, and desserts can be made well in advance of the big feast.
Your gravy is lumpy.
Per The Kitchn, avoiding lumpy gravy is all about whisking. They say that whisking thoroughly is "especially critical when mixing the flour into the fat to make a roux," and suggest adding all liquids slowly while whisking.
Epicurious suggests "snowing" in flour: this means loading a mesh strainer with some flour and dusting it into the gravy, rather than dumping a bunch in all at once.
And, as a last resort, store-bought gravy can be a delicious alternative.
Your Brussels sprouts are soggy.
To avoid soggy Brussels sprouts, it comes down to making sure the oven is hot enough when you roast them.
The best way to ensure crispy sprouts: oil and season them, then roast them in the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave them in the oven for 15 minutes, flip them over for five more minutes, and you're done.
Your mashed potatoes are gluey.
Gluey mashed potatoes can be caused by buying the wrong potatoes (Yukon Golds or Russet potatoes are best), as well as not draining them properly, causing them to get sticky. Mashing them too hard will also produce gluey potatoes.
If it's too late and you've overworked the spuds, Food Network suggests transforming the mashed potatoes into a casserole instead.
You set the table at the last minute.
One simple way to make your life easier before a big dinner is to set the table the morning of, or even the day before. That way when you're done cooking, you're done with everything.
You're throwing away leftovers.
Don't throw away leftovers! While certain holiday foods shouldn't be saved, plenty of dishes can be repurposed the next day.
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