Hotline

Thanksgiving Questions? Our Team is Here to Help

by:
November 17, 2017

By now, you may be familiar with our hotline, our helpful forum for those with cooking conundrums. Every November, our hotline picks up a little steam. Lots of meals are being planned—and cooked!—and the questions start rolling in. We get it—Thanksgiving and the holidays can be daunting. We’re here to help.

Starting this Sunday morning and running through the end of Thanksgiving, we’re manning the hotline in real time. We'll be online from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. EST, poised to answer all of your kitchen queries in 10 minutes or less (though we appreciate your patience!). Our team—including Merrill, Amanda, and Kristen—will be plugging in from all over the world (some from as far as India), ready to field your questions.

Burn your turkey? We got you. Mess up your pie crust? There’s a fix for that! We’re committed to being the best resource for home cooks that we can be, and this is just part of our mission. Kitchen mistakes are part of the process, it’s where we learn and grow as home cooks. So if you do mess up, don't fret. Turn to the hotline and let’s work this out. Together.

Shop the Story

Happy cooking! And Happy Thanksgiving!

52 Days of Thanksgiving
Check It Out
52 Days of Thanksgiving

Top-notch recipes, expert tips, and all the tools to pull off the year’s most memorable feast.

Check It Out

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Elizabeth
    Elizabeth
  • Sue
    Sue
  • Inez L
    Inez L
  • Maldo86
    Maldo86
  • Donna Clapp
    Donna Clapp
Food52 (we cook 52 weeks a year, get it?) is a food and home brand, here to help you eat thoughtfully and live joyfully.

11 Comments

Elizabeth November 22, 2017
How many minutes per pound should I cook a stuffed turkey for, assuming the oven is at 325 F?
 
Sue November 22, 2017
I’m making 2 pumpkin pies and, hoping to bake them at the same time. Do I need to bake them longer to make sure they get done?
 
Inez L. November 22, 2017
I'm thawing a 24lb turkey in a cooler and checking water and keeping it about 32 degrees by keeping it iced. Is this safe? Other instructions say change water every 30 minutes.
 
Maldo86 November 20, 2017
Can I wet and/or dry brine for 72 hours? Just got my turkeys today. They’re defrosted. I’m doing dry brine/cooking overnight Wednesday night. Hubby’s frying turkey on Thursday. How long can I/should I brine each? Thanks a million,
 
Suzanne D. November 20, 2017
72 hours is too long to wet brine—you risk your meat getting mushy (and overly salty). 8-18 hours would be a more standard amount of time. You can dry-brine for 72 hours, however. See this classic Genius recipe for inspo: https://food52.com/recipes/15069-russ-parsons-dry-brined-turkey-a-k-a-the-judy-bird
 
Donna C. November 19, 2017
Can I make a Broccoli Gratin a day ahead and reheat it on Thanksgiving while the turkey rests? Or...would it be better to assemble it on Wednesday and bake it on Thursday while the turkey rests?
 
Suzanne D. November 19, 2017
You can assemble your gratin the day before, layering the broccoli, creamy sauce, and cheese, then popping it in the fridge. Prep your breadcrumbs separately and put those in the fridge too. On the day of, let the gratin come to room temperature, then sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and bake.
 
Jeannie November 19, 2017
My pumpkin pie recipe calls for rich milk. What should I use ?
 
Suzanne D. November 19, 2017
You might try cream, half and half, or evaporated milk.
 
AntoniaJames November 17, 2017
"Manning" the Hotline? Really? Please. ;o)
 
Suzanne D. November 19, 2017
Thanks for bringing this up—we'll keep this in mind for the future.