Are you hosting Thanksgiving and in need of some tips and tricks to make the day go smoother? Barbara “Babs” Costello, otherwise known to the internet as “Everyone’s Grandmother” has lots of easy tips to share that can help even the most clueless person look like a pro!
Babs Shares Thanksgiving Tips On Social Media
Brunch with Babs – TikTok
Babs wants to help make those big holiday meals and gatherings a little less stressful. She recently shared some do’s and don’ts of making the perfect turkey on TikTok and Instagram (because who couldn’t use some simple tricks?)
“Don’t wet brine your turkey. It’s such a mess,” she said. “Do dry brine your turkey.”
She shared the recipe in the caption of her video. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
6 tbsp coarse kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
2 tbsp baking powder
11⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more to season
12–16 lb (5.5–7.25kg) turkey (or larger), fully thawed, neck and giblets removed
10 sprigs fresh thyme
1⁄2 bunch parsley
2–3 small onions, halved, divided
2–3 small apples, halved, divided
6 tbsp avocado oil or more, divided
Nonstick olive oil or avocado oil spray, to coat
@brunchwithbabs HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT TURKEY 🦃Ingredients 6 tbsp coarse kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) 2 tbsp baking powder 11⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more to season 12–16 lb (5.5–7.25kg) turkey (or larger), fully thawed, neck and giblets removed 10 sprigs fresh thyme 1⁄2 bunch parsley 2–3 small onions, halved, divided 2–3 small apples, halved, divided 6 tbsp avocado oil or more, divided Nonstick olive oil or avocado oil spray, to coat The preheated pizza stone allows the legs to cook at a higher temperature than the rest of the turkey so every part is cooked to perfection. 🦃How to cook the perfect Turkey 1. In a small bowl, combine the salt, baking powder, and 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle—do not rub— the salt mixture evenly over the entire turkey until coated. Place a rack in a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the turkey on the rack. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 12 to 48 hours to dry brine. 2. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. The baking powder–salt mixture is the key to moist, crispy turkey, so do not rinse it. Just brush off any excess. Season the empty cavity of the turkey with the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the thyme, parsley, 3-4 onion halves, and 3-4 apple halves. Season the neck cavity with pepper, and add the remaining onion and apple halves to the cavity. Truss the legs with kitchen twine. Brush the turkey with 4 to 6 tablespoons avocado oil. Set aside. 3. Place the oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat the oven to 500° F (260°C) with the empty roasting pan on the pizza stone. Cover the turkey breast with a double layer of foil. When the oven is fully preheated, remove the roasting pan from the oven and pour the remaining 2 tablespoons avocado oil into the preheated pan. Place breast-side up in the pan. Lower the oven to 425°F (220°C). Roast the turkey for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil from the turkey breast and spray the breast with olive oil or avocado spray. 4. Lower the temperature to 325°F (170°C). Roast the turkey until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 160°F (71°C) and the legs reach 175°F (79°C). For an unstuffed turkey, it will take about 12 minutes per pound to reach temperature. Let the turkey rest, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Carve and serve with the gravy and dressing. #thanksgiving #howtoroastaturkey #turkeyrecipe ♬ original sound – everyone’s grandmother
Once you make your mixture, sprinkle it over the turkey without rubbing it in.
“Let it rest 12-48 hours uncovered in the fridge. For the perfect roasted turkey, don’t flip the bird or make one of those complicated contraptions,” she said. “Do use a pizza stone. Just place your pizza stone and your empty roasting pan in a cold oven. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees.”
Once the oven is preheated, pour two tablespoons of avocado oil into the hot pan. Put the turkey in and lower the temperature to 425 for 45 minutes.
“Don’t baste your turkey. Do cover the breast with a double sheet of aluminum foil for the first 45 minutes,” she continued. “Remove the foil, spray the breast with additional oil, put the temperature to 325 and just roast until done. Perfect roasted turkey with no basting.”
Are You Team Appetizers For Thanksgiving?
Brunch with Babs – TikTok
Are you team appetizers for Thanksgiving or are you not a fan? No matter which side of the argument you fall on, Babs said to not let it ruin your appetite for the big meal. But if you do like to have appetizers, she has an easy option that won’t fill you up.
“Make my festive deviled eggs. They taste like Thanksgiving and look, they’re little turkeys,” she said as she showed a tray of eggs. She then shares a secret to easily peel eggs (which can help you year-round when making hard-boiled eggs).
“Add some baking soda right to your boiling water,” she said. “Can take those eggs right from the refridge into your boiling water and let simmer for 12 minutes. When they’re done, right into an ice bath. Like I told you, the shells fall right off.”
@brunchwithbabs Hi, It’s Babs! Are you on Team YES for Thanksgiving appetizers or Team NO? I’m going to convert you to Team YES! My Thanksgiving Deviled Eggs made with Nellie’s Free Range Eggs won’t ruin any appetites and have all the delicious flavors of the holiday! XO, Babs First, you want to hard boil those eggs, and you know I always use @Nellie’s Free Range ♬ original sound – everyone’s grandmother
In her TikTok video, she shares her full recipe and demonstrates making her adorable Thanksgiving deviled eggs.
A quick scroll through Babs‘ TikTok account and more tasty appetizers and other recipes can be easily found.
Babs Also Has A Neat Trick For Leftovers!
Brunch with Babs – TikTok
Last year around Thanksgiving, Babs shared a little trick to help move the leftovers.
“The easiest way to send guests home with Thanksgiving leftovers, try disposable cupcake tins,” she said. “Set up a leftover station and have your guests help themselves. Perfect serving size for leftovers, they get a little bit of everything.”
Many of her followers loved this simple idea.
“Babs… this is such a great idea! 🙂” one person wrote in the comments. Another said. “You are a genius.”
This year, she shared another video about leftovers on her Instagram page but this one is about what to do with all the leftovers to create a different meal – a leftover Thanksgiving slider bake.
“Forget the actual Thanksgiving meal…I just want the leftover’s slider!!!” one follower wrote in the comments. Another added, “The perfect thing to have ready to pop into the oven after Black Friday shopping 🛍️.”