One thing we learned early on working in the family business was that having the right tool for the job makes the difference between success and frustration. This especially applies to cooking. Holiday meal prep is about more than having the coolest kitchen gadgets. But when you're making a big meal for family and friends, there are some kitchen essentials that will make your experience fun and memorable. We know Thanksgiving just passed, but Christmas is right around the corner. Today we're going to share some of our favorite kitchen tools that will make it easy to prepare your next holiday feast!
Preparation essentials
Some of the most important tools you can have in your kitchen are the ones essential for preparing great meals. After all, the most chaotic part of a meal is actually getting everything ready (especially during the holidays). These tools are some of the essential items we use in our kitchen in order to simplify holiday meal prep. You'll be amazed how much a few simple kitchen accessories can make the process fun.
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
When it comes to mixing, blending, and tossing things together, you can never have too many bowls. Stainless steel mixing bowls are wonderful because they don't retain odors and they clean up super easy. We like this set of nesting bowls from OXO. You get a selection of three sizes that feature a stainless steel interior and a plastic exterior. Because they nest, storage is easy too. And the rubber bottom prevents the bowls from slipping on your countertop.
Disposable Cutting Board
This is one of those essential items we absolutely love. A disposable cutting board is an affordable way to keep counters from getting damaged and they make clean up a snap. These ones are our favorites, and if you watch our YouTube videos, you'll see us cutting everything from elk to summer sausage on them. Disposable cutting boards prove that not all essential kitchen supplies have to be flashy or expensive. Sometimes, the simple things make all the difference when you're preparing a large meal.
Victorinox Cutlery Set
Nothing will slow down your meal prep more than a dull knife. We have access to thousands of knives every day, but do you know which ones we use all the time? Our Victorinox boning knife. It's an ideal shape for getting through anything – from pork shoulders to deboning a turkey. The Victorinox Cutlery Kit also makes a great gift, and it includes a highly-recommended sheath and a truing steel to make it easy to keep a razor-sharp edge. A great knife is one of the essentials for the kitchen you really need.
Cooking Essentials
There are a few handy tools to have when you are cooking that will help get you the results you're trying for. The cooking phase of a holiday meal is the one step where it's easy to make mistakes. Here are some of our favorites for making cooking easier and less stressful.
Enameled Cast Iron Skillet
We love cooking in cast iron, but when you've got a big meal going, a classic skillet can be messy and time-consuming. This is when we love using these enameled skillets. Made from cast iron, then coated, they give the same long-heat retention as typical cast iron, but are much easier to clean. This pan from Le Creuset is simply amazing. It's ideal for sauteing vegetables and making bacon. The enameled finish makes cleanup a snap. It's even dishwasher safe. Just don't use metal utensils on it.
Silicon Spoon and Spatula
Even if you aren't using an enameled pan like the one above, silicone cooking utensils are a great tool to have. They are much easier to clean and don't conduct heat, which prevents burnt fingers. This set is a great compilation of essential kitchen tools that will give you years of performance and will never damage your pots and pans. These kitchen utensils come in two colors and have wood handles for comfort and durability.
Meat Thermometer
You wouldn't believe how much you are going to love cooking when you have a meat thermometer. It's just a game-changer. No more fretting, or worse, forgetting about your turkey while talking to family and friends. One of our favorites is the ThermoPro TP17H. It's got four, color-coded probes so you can monitor several things at once, and the USDA-approved preset temperatures ensure you never overcook anything again. Kitchen tools like this are awesome because they help you be a better cook. No more relying on the smoke alarm to tell you when the bird is done, this thermometer's super loud alarm will get your attention before disaster strikes.
Serving Essentials
Preparing and cooking a holiday meal can take a lot of dishes. Many times, we've gotten done cooking only to discover we don't have the right tools for serving our food. These are some of the kitchen essentials we've found that make it easier to serve your family all that delicious food.
Bread Warmer
Tired of your oven-fresh, warm, buttery dinner rolls getting cold? Yeah, we are too. That's why we like this bread warmer. It's big enough to handle a nice size batch of rolls and keeps them warm for up to an hour. It's also machine-washable for easy cleanup.
Carving Set
Your turkey is crispy, dripping with delicious juices (probably because you followed our recipe), and your guests are practically drooling on the tablecloth. Around many tables, carving is an honor. This is no time to fiddle around with the wrong knife. This carving knife and serving fork set from Victorinox is one of our all-time favorites. The carving knife is perfectly sized for quickly taking apart your roast turkey, goose, ham, or other favorite holiday centerpiece. The classic rosewood handle is as comfortable as it is attractive. For the important task of carving the holiday meal, it's essential you have the perfect carving set.
Casserole Dishes
Wait, shouldn't this be in the cooking section? Maybe, but here's the deal. When you are serving a casserole, it's got to be in the same pan it was cooked in. This set of three casserole pans come in a variety of colors to match your table setting. The set is made of high-quality ceramic and are lead-free and non-toxic. The baking dish set is oven safe, and can even be used in the microwave. They cook as good as they look, so you don't have to be ashamed of grubby casserole dishes when serving an amazing meal.
The kitchen tools we shared with you today are some of our personal favorites. They also make great gifts for loved ones during the holidays. Many of these products are game-changers and are the perfect way to de-stress the huge undertaking that holiday meal preparation, cooking, and serving can cause.
The Bearded Butchers are dedicated to providing as much information as we possibly can to help you understand how to best process and prepare meats of all kinds. To help you, we maintain a blog and Youtube channel with lots of free, high-quality information. The Bearded Butchers and Beardedbutchers.com are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This means that The Bearded Butchers may receive a commission if you click on a link above and make a purchase on Amazon.com.
