Guy Fieri's Favorite (And Least Favorite) Thanksgiving Dishes
We all know that celeb chef and Food Network personality Guy Fieri loves to eat, so a food-centered holiday like Thanksgiving is bound to be a big one in his household. And it's a big one, indeed; apparently, Fieri hosts between 40 and 60 people every year at his ranch.
So how does the Fieri family go to flavortown each Thanksgiving? In an interview with EatingWell, the chef shared his must-have dishes for the holiday ... along with those he wants nothing to do with. Some of Fieri's favorites at the Thanksgiving table? Green bean casserole and cranberry sauce — but in true Fieri fashion, these classic dishes are doctored up with a flavorful flare.
Obviously, turkey is the go-to bird, and stuffing and mashed potatoes are regulars. But there's one popular Thanksgiving dish that the chef claims is his least favorite: sweet potato casserole. Why? It's simply too sweet. Which makes sense — because if you know Guy Fieri, you know he prefers spice.
How Fieri chefs up his Thanksgiving favorites
The green bean casserole Guy Fieri serves at Thanksgiving is not your average green bean casserole. To make what he calls a "real cheffed green bean casserole", Fieri tells EatingWell that this dish is a two-day process. That's because he starts making his turkey stock and gravy from scratch two days ahead of time, using turkey bones and crimini mushrooms.
What else gives Fieri's green bean casserole that special cheffed-up touch? It's not just the homemade mushroom gravy, which is seasoned with warm spices and thickened with sour cream, but it's also in the details — like the flour-coated and fried crispy shallots that he tops off the casserole with, giving it a nice crunch to fend off any sogginess.
And when it comes to the cranberry sauce — another must-have to accompany the Thanksgiving meal — Fieri likes to spice things up by adding some extra ingredients. His go-to, which he calls red devil cranberries is to include chile peppers like serranos, jalapenos, or chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, and then balance it all out with orange juice, blood orange, or orange zest.
Pro tip: Don't skip the turkey stock
Many people make turkey stock with their leftover turkey carcass or bones after Thanksgiving is over and done with, which is totally reasonable. But you may want to take a page out of Guy Fieri's book and make your own stock before you cook your holiday meal, rather than after. Why? Because turkey stock is a key piece to so many dishes.
It's not only the base ingredient that can provide so much flavor to your gravy — which is crucial to other dishes like mashed potatoes and casseroles — but it can also be used to drizzle over your stuffing or add moisture and flavor to your other favorite Thanksgiving dishes as you cook them.
Fieri uses turkey neck and back bones along with drumsticks, but you can also use turkey wings if you want to keep it simple. Whichever bones you choose, the key is to roast them, allowing them to brown and bringing out that beautiful flavor that will infuse your stock. You can make turkey stock several days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until Thanksgiving, then freeze any leftovers after the meal.