The Clever Technique Bobby Flay Uses To Keep Thanksgiving Dinner Warm

As many home cooks prepare for the Thanksgiving feast, the meal is more than just a simple Sunday dinner. From more people gathering to the bounty of food offerings, the table might resemble the entirety of the restaurant menu. While some might turn to iconic hotlines for cooking assistance, or a meal prep service, or head to a restaurant, the reality is that a tasty holiday meal does not have to be overwhelming.

Although grandma might have made the food extravaganza look effortless, the reality is that meal prep, planning, and a few hacks can make even the novice home cook look like an experienced chef. Food Network compiled 10 "sanity saving" tips to make the event less stressful. Ideas like using the slow cooker as a food warmer, a thermos as a gravy warmer, and even an ice chest as a refrigerator make sense. The concept is to see other items around the kitchen and the house as secondary or tertiary uses. Even if some people in cooler climates use the snow drift outside the back door in a pinch or turn that pancake griddle into a roll warmer, the idea is to keep the stress off the table because a solution from Chef Bobby Flay is within reach.

Over the years, Bobby Flay has given a glimpse into his epic Thanksgiving dinner. Previously, he showed "Today" how to make his pumpkin soup shooters and shared his opinion on ensuring a juicy Thanksgiving turkey. Now the celebrated chef is giving home cooks a simple cooking hack that can warm up many holiday food staples one ladle at a time.

Flay told Food & Wine, "The most important thing to my Thanksgiving is having warm chicken stock on the stove to reheat things, like the stuffing and turkey." Flay alludes to the warm, flavorful chicken broth as an easy way to increase the food's temperature without drying it out. Instead of using water which could dilute the flavor or other liquids which could change the consistency and flavor, chicken broth is an easy hack that could help with stuffing, mashed potatoes, or even that lumpy gravy.

While Bobby Flay uses chicken stock to warm up some classic Thanksgiving foods, the home cook may not be making that chicken broth from scratch due to the time and effort involved. The convenience of a canned or boxed variety often makes it a pantry staple. But, that mass-produced variety might not hold the same depth of flavor as a homemade version.

Real Simple offered some simple ideas to boost that store-bought chicken broth. Items like garlic, ginger, shallots, and more can add flavor with minimal effort. The idea is to pick flavors that will complement the other notes already in a recipe while still keeping the overall balance. Simply simmer those ingredients with the pre-made broth for approximately 10 minutes. The imparted flavor adds depth. It might not be grandma's recipe, but the time and effort saved are worth it.