Vegetables You Can Pre-Chop For Thanksgiving (And What You Shouldn’t)

Overpreparing for Thanksgiving is almost impossible. I say “almost” because her mom once cooked a Thanksgiving meal ahead of time and reheated it on the big day. It was very much like we were all at The Blip and came back the day after Thanksgiving.Even the act of chopping vegetables can age them, although some things don’t ripen well, especially after they’ve been cooked. It begins the process of influencing the flavor and texture of the final dish. Some vegetables work best if prepared a few days in advance, while others are best chopped, sliced, or diced right before use.

non-starchy root vegetables

Let’s start with the good news: There are quite a few vegetables that can be peeled and sliced ​​a few days in advance without terrible side effects such as oxidation, significant loss of water or spoilage. All starchy root vegetables or 3-Day window for peeling and cutting. Wrap the cut onions in aluminum foil and store them in an airtight container to prevent your refrigerator from turning into a Pandora’s box of onions.

cruciferous vegetables and fruit

Cruciferous vegetables are among the toughest edible plants. These are vegetables with tough stems and leathery leaves.You’re more likely to see them packaged with different stages of chopping at your grocery store.You can cut broccoli, cauliflower, and B.Russells Bean sprouts, cabbage and kale 3-4 days in advance. Celery and mushrooms can be cut a few days in advance. You can cut about 2 days in advance.

Better to wait for delicate leaves

Think twice before cutting anything with soft or delicate leaves. In some plants, cutting can severely damage plant cells, with bruising and dark, mushy edges quickly appearing within hours ((sometimes a few minutes)Baby spinach, lettuce, herbs, and surprisingly fresh green beans are all best chopped up on game day. For herbs in particular, chopping them just before serving will give the most aromatic impact to the finish of your dish.

If you need to pre-chop any of these, be sure to use a sharp knife. A sharp knife with a fine edge slices plant cells cleanly and causes less damage, rather than shredding them like a blunt knife does.

Starchy root vegetables are easily oxidized.

Non-starchy root vegetables can last up to a few days, while starchy vegetables are more prone to oxidation and enzymatic browningAfter slicing or biting into an apple, you’ve probably seen the flesh of the apple start to turn brown after 5-10 minutes. This is the reaction of enzymes after fruits and vegetables are exposed to oxygen by slicing. Starchy root vegetables like potatoes, parsnips, and turnips are more susceptible to oxidation than the above vegetables.

If you hate the idea of ​​waiting until Thursday to peel 5 pounds of parsnips, you have a few options. Water prevents oxygen from interacting with exposed vegetable pulp. The downside to this is that vegetables like potatoes lose their starch when soaked in water, and if left in a bowl too long, they can pool water and fall apart. , is to soak cut starchy vegetables in an acid like lemon juice. The acid in lemon juice stops the enzyme from browning. In any case, chopping and processing starchy vegetables is best done the night before.