Road Trip Turkey or Go Turkey, Go!
November 25, 2015 9:33 AM Subscribe
So, grandpa can't make it here for Thanksgiving this year - he's in hospice care. Last minute we've decided to take Thanksgiving to him. Does anyone have suggestions for how to take the meal mobile?
We need to take the standard Thanksgiving meal stuff: turkey meat - but not the full turkey - stuffing, potatoes, beverages etc.... but perhaps scaled to make this possible. We've checked with the care center staff and they're cool with it. Mrs. Corrocio is thinking of borrowing several crock pots to keep things warm. We don't want to use warmer pans because they have a slight smoke. We've got 8 people cramming into his room... so it'll be tight. Any practical tips or ideas that might make this easier?
We need to take the standard Thanksgiving meal stuff: turkey meat - but not the full turkey - stuffing, potatoes, beverages etc.... but perhaps scaled to make this possible. We've checked with the care center staff and they're cool with it. Mrs. Corrocio is thinking of borrowing several crock pots to keep things warm. We don't want to use warmer pans because they have a slight smoke. We've got 8 people cramming into his room... so it'll be tight. Any practical tips or ideas that might make this easier?
If you've got multiple crock pots in one car trunk, use blankets and towels to keep them from smashing into each other and spilling. You can also use duck tape to hold the lids down - just a bit, on opposite sides, is enough in my experience. The towels also help with the moisture from the steam condensing.
Also, if you're bringing silverware, go ahead and spend more on the "heavy duty" plastic stuff - things like turkey and stuffing really do call for an upgrade. It's BTW often cheaper to get plastic knives/forks/spoons from party stores rather than grocery stores.
posted by SMPA at 9:58 AM on November 25, 2015
Also, if you're bringing silverware, go ahead and spend more on the "heavy duty" plastic stuff - things like turkey and stuffing really do call for an upgrade. It's BTW often cheaper to get plastic knives/forks/spoons from party stores rather than grocery stores.
posted by SMPA at 9:58 AM on November 25, 2015
How far is this going? We've transported hot food about an hour using a cooler and it was still piping hot when we got there. We used a plastic cooler, heated it with boiling water (dump in a few pots of boiling water, close the lid, dump water after 5ish minutes) put a doubled over towel in the bottom and then layered the dishes in the cooler as they came out of the oven. We had everything come out around the same time and minimized cooler openings. Once everything is on put another towel on top to minimize shifting and load it in the car.
posted by julie_of_the_jungle at 10:04 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by julie_of_the_jungle at 10:04 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
A single microwave might be less annoying than a whole bunch of slow cookers. If it wouldn't feel too TV-dinnerish for you, plating stuff in advance would reduce hassles a lot. They make slow cookers with multiple crocks in one device, which would make things a bit easier if you go that route.
Bring beverages in single serving sizes when viable. Real plates and silverware will make it feel fancier than disposable; if you opt for that, bring a dishpan to throw all the dirties in to transport home.
posted by metasarah at 10:42 AM on November 25, 2015
Bring beverages in single serving sizes when viable. Real plates and silverware will make it feel fancier than disposable; if you opt for that, bring a dishpan to throw all the dirties in to transport home.
posted by metasarah at 10:42 AM on November 25, 2015
Call the hospice and ask them if they have a room where you an set up your feast, bring enough for the staff. Then make plates and munch out with Grandpa.
This is a loving gesture and no matter how it turns out it's going to be wonderful.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:07 AM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]
This is a loving gesture and no matter how it turns out it's going to be wonderful.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:07 AM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]
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Turn the crockpots to "keep warm" while you load them up with warm food at home, then wrap in towels when you load in the car, things will work better if you're not chilling/reheating, but keeping warm the whole time.
If you have access to a microwave to make really hot gravy, that will cover a multitude of thermal sins.
Other than that, simplify! as few different foods as possible, don't try to offer 2 different potatoes, squash, 2 green vegetables, a salad, cranberry sauce, and 3 flavors of pie, stick to the one thing in each category that feels most essential. For me, that would be (turkey and stuffing plus) mashed potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, with my mom's cheese rolls if possible. The point is, choose what feels right to you, but it doesn't have to include everything for it to be Thanksgiving.
posted by aimedwander at 9:56 AM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]