As people all across the globe are starting their preparations for their Thanksgiving meal, a popular food blogger has shared the simple ingredient that she uses to elevate almost all of her holiday dishes.
Home chef Stephanie Dorn, also known as South Dallas Foodie online, has racked up more than 180,000 followers for sharing cooking tips and tricks.
Most recently, she detailed the ‘secret weapon’ that she puts in every savory thing she cooks to make them even more delicious… and it might be something you already have in your kitchen.
Taking to TikTok last week, Dorn explained that there’s one item that she thinks makes everything taste ‘so much better’ – poultry seasoning.
‘Out of all these things, there is one thing that is the best thing,’ she said in the video, as she panned across the spice section at the grocery store.
She then held up a container of poultry seasoning as she gushed, ‘You can add it to pretty much any casserole that you do for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It just makes everything so much better.
‘Just sprinkle a little bit in your green bean casserole, your broccoli and cheese. Or you can put it in your mashed potatoes, your au gratin potatoes, anything savory.’
‘The secret is out. You’re welcome,’ concluded the social media star.
Food blogger Stephanie Dorn shared the simple ingredient that she uses elevate almost all of her holiday dishes ahead of Thanksgiving (stock image)
Poultry seasoning – which costs only a few dollars at chains like Walmart, ShopRite and Target – usually consists of sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, nutmeg and black pepper, but can vary depending on brand, per Red Goose Spice Company.
‘You’ll also occasionally see Poultry Seasoning with the add-ins of onion, garlic, parsley, red bell peppers, celery seed ground coriander, allspice or savory,’ the company added.
It explained that while it got its name for being a commonly used spice on chicken, it doesn’t have to only be used for that.
It recommended using it on pork, in stuffing, in gravies and even on roasted vegetables.
Dorn’s advice comes amidst continued warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about washing your turkey before you cook it.
When you rinse a raw turkey under the tap, microscopic droplets of contaminated water can spread up to three feet around your sink.
The official term for this is aerosolized cross-contamination and it can turn your kitchen into a minefield of bacteria – risking illness for you and your guests.
The US Department of Agriculture previously wrote in a blog post: ‘Many consumers think that washing their turkey will remove bacteria and make it safer.
Taking to TikTok last week, Dorn explained that there’s one item that she thinks makes everything taste ‘so much better’: poultry seasoning’ (stock image)
Poultry seasoning usually consists of sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, nutmeg and black pepper, but can vary depending on brand (stock image)
‘However, it’s virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird. Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils.’
Elaborating further on the risks, it shared: ‘This is called cross-contamination, which can make you and your guests very sick.
‘Washing your hands before and after handling your turkey and its packaging is crucial to avoid spreading harmful bacteria.’
Despite the continued warnings, the issue seems to widespread across the country, with a 2020 survey finding that 78 percent of respondents still washed or rinsed their turkey before cooking.
