Thanksgiving is a time for family, good friends and good food. The holiday has become one that all Americans celebrate, regardless of cultural background. Americans reportedly eat an average of 13.3 pounds of turkey a year, eat 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving and nearly 88 percent of Americans consume turkey on the holiday. Latin Times spoke with Chef James Tahhan about how Latinos can add a Latin angle to their Thanksgiving meal, how to prepare and host a Thanksgiving meal, his secret tips for keeping a turkey juicy and what he would take a Thanksgiving gather.
Latin Times: How can Latinos add a Latin twist to their Thanksgiving meal?
Chef James Tahhan: Definitely through food. I think one of the key things that would get Latinos into the American culture is through food. At the end, Thanksgiving is definitely something that brings people together through food. To me, there is no better way than doing it thank bringing our Latino recipes to a Thanksgiving party.
Latin Times: What tips do you have for someone hosting a Thanksgiving dinner in terms of time management and preparation?
Chef James Tahhan: Just doing everything in advance is key. We want to spend time with our family and not in our kitchen, especially on Thanksgiving. That's why I think people should do everything two days prior to the day of the event and then use that day to enjoy and spend quality time with their family.
Latin Times: The turkey is the centerpiece of any Thanksgiving meal. Do you have any tips for how to keep the turkey juicy?
Chef James Tahhan: Definitely. I do something called the brine, which is a salty and sweet solution that we dip the turkey in for around a day or so. And what this does is it intensifies the flavor and then juice is in the turkey. It also adds flavor to the skin and flesh--the skin becomes brown through the cooking process. Low temperature is the way to go. We always 375 to 400 degrees, but I go for 300 and let it cook for more time. That way, you get all the juice locked in the turkey and it doesn't steam out.
Latin Times: Which of your recipes would you recommend our readers try this Thanksgiving?
Chef James Tahhan: One of my favorite recipes is a Mexican recipe from the Jalisco region, it's called Birria. It's one of my favorite recipes because it shows love. It is cooked for four hours and has big chunks of meat, or lamb, cooked in a very aromatic broth made with chilies and spices. It's unbelievable. Especially, if you serve it in a tortilla. It's one of the most amazing things you can eat to celebrate the holidays.
Latin Times: If you were invited to someone else's house for the holidays, what would you bring, and why?
Chef James Tahhan: I would bring Birria because it shows love. When we do take the time to cook a four-hour meal, it's because we love someone or you love yourself and you want to eat it. Bringing that to someone is showing them you care about them and wanting them to try something like that is definitely something that I always encourage. Because you bring different flavors to people, to your family, and you expose them to new things. And that's definitely something I like to do.
Latin Times: What are you most thankful for this year?
Chef James Tahhan: I am thankful for my career--it was always a dream for me to do what I am doing right now. Having the blessing to do it every day is just something that makes me want to be thankful every single day. Waking up in the morning, doing food, cooking and television, you know, it's just a blessing. I have to be thankful for having this amazing opportunity.
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