Cooking tips from Guy Fieri demo at Opryland

On Saturday, November 20, Guy Fieri presented a 90-minute cooking demonstration and luncheon at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, as a part of the Hotel's grand re-opening. The main dish of the lunch was an alternate post-Thanksgiving dish, Tequila Turkey Fettuccini (recipe).

@vdreffs tweeted - Guy Fieri brought the house down at Gaylord #Opryland this afternoon. Check out his Tequilla Lime Turkey Fetticcinne recipe.

The demonstration was sprinkled with various cooking tips and humor. @DinaORourke tweeted - Guy Fieri #opryland "I'm allergic to Tequila....I break out in handcuffs"

Along with the Tequila Turkey Fettuccini paired with Red Devil Cranberries (recipe), Guy made Garlic Parmesan Crab (recipe TBA on an upcoming episode of Guy's Big Bite) and a Rhuberry Breeze cocktail (recipe unavailable at this time).

Combine different flavor profiles: salt, sweet, spice and sour. The Rhuberry Breeze cocktail contains the bitter of rhubarb and the sweetness of strawberry.

Brining boosts the flavor. The reason homemade pork chops taste dry in comparison to juicy restaurant-made pork chops is the brine, Fieri said.

To brine add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup salt to a gallon of water. Toss in spices like bay leaf and peppercorn. Bring it to a simmer for 20 minutes and submerge the meat. The larger the meat, the longer to submerge. A pork chop takes four hours, while a turkey takes 24 hours.


More tips: Do not burn the garlic. The secret to non-clumpy pasta is water. If feeding a large group, pre-cook the pasta by boiling the noodles until al dente, then transferring them to an ice bath, which stops the cooking.

Immediately before serving, sauté the noodles and “hit it with acid.” Translation: squeeze a lemon wedge over the food.

“... the best place to learn where to cook is your mother-in-law’s house,” Fieri joked.

@skilletsister tweeted from the demo - Guy Fieri says Vita-mix blender worth the investment. Do not overfill it. When blending a drink, fill the appliance half-full with ice. Fieri said most people overfill their blenders and do not blend long enough.

Taste the food before seasoning.

Use fresh garlic and Parmesan cheese. @DinaORourke tweeted - Guy Fieri #opryland on parmesan cheese....stay away from the green shakers of death. Rather than jars of garlic and tubs of grated Parmesan cheese, Fieri said, garlic cloves and Parmesan wedges offer a fresher taste.

Cook turkey and other meats with the bone. The bone will add an extra depth of flavor.

To read more about Guy Fieri's demonstration at the Opryland Hotel, click here.

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