Could you cook a whole Thanksgiving meal on a battery-supported induction stove?
This November, the fast-growing startup Copper, which makes the first-of-its-kind battery-supported induction stove, put its new tech to the test by hosting a company-wide feast with over 45 employees and their families — and no one left hungry.
Induction stoves are catching on across the country because they're faster, safer, more efficient, and (deep breath) better for indoor air quality than gas stoves. Plus, the Copper cooktop is built with an onboard battery so the whole thing can be plugged into a regular kitchen outlet.
But what's the cooking experience like, especially for 45-plus hungry employees?
The Cool Down spoke with Copper's head chef, Lisa Pinckney, about how she cooked the whole Thanksgiving meal using this new induction tech. Plus, she gave us a few secret recs on how to spice up all the inevitable turkey leftovers.
🔥 What was your plan for cooking for 45+ people with an induction stove?
"Because I expected 45, I planned on four hours of preparation before cooking," Pinckney said. "This includes chopping, washing, and cleaning vegetables, measuring ingredients, and making stocks. The actual meal only took three hours to prepare."
Pinckney used two of Copper's ranges, which are the same size as a conventional gas range, and other Copper employees were encouraged to pitch in and help using the three other ranges available.
Because induction stoves are more efficient (up to 90% of the heat generated goes directly to cooking, versus 70% for a gas stove), they can get the job done quicker. Induction cooktops can even boil water three times faster, which means that task for mashed potatoes takes a lot less time.
⚡ Why is an induction setup a game-changer for a massive meal like this?
What's so great about induction stoves is that they're super precise. Pinckney told us: "Everything can be done at the time it needs to be done. I never have to worry about that."
And while some induction ranges require users to upgrade their electrical panel, what's interesting about Copper's stove (which the team affectionately named "Charlie") is that you can plug the whole thing into a regular 120-volt outlet.
With that onboard battery, Charlie can handle pressure tests like Thanksgiving feasts for dozens of Copper team members. It also means it can store energy from the grid when it's cleaner and cheaper — and draw from homeowners' solar panels if they've got 'em. Bonus: It can even cook 4-6 meals during power outages.
🧑🍳 Favorite dish this Thanksgiving, chef?
"I am obsessed with stuffing. I've never made the same one twice," Pinckney told us. "This year, we did three different stuffings: a gluten-free stuffing made with rice pilaf, vegetables, and fruit, a sourdough stuffing with vegetables, and a cornbread dressing with oysters."
🍽️ What else is on the menu?
Chef Pinckney went all out this year. Grab some inspiration below.
🥣 Soup: Butternut squash
🍗 Turkey: Two ways … citrus honey glazed and herb roasted
🍽️ Gravy: Umami gravy + turkey gravy
🥘 Stuffing: see above ^^
🍲 Other mains: Beef Wellington + salmon with lemon dill butter sauce
🥕🥔 Veggies and potatoes: Fresh corn off the cob, garlic mashed potatoes, oven-roasted root vegetables, green beans with mushrooms, sauteed spinach, sweet potato souffle, and maple-glazed carrots
🧼 That sounds delicious, but also like a lot to clean up …
One of the best parts about induction cooktops is their smooth surface instead of all those grooves and grates on a gas range. Even with the inevitable gravy sputters and stuffing crumbs, all you have to do is wipe down the cooktop with a paper towel or sponge.
For Chef Pinckney, "when I'm cooking on induction, I hardly think about the cleanup because I know it isn't going to be horrible in the end."
❓ As an award-winning chef, how does cooking on an induction stove compare to gas?
"I never get tired when I'm cooking on induction — whereas with gas, my energy is drained just from the heat from the stove," Pinckney said. "With induction, you don't have any of that."
But regardless of the type of stove, there's always just the pure enjoyment of cooking. "However I'm making food, I enjoy the process," she said. "I feel a little more empowered with induction, though, because there's so much more power!"
🍗 How does the turkey taste with a battery-supported induction oven?
Last year, when the Copper team hosted a party of 23, they spatchcocked the turkey and used a higher roasting temperature, which resulted in crispier skin and moister meat.
This year, Pinckney tried something new: "I'm breaking the turkey down this year."
That means she's taking the turkey off the carcass and dry-rubbing it the day before. "I'll let it come to room temperature that morning before setting the oven to convection bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour. I'll baste it with butter so it remains moist, but otherwise, the oven is doing all the work."
🗣️ Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to buy an induction stove?
🔘 Healthier indoor air 🏠
🔘 Superior cooking results 🍳
🔘 Helping the planet 🌎
🔘 I wouldn't buy an induction stove 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
🥕 Can we go back to those maple-glazed carrots for a sec?
To give you a taste of the Copper Thanksgiving feast, Chef Pinckney is sharing her recipe for the maple-glazed carrots they served, which no doubt are bound to impress even your mother-in-law this Thanksgiving.
You can access the full recipe here.
Pro tip from Pinckney: "Don't cook … too fast because the carrots need to be cooked thoroughly. Pay attention to the timing so the carrots are toothsome but not mushy before applying the maple glaze."
🍳 OK, one last question: What can I do with leftovers besides eating cold mashed potatoes all week?
"Layer your leftovers in a baking dish. Don't mix them up," Pinckney recommended.
Step 1: "At the bottom, put your gravy layer, and then add a layer of leftover turkey, then stuffing, then your cooked vegetables, and maybe another layer of turkey and stuffing, depending on how deep your baking dish is."
Step 2: "On your cooktop, fry some shallots or onions in butter or oil with salt and pepper, then add some cornstarch so they get crispy."
Step 3: "Pour some water or broth on top of your baking dish, put it in the oven, and you've got a great meal."
Step 4: "Grate some cheese on top and broil your dish for a few minutes at the end before taking it out and putting the crispy alliums [the onions] on top."
"I'd make and serve this in a heartbeat any day after Thanksgiving," Pinckney told us.
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