Fool-Proof Thanksgiving Dinner Game Plan
Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to feel like a big undertaking, but it’s such a meaningful meal that we often stress about it when we’re tasked with hosting. When I worked at Whole Foods, the most popular class I taught was called, “Thanksgiving in Three.” It was exactly as it sounds; a three-hour class where I taught you how to prepare a full Thanksgiving dinner, from start to finish, using just one oven and one stovetop, in three hours total. The trick to making it happen in three hours is to prepare a bone-in turkey breast rather than a whole turkey. If you love dark meat and don’t mind starting your turkey earlier in the day, then go ahead and roast a whole one. You’ll need to follow your chosen recipe and method for cooking a whole bird, but either way, this menu was written with minimal oven space in mind. The only thing you’ll have to put in the oven besides the turkey is the stuffing and the squash, so you’ll never be pressed for oven space.
THE PLAN:
1-2 weeks before Thanksgiving:
Read your recipes thoroughly and make a list of all the ingredients and tools you’ll need.
Order any non-perishable groceries and kitchen tools ahead of time online and get them delivered, if you can, to save yourself some time at the actual grocery store.
Clean out and organize your fridge and pantry to make room for all of the extra ingredients and equipment.
Figure out when to defrost your turkey, if using frozen. The rule of thumb is 1 day (a full 24 hours) of defrosting in the fridge for every 4 pounds of turkey. So if you’re buying a 12 pound turkey, it will take 3 days to defrost. 16 pounds = 4 days, 20 pounds = 5 days, etc.
Plan and purchase table decorations.
1 week before: Defrost your turkey based on weight, as outlined above. Be sure to place your wrapped frozen turkey in a rimmed baking sheet to catch any leaks while it defrosts in the fridge. Do not defrost your turkey on the counter unless you want to give your guests food poisoning!
3 days before: Grocery shop for all perishable items, fresh flowers, and any other items you may have forgotten in your online delivery order. Go in with the expectation that the grocery store will be mobbed and know that you’ll have to spend more time there than you’d like to. Be kind!
A day or two before: Make sure you have enough room in your oven and arrange the racks to fit everything that needs to be baked. Set the table and decorate the house.
4 hours before dinner: Light a festive candle or put some cider on the stove to mull with cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange slices, and a knob of ginger. This mulling spice also makes for a great host gift!
3 ½ hours before: Preheat the oven to 325. Rinse and pat the turkey dry, prepare it, and put it in the oven.
2 ½ hours before: Make the cranberry relish and pour it into a serving dish. Make whipped cream and pumpkin filling for parfaits. Assemble parfaits in glasses, leaving garnishes off, and refrigerate until ready to serve. *All of these steps can be done a day or two in advance. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2 hours before: Prepare the squash but don’t bake it - you’ll do this closer to dinner time. *This can be done a day in advance. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
1 ½ hours before: Prepare the stuffing on the stovetop and set aside until ready to bake. Boil the potatoes. Warm the cream on the stovetop. *The stovetop portion of the stuffing prep can be done a day or two in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to bake. Bring it to room temperature for about 30 minutes so that it will reheat evenly, then bake according to recipe!
1 hour before: Place the greens in a serving bowl and assemble the salad, but don't dress it. Put the squash in the oven.
30 minutes before: Check the turkey with an instant-read thermometer. Remove it when ready—160 degrees in the breast. Remove turkey from roasting pan and transfer to a carving board. Cover with heavy-duty foil and rest for 20-30 minutes. Raise the oven temp to 350 and put the stuffing in the oven. Drain and mash the potatoes, keeping them warm and covered. I prefer to do this in a Dutch oven because it will retain heat and keep the potatoes warm without drying out.
15 minutes before: Prepare the gravy, pour into the gravy boat and set aside.
Game time: Prepare and dress the salad and put everything into serving bowls. Ask someone else to help with carving the turkey, or do it yourself if you have trouble delegating. Set the potatoes, cranberry relish, salad, stuffing, gravy and squash on the table. Bring out the turkey and place it in the center.
After dinner: Ask someone else to help clear the dinner plates while you make the pecan caramel sauce for the parfaits. Garnish and serve them. Pile all the dishes into the sink and take a nice long nap. You deserve it! Schedule adapted from Mark Bittman.
THE MENU:
Roast Turkey Breast + Gravy - Recipe Below
The Best Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes - Recipe Below or Vegan Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
Skillet Stuffing - Recipe Below or Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms + Leeks
Sweet + Spicy Delicata Squash (Figure half a squash per person!)
Pear + Gorgonzola Salad - Recipe Below
THE RECIPES:
Roast Turkey Breast + Gravy - Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
1 (6-lb) fresh turkey breast, on the bone, rinsed and patted dry
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 small onions, peeled and quartered
Sprigs of fresh thyme, sage or rosemary (optional)
3 cups low sodium turkey or chicken broth
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Rub the turkey all over with 2 tablespoons of the butter and season generously with salt and pepper. Scatter the vegetables and herbs (if using) on the bottom of a roasting pan just large enough to hold the turkey. Put the meat breast-side up into the rack and set it into the pan over the vegetables. Roast for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and tent loosely with foil for 30 minutes. (The temperature will continue to rise to 170 degrees as it rests.) Remove vegetables from the pan and set aside if you want to serve as a side dish.
Make the gravy: Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to a large saucepan. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the roasting pan with a wooden spoon and pour into the saucepan with the butter. Whisk in the broth, then sprinkle in the flour and whisk again to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Carve the breast and serve with the gravy.
*Note: To serve 12 people, simply double the recipe by using two 6-pound breasts and doubling all the other ingredients.
The Best Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes - Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
4 ½ lb baby Yukon gold potatoes
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 stick (4 TB) salted Irish butter
2 TB chopped fresh chives
INSTRUCTIONS
Put the potatoes into a large pot, preferably a Dutch oven, add the bay leaf, 2 tablespoons salt, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them well, remove the bay leaf, and transfer back to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan. Mash the potatoes, then add the hot cream mixture and season with salt and pepper. Mix together gently with a spoon and garnish with the chives and a few extra pats of butter. Cover until ready to serve. Adapted from Tyler Florence.
Skillet Stuffing - Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
1 stick salted butter
2 TB fresh sage, minced
2 large onions, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
2 packages bagged stuffing (I prefer Pepperidge Farm)
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large Dutch oven with a lid, melt butter. Add sage and saute until fragrant. Continue to prepare stuffing according to package directions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden and crusty on top. Serve and enjoy.
Pear and Gorgonzola Salad - Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
3 Bartlett pears
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6 oz Gorgonzola or other creamy blue cheese
12 cups mixed greens, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 to 1 ½ cups balsamic or Dijon vinaigrette
½ cup toasted or candied nuts of choice
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice the pears thinly and toss with the lemon juice to prevent from browning. Cover, and refrigerate until needed. Crumble the Gorgonzola into small bits; cover and refrigerate until needed. To serve, toss the pears, cheese and greens together with as much dressing as desired. Add nuts over top and serve immediately.
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