Whether you're hosting Thanksgiving for the first time or you're a seasoned big meal pro, this short primer of suggestions is designed to help you plan, shop and serve your feast to friends and family. It's not a definitive guide, but more of a basic roadmap to help prep and plan the meal and still have time to enjoy the day.
From personal experience, I have come to the conclusion that most folks prefer traditional foods on Thanksgiving. In other words, regular buttery mashed potatoes will always be a hit. But that doesn't mean you can't bring in a new dish or try a new flavor; just remember to make sure you have plenty of those perennial favorites for the traditionalists at the table.
Ask Questions
Start by answering a few questions: Who's coming to dinner? What do you want to eat? How much time do you have to spend in the kitchen? Answering those questions can help you plan your menu. You can find menu planning ideas online and in magazines or you can ask your guests about their favorite dishes. If you're a novice, stick with a basic menu of turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, potatoes, gravy and some kind of vegetable.
Spending time really planning a menu is what can make a good cook. If you have limited time to spend cooking or you feel intimidated making an entire dinner by yourself, consider a potluck where each guest brings a favorite dish. If you go that route, it's a good idea to talk amongst yourselves beforehand so that you don't end up with eight green bean casseroles and no mashed potatoes!
Write it all down
Write down the menu. Write down all the ingredients in each dish and make your food shopping list from that ingredient list. Make a timeline for the days leading up to your dinner. I know that may sound fussy but it honestly helps you stay on track and get things done without so much last-minute stress.
Shopping Tips | General Tips
- Shop early, meaning don't wait until the day before Thanksgiving to go to the grocery store. Shelves are often empty by then, plus, if you're buying a frozen bird, that turkey needs time to thaw (one day for every four pounds of turkey). If you're buying a fresh one, you'll need to order it in advance.
- Ingredients that take things up a notch include lots of high-quality unsalted butter, fresh herbs, aromatics such as onions, garlic and shallots, fresh citrus and heavy cream.
- Since Thanksgiving is about serving many dishes at the same time, it's important to keep hot food hot. Ways to do that include heating plates and platters before putting food on them and keeping a pan of hot turkey stock going on the stove to ladle onto sliced turkey and dressing. You can also use a slow cooker on "warm" for mashed potatoes or other vegetable dishes.
Make Ahead/ Work Ahead
There are a few things you can make ahead of time such as cranberry sauce, gravy and desserts. You can assemble your dressing/stuffing the night before. You can make vegetable casseroles in advance and reheat them in the oven before serving. Of course leave the turkey and mashed potatoes to the day of, but so many other things can be prepared or at least prepped ahead of time.
Turkey Tips
- Calculate a pound and a half of turkey per person (this should give you leftovers).
- Thaw frozen turkey on a platter in the fridge. Do NOT thaw at room temperature (plan on a day for every 4 pounds of turkey, i.e. a 12-pound turkey will take three days to thaw).
- Once thawed, a turkey should be cooked within two days.
- You do not have to brine turkey for it to stay moist. You can cover it with a dry rub or smear it with butter before roasting and still get a juicy end result.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend cooking stuffing/dressing separately from the turkey.
- You don't have to rinse turkey before cooking.
- Wait until after the first hour of roasting before basting your bird. Then baste every half hour using the fat and other liquid in roasting pan.
- Use a thermometer to make sure the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees to ensure doneness. A 12-14 pounds turkey will likely take 3 hours to roast at 350 degrees.
About that Pie
You can make pie dough ahead of time. It can stay in fridge for up to three days and can be frozen for up to one month ahead. If you freeze it, thaw it overnight in refrigerator before rolling out.
You can make pumpkin pie filling several days ahead and store in fridge.
You can bake the crusts and make the fillings the day before Thanksgiving, then assemble and bake the pies before the turkey goes into the oven on Thanksgiving morning.
Freeze homemade pie crust 20 minutes before baking to help it hold its shape.
A Beautiful Table
This is where you can let your creative juices fly. Depending on your own personal style, you may want to set a fancy, formal table or you could have the kids make fun placemats or decorations for a buffet spread. There is no right or wrong way to do this and that's my favorite thing about today's world – you can truly let your light shine and serve your amazing meal on your terms. Just make sure there's plenty of gravy and big slices of pie.
If you need a little help along the way, there are so many resources in Bend. There are shops and supermarkets chock-full of everything you need from appetizers, meats, sides and wines to bakers to help you with the dessert table. Below are a few of our favorites.
