Thanksgiving dinner. The Super Bowl of cooking at home. Every plate, dish, utensil, tray; all bound to be used and abused. And your oven, range, and a small army of appliances will all be put to the test. And if you’re in charge of putting it all together, you’re going to need all the help you can get.
The good news? A successful Thanksgiving dinner is more about planning than cooking skills.
This guide is designed for both the seasoned veteran and the newbie alike. We will take you through the essentials and give you the tips, tricks, and tools you need. Tools that will help you stick the landing. And pull off an amazing Thanksgiving feast you will remember for years to come.
Plan Your Thanksgiving Menu and Methods
Before you buy a single ingredient, decide what you’re serving and how you’ll be cooking it.
A traditional Thanksgiving dinner usually includes a turkey, several side dishes, bread, and dessert. But you don’t need twelve different dishes to make a memorable meal.
For a gathering of 6–10 people, consider this simple Thanksgiving menu:
The Main Course
Let’s talk turkey. About turkey. Traditionally, most people have turkey on Thanksgiving. Nearly everyone wakes up early and starts the bird for a long, slow, all-day cook to perfection. But I found that method has several disadvantages. First, you can’t make a good broth for a good gravy from the bird if it’s going to sit in an oven all day. Then, different parts of the turkey are different sizes and cook at different times. This makes for dry wings and raw breasts. Nobody likes a raw breast.
My best-found solution? Break the bird down the day before. This will give you the ability to treat each part well and cook them to perfection. A roasting pan with just the good parts takes up far less space, and cooks 4x as fast. And the leftover carcass that becomes a gruesome centerpiece? A memory of the past. And you will have tons of great broth for gravy, soups, and more!
If you’re interested in this other method, check out the blog article here.
Breaking down a Turkey for Thanksgiving Success
But for the remainder of the article, we will assume you are going with the traditional method and cooking your turkey the day of Thanksgiving. So for that, here are the recipes here for you:
The Side Dishes
There is an array of traditional side dishes to choose from. Each one has earned its place on the table. Two sides can be plenty for a small group. Or do them all and add some unexpected options to create some variety.
Tip: Choose two or three sides you really love instead of trying to make everything. Then, delegate. Ask other guests coming to bring a dish themselves. Giving up control may mean losing quality, so choose the dishes you outsource wisely.
Dessert
Desserts are another place to get creative. But I always tend to lean towards desserts that leave plenty of leftovers. Cakes are great, but pie is where it’s at. Pumpkin and apple are traditional, but blueberry would be my favorite.
Your Thanksgiving Preparation Timeline
The secret to a relaxing Thanksgiving is doing as much work as possible before Thursday.
One to Two Weeks Before Thanksgiving
A week or two before Thanksgiving, check in with your guests to confirm who’s coming so you know exactly how many people you’re feeding. Knowing the head count helps you finalize your menu, and don’t be afraid to simplify it! If you’ve planned too many dishes, cut a few. If guests offer to bring something, take them up on it. Having someone else handle dessert or a side dish means one less thing for you to worry about.
Next, take a quick inventory of your kitchen. Make sure you have a roasting pan large enough for your turkey, enough baking dishes for your sides, and plenty of serving bowls and utensils. Double-check there’s room in the fridge for the turkey to thaw too.
This is also a great time to stock up on nonperishable ingredients like flour, sugar, broth, and canned goods. Finally, order or purchase your turkey early so you’re not scrambling to find the right size at the last minute.
Five to Six Days Before
If you’re cooking a larger frozen turkey, now’s the time to start thawing it in the refrigerator. Remember, turkeys need about 24 hours of thawing time for every 4–5 pounds, so plan accordingly. Clear out some refrigerator space to make room for the turkey and all those Thanksgiving ingredients you’ll be storing.
While you’re at it, double-check your shopping list and kitchen equipment to make sure you have everything you need. It’s much easier to track down a missing ingredient or roasting pan now than on Thanksgiving morning!
Two to Three Days Before
Two or three days before Thanksgiving, check in with your guests one last time to make sure there haven’t been any changes to your headcount. We all know how people can be… Now’s also the time to finish your grocery shopping, especially for fresh ingredients and anything you might have missed earlier.
With shopping out of the way, you can start getting some of the cooking done ahead of time. Homemade cranberry sauce is a great place to start since it keeps well in the refrigerator and actually tastes better after the flavors have had time to develop. You can also prepare your pie dough, chop vegetables, and assemble casseroles that can safely be refrigerated until they’re ready to bake. A little prep work now means less chopping, mixing, and scrambling when Thanksgiving Day arrives!
The Day Before Thanksgiving
The day before Thanksgiving is when all that planning starts to pay off! If you’re breaking down your turkey before roasting, now’s the time to do it. You can use the backbone and other trimmings to make a flavorful homemade broth ahead of time. Just be sure to keep the turkey refrigerated and clean, and sanitize everything that comes into contact with the raw meat.
Next, get those pies baked and ready for tomorrow. Assemble your stuffing ingredients, prepare your casseroles so they’re ready to pop into the oven, and peel and cut your potatoes. Keep the potatoes submerged in cold water in the refrigerator to prevent browning.
Finally, take care of a few things outside the kitchen. Set the table, lay out your serving dishes, and pair each one with the utensils you’ll need. Or, if you’re serving buffet style, this is a good time to prepare that area.
Review your oven schedule one last time so you know exactly when everything needs to go in and come out. By the end of the day, you should have most of the hard work behind you, leaving Thanksgiving Day for cooking, finishing touches, and enjoying your guests!
Thanksgiving Morning
Thanksgiving morning is here! Thanksgiving morning is here.
Getting the turkey started and getting the rolls going are early priorities. The rolls need time to rise, but they bake quickly. So you can put those in along with the casseroles. Nothing better than fresh-baked rolls with dinner!
Figure out when your turkey needs to go into the oven based on its size, estimated cooking time, and when you plan to serve dinner. Don’t forget to allow time for the turkey to rest before carving. Once you’ve got your timing figured out, season and prepare the turkey, get it into the oven, and let it do its thing.
Remember, a meat thermometer is your best friend when it comes to knowing when your turkey is actually done. Be sure to test the thickest parts to ensure nothing is served raw.
While the turkey is roasting, finish assembling any side dishes that still need attention and get your appetizers and beverages ready for arriving guests. This is also a good time to tidy up the kitchen, wash any dishes that have piled up, and clear some counter space for serving. You’ll be happy you did when you’re full of turkey and a few glasses of wine.
Before Dinner
It’s almost time to eat! Start by checking your turkey’s internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Once it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost parts of the thigh and wing, it’s ready to come out of the oven. Let it rest for at least 20–30 minutes before carving. This gives the juices time to redistribute and, more importantly, frees up some valuable oven space for your side dishes!
While the turkey rests, get your casseroles into the oven to bake or reheat. This is a great time to make that perfect gravy. If you made your gravy ahead of time, simply reheat it and add some of those delicious turkey drippings for extra flavor. Or make a roux from the drippings and build your gravy that way.
Pro Tip: If your gravy makes a *plop* *plop* *plop* sound when you pour it, it’s too thick. Add more warm broth until the plopping sound is gone and a smooth flow takes its place.
Once everything is ready, transfer your food into serving dishes, carve the turkey, and bring it all to the table. You’ve done the planning, the shopping, and the cooking. Now it’s time to sit down, enjoy a great meal, and celebrate Thanksgiving with the people around you!
Remember: Thanksgiving Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
Your guests probably won’t remember whether the mashed potatoes were perfectly smooth or the rolls were homemade.
They’ll remember sharing a meal, laughing around the table, and spending time together.
Plan ahead, keep your menu manageable, and give yourself permission to take a few shortcuts.
Great Thanksgiving dinners aren’t about doing everything. They’re about bringing everyone together.
