This planning timeline can help you whether you're hosting for the first time or just need some assurance and organizational inspiration.
It's now time to get started.
Complete the menu and guest list. This is the time to work out all the details with your guests if they are bringing food or drinks for the meal. It's important to keep in mind that they could be a little anxious about the quantity of food they have to prepare, so getting an exact head count benefits everyone.
A week prior to Thanksgiving
Prepare your shopping lists. This covers the list of groceries to buy as well as any additional supplies you'll need for the big celebration. Will more chairs, plates, or linens need to be purchased or borrowed? Is the roasting pan you have big enough to fit your turkey? What about some single-use containers that guests can take their leftovers home?
Now is also the time to begin organizing the refrigerator(s) to make room for all of the prepped food and ingredients that will be arriving. I like to do a fridge clear and Thanksgiving prep together since it allows me to evaluate all the condiments that have amassed throughout the previous year.
• Examine each and every recipe you have planned for Thanksgiving.
• Make a list with all the ingredients you'll need for each recipe.
• Sort the list of groceries by categories, such as dry items, dairy products, and produce.
* Combine different amounts of the same substance. For instance, you will need to purchase three sticks of butter if you require two sticks for one recipe, six tablespoons for another, and two tablespoons for still another.
The weekend prior to Thanksgiving
You can avoid last-minute rushes for the best ingredients and issues caused by out-of-stock items by doing your grocery shopping the weekend before Thanksgiving.
If you are cooking a large frozen turkey, you might have to begin thawing it on Saturday or Sunday in order for it to be fully thawed by Wednesday night, when you will need to brine it. It is advised by the US Department of Agriculture to give each 4 to 5 pounds of weight a 24-hour thawing period. An uncooked turkey can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two days after it has thawed.
Follow this link for information on how big a turkey you'll need and how long it will need to thaw out:
https://www.butterball.com/calculators-conversions
Sunday is also a good day to start preparing ingredients that can be made ahead, like pie crust, cranberry sauce, and gravy base. These ingredients will stay in the refrigerator for as long as they're needed.
The week of Thanksgiving
Make whatever treats you want to bake for Thanksgiving on Monday and Tuesday. Cakes, pies, and tarts can be chilled several days ahead of time, while cookies remain fresh in an airtight container kept at room temperature. To prevent the cookies from going bad, put a piece of bread in the container.
In addition, you can chop veggies for side dishes (such celery and onions for stuffing or roasting Brussels sprouts), make salad dressings, and prepare your turkey brine in advance.
To avoid an oven backup on Thursday morning, casserole-style side dishes like stuffing, sweet potatoes, or potato gratin can be made ahead of time on Wednesday. Bake your dishes as directed on the package, taking care not to allow any of them to brown on top. Before covering and refrigerating, allow it cool slightly. These casseroles will be reheated on Thursday while the turkey is resting.
Turkey Day is Here!
Calculate that each pound of unstuffed turkey will require roughly 13 minutes to cook: It should take a little over two hours for a 10-pound chicken and at least three hours for a 15-pound bird. So, program your alarm clock for the time you'll need to wake up in order to begin going.
An hour before cooking, take the turkey out of the fridge, rinse it well, and pat it dry. Put it in the roasting pan, top with your preferred amount of spices or aromatics, and bake. As the turkey cooks, arrange the table, checking that any serving platters with cutlery and trivets are ready. Serve any items that are suitable for room temperature from a plate. If you're making mashed potatoes, now's the time
to do it.
One hour prior to baking, remove any casseroles that have already been baked from the refrigerator. This will allow them to thaw a little faster and relieve some of the chill.
When a thermometer put into the thickest portion of the thigh registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the turkey from the oven. Give the turkey at least half an hour to rest so the meat will be juicy.
Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees and warm the casseroles, uncovered, until they are well-heated and browned, while the turkey is resting. Warm up any pan drippings in your gravy base.
And there you go! Sit down and enjoy the meal with your family.
