My sun is in Virgo which means that anything that comes to strategizing and planning is most likely in my wheelhouse. Thanksgiving dinner is something that I’ve had the pleasure (or pain) to prepare and host on many occasions. Along the way there have been mishaps for sure, like that time where I pressured John to purchase a pasture raised, heritage turkey with a price tag of near $300 only to serve it completely undercooked on one side. We figured it out eventually but that expensive turkey had very little breast meat and well, I never heard the end of that.
You live you learn. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that making a plan ahead of time if you’re cooking a big meal is the only way to go. Now I have my recipes on lock and a countdown list that helps me pre-prep stuff ahead of time so I can truly enjoy the day. Every year, I edit my list so that I’m actually doing less without sacrificing the integrity or quality of the meal of the year. Today I’m sharing my strategies, tips and ideas to help you have more of a “do-less” approach. Even if you choose one, it will save you time and energy and most of all, leave you with more bandwidth to run on the day of and for that you will definitely be thankful.
Helpful Pre-Countdown Tips:
Turkey- Now is the time to purchase your frozen turkey if you’re in charge of the bird. Many stores are having great sales right now. My go to calculation when it comes to size is 1 ¼ lbs per person. This amount will give you a bit of leftovers for those glorious turkey sandwiches.
Avoid those self-basting turkeys because they are usually injected with crap that you don’t want to eat. Free range organic is a good move and if you are serving a lot of people, it’s actually better to roast 2 smaller birds rather than 1 huge bird. Another tip is to do one turkey and one turkey breast if you’re feeding a large crowd.
I now do spatchcocked turkeys when I do make them which cuts down on cooking time and honestly makes a juicer more evenly cooked bird. I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea because people like to see the pretty bird in all it’s glory but I personally will never go back.
If you’ve been a reader of this newsletter and still don’t own a meat thermometer, I beg of you, get one now! Turkeys take long to cook and sometimes they don’t cook evenly. You’ll want 160 degrees in the breast and 175 degrees or higher in the legs.
Print the recipes- You don’t want to be scrambling to look up recipes on your phone or somewhere in a magazine or computer. Print them out ahead of time and keep them together. From there you can make a grocery list.
Our menu this year will include:
A Rodney Scott Smoked Turkey (purchased)
Make-Ahead Gravy (this can be made way ahead and frozen, making this week in class)
Stuffing of some sort
Cranberry Sauce (also made ahead and frozen during this coming week’s class)
My favorite fall kale salad- I’ve made this salad for Thanksgiving for years and it’s a really beautiful balance to all the heavier stuff. See below for the recipe!
Salted Honey Butter Yeast Rolls- from A Cozy Kitchen
Key Lime Pie (this recipe by Alison Roman is insane and is a really bright, tart end to a rich heavy meal, obsessed.)
An apple or pecan pie- (someone is bringing the pie but I will be making pie dough this week in class as well!)
To-go Containers- Purchase some cheap to-go containers ahead of time to send home leftovers.
Get your knives sharpened- Mine are going in on Monday and will be ready the Monday before the big day. This will help speed up the process. I do this every year and this year I’m actually a bit late but it makes a huge difference in prep time.
Clean out the fridge- Start eating or cooking from what you have. Make space for the big day. Clean out old or expired food so you have some real estate.
Let the countdown to stress-free Thanksgiving begin!
Do it ahead cooking class with me, this Thursday!!
Before we get into the countdown, I wanted to remind you that I will be doing a make it ahead cooking class this coming Thursday for all my paid subscribers.
The cooking class will include make ahead gravy, pie dough and cranberry chutney. These 3 recipes can be batched and put in your freezer for the big day so you are ahead of the game. I will also be answering any questions my subscribers have about cooking a Thanksgiving meal. The class will be live on 11/16 at 7pm EST/4pm PST on Zoom and is open to all of my paid subscribers. If you plan on attending this upcoming week’s cooking class, please RSVP by clicking the button below. The grocery list, recipes and Zoom link will be sent to you by email. Looking forward to cooking with you!
7 Days (or more if you’re me) Before - The Mastermind Session 🧠: Grab a pen and paper, or your favorite digital planning tool. List out your menu, including appetizers, main course, sides, and desserts. Decide what can be prepared in advance, and make a shopping list. This is your battle plan! Reach out to guests and discuss what people can contribute.
Things that can be prepped in advanced: Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Pie Dough, salad dressings, pies (the day before)
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