Hosting a holiday meal may feel daunting, but this detailed timeline, along with a downloadable checklist, is your foolproof guide to Thanksgiving success. We’ve teamed up with Birds Eye® for tips on how to prepare the day before the big event, which classic dishes can be made ahead (we’re looking at you, Birds Eye® Steamfresh® Whole Green Beans casserole!), and what clever shortcuts will eliminate some of the stress of prep. Read on for our Thanksgiving primer.
Two Days Before
If you’re wet- or dry-brining your bird, start that process now! This process improves turkey’s ability to retain moisture using a solution of water, salt, and other flavorings, or a dry rub with lots of salt, herbs, and spices.
The Day Before: Make Sides and Dessert
In order to streamline your day-of cooking, there are a number of items that you can cross off of your list the day before Thanksgiving. Sides like Birds Eye® Steamfresh® Whole Green Beans casserole can be cooked the day before, cooled, and held in the refrigerator, covered, until you’re ready to reheat for the big meal. Other dishes that keep well in a fridge include cranberry sauce, Rosemary Jalapeño Cornbread, and turkey stock that can later be used as the base for gravy. You can also bake pies one day in advance of Thanksgiving, holding them on the counter loosely covered with aluminum foil—don’t cover them until they have completely cooled to avoid soggy crusts.
The Morning Of: Start With The Bird
The first thing you should do when you wake up on Thanksgiving is to remove your bird from the refrigerator so it comes up to room temperature—a cold bird will take longer to roast and will be more prone to uneven cooking. Large birds could take over an hour to reach room temp.
Preheat The Oven
This may seem obvious, but, yes, the oven does need to go on. Choose a temperature that can work for a number of different foods (somewhere between 350° and 400° is typically appropriate for cooking turkey and reheating sides). While your oven is heating, pat the turkey dry with paper towels to ensure crispy skin. Once your oven is preheated, and your turkey is at room temperature and seasoned to your liking, get the bird in the oven ASAP; it will need time to rest after cooking, and you’ll likely need the oven space for reheating other foods. How long your turkey will take to roast depends on many factors, but to determine when it’s finished cooking, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature regularly. When it reaches 165°, it’s good to go.
Peel The Potatoes
Although items like mashed potatoes need to be cooked as close to dinner as possible, you can actually peel and cut your potatoes, then submerge them in ice cold water to keep them from browning, hours before you cook them. In order to save on dishes, store them in water directly in the pot you plan on cooking them in and keep them in a cool place so that you can put them right on the stove closer to mealtime.
Prep Casseroles And Oven-Ready Sides
If you didn’t assemble casseroles yesterday, do this now. If you have already cooked them, remove sides like Birds Eye® Steamfresh® Whole Green Beans casserole from the refrigerator and bring them up to room temperature. Once the turkey is three quarters of the way cooked, you’ll want to place the sides in the oven, covered, for reheating, at a suggested oven temperature of 350° to 375°.
Whip Up The Gravy
After the turkey has been removed from the oven, transfer it to a cutting board and cover it with a loose tent of aluminum foil. It will need to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes, but can sit far longer than that, if necessary. At this point, you can begin the gravy, using the pan drippings as the base; add flour to make a roux directly in the roasting pan, and then whisk in any reserved stock made in advance, or store-bought chicken or turkey broth. The finished gravy, transferred to a saucepan, can be heated up right before serving and loosened with additional stock or broth if needed.
Heat Stovetop Sides
Stovetop sides should be heated about 20 minutes before you anticipate people sitting down for dinner. The only exception is mashed potatoes, which can be held in a bain marie to keep the potatoes warm and prevent the dairy in them from burning. (If you’ve never heard of this method, here’s how you do it: Place the prepared potatoes in a mixing bowl over a pot that contains near-boiling water, then cover them with a lid or small baking sheet.) Stovetop sides are a great place for shortcuts, too. Substitute frozen veggies, like Birds Eye® Steamfresh® Super Sweet Corn, for fresh ones and you have a quick and easy side dish that will take minutes off of dinner prep.
