Thanksgiving Dinner

Whether you have people over at your house, go to someone else’s house, or head to a restaurant, food is a pretty central part of an American Thanksgiving.  As someone who enjoys cooking, I have had some pretty great dishes as well as some flops over the years.  However, I haven’t always cooked dinner myself.  I have spent Thanksgiving in various and sundry locations with all sorts of family and friends.  I’d like to share some of the things I’ve learned about food prep.  Some of these ideas were passed along as I learned from others.  Some of these are the result of a cooking fail.  Hopefully, they are helpful to anyone preparing food for Thanksgiving this year!

The “star of the show” is usually some type of bird or meat.  I think turkey is probably the most common, but I know people that prepare chicken, duck, goose, or cornish hens as well.  Other people opt to go with something altogether different like beef, pork, lamb, or fish.  A word of advice to all of those preparing birds, who have not raised and processed the bird they are about to cook: look inside!  The first turkey I cooked I knew there was a bag inside the cavity, so I pulled that out.  I did not know that there was also a bag in the neck.  That one was discovered while it was being carved after it was cooked!  Another unknown for me was how long and messy thawing a turkey can be.  I would suggest giving yourself more time than a Google search may indicate.  Google tells you 24 hours for every 4 pounds.  I would suggest giving yourself that much time for every 2 or 3 pounds.  Also, make sure you have a pan under it to catch the water that will run everywhere.  It doesn't matter how tightly it is wrapped or how many bags you have it in; it will run everywhere.  If you have other meat to be thawed, always give yourself more time than stated if there is a bone in it.  How much meat you have will depend on the number of people eating and whether or not you want any left over after the meal.  I would suggest approximately a half-pound of meat per person over ten and a quarter pound per person under ten.  If you want some leftovers, add a quarter-pound per adult.  When it comes to cooking, low and slow is the best way, in my opinion.  I cannot recommend a meat thermometer enough.  That is the best way to determine if meat is cooked thoroughly and to avoid overcooking.  This is especially true with poultry.  It is very easy to overcook something waiting for it to turn white.  Cook your meat to a safe temperature and then allow it to rest before cutting into it.  Most bone-in meats continue cooking after they are removed from the heat source.  If you wait for it to look done, you will actually be overcooking it.  If you are someone who does not eat or serve meat, then your first decision is what will be the main dish.  Once you decide on your main dish, you can choose sides to prepare that will complement what you are making.

When it comes to sides at Thanksgiving, I feel like anything goes, but some things go better together than others.  Dishes like mashed potatoes, for example, go well with almost any meat.  Something like cranberry sauce goes better with poultry than beef.  The number of sides you have will depend on what your family likes and how many people will be eating.  As an estimate, I would suggest starting with two sides and adding additional sides for every additional three to five people.  If you have a large family or a lot of friends gathering, it can be quite a lot of food.  I recommend embracing the history of Thanksgiving and having others bring sides as well!  There is no need for one person to do all the cooking unless that is something you really want to do.  Sides are usually dishes that will stay warm and are easy to bring along.  Asking those coming to contribute to the meal is a great way to ease your preparation and allow them to be a part of it.  If you are making them all yourself, I suggest preparing items ahead of time.  The day before is a great day to chop vegetables, assemble casseroles, bake bread, or mix pie crusts. Determine what has to be done the day of, and what can be made ahead and then heated in the oven.  I usually look at how long things take to cook or bake and work backward in my planning.  Yes, even if you aren't usually a planner, it is essential for preparing a large meal with several different dishes if you want to serve the meal at a specific time.

Desserts are usually something that can be made up to a week in advance.  Cookies can be made even before that as they freeze well.  While pies are best baked the day of, the pieces can be prepared in advance.  For example, I will make up the pie crust and the filling two days before and put them in the fridge.  The night before the pie can be baked.  That allows you to serve a fresh pie while having one less thing to worry about on Thanksgiving Day.  If you want a warm pie, you can always pop it in a warm oven while you are eating to be served after.  Any jellies or sauces can be made months ahead if they are canned.  Most will last in the refrigerator for weeks.  Plan ahead and you can have most of the work done before Thanksgiving day arrives!

Planning ahead, early preparation, and accepting help or having others bring prepared dishes are some ways to ease the tension of preparation on Thanksgiving day.  Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy and give thanks, not be stressed and overwhelmed.  If one or more of your dishes burn or don't turn out, do not worry.  You can always put some fruit out or serve the ice cream without the burnt pie.  If the whole thing is awful, it's time for an atypical Thanksgiving where you all meet up at a restaurant or order out.  Whatever you do, give thanks.