Do you intend to prepare your first Thanksgiving meal? I guess you’re not really hosting but roasting the turkey.
Are you feeling hesitant about roasting a turkey because of the size of the whole animal? We’re here to assist you in making your holiday feast a success, whether you’re a novice cook or hosting for the first time. Whether preparing Thanksgiving dinner for a large family, a small gathering, or just yourself and a roommate, you’ll find everything you need here to get you started. Continue reading for advice on preparing Thanksgiving dinner, ideas for festive dishes, and new favorites.
Create a Thanksgiving menu.
It would be best if you planned a menu that incorporates your group’s favorite meals and perhaps try out a few new recipes, depending on the size of your event. Take time to consider the size of your gathering and how much effort you want to put forth. Take into account the needs of vegans, vegetarians, and others following special diets and what traditional dishes your family or friends love.
This is just the beginning of some things to consider when planning your holiday menu. With our suggested Thanksgiving menu, we’ve got you covered whether you want to keep things straightforward for a holiday or you’re eager to try your hand at a traditional holiday feast with all the trimmings. If you want to put together a dinner meal that is more specifically tailored to your tastes, there are more suggestions in the rest of this post. You can make a grocery list and go shopping after you know what you’re going to cook.
Turkey Whole Roasting
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same for some families without a roast turkey. The cooking suggestions mentioned below will coach you through each step required to prepare the best festive turkey if that applies to yours. We’ve provided tips on picking the best turkey, thawing a frozen bird, brining a turkey (and why you should), how long a turkey takes to cook, and—of course!—carving it after it’s done. When all else fails, Butterball Turkey has a hotline that they operate on the holiday, for those last minute questions.
Expert Tip
Call your local store or place an online order well before Thanksgiving to be sure they have a turkey in stock for you. A frozen turkey can always be kept in your freezer until it’s time to begin thawing. Suppliers always have suggested thawing techniques printed on the turkey wrapper. You should give your turkey one full day to defrost for every four pounds it needs to thaw.
Prepare a Turkey Breast for More Compact Gatherings
What if your Thanksgiving table is smaller, and you still want to offer turkey? Consider preparing a turkey breast rather than an entire bird if you’re hosting a modest holiday celebration and don’t want to have a lot of leftover meat. You can experiment with grilling, smoking, or even deep-frying the flesh as a skin-on turkey breast is excellent white meat and can be prepared using any technique you might use for a complete turkey.
A complete bone-in turkey breast weighing six to seven pounds will serve six to eight persons, depending on your needs. Consider preparing a three-pound boneless half-breast if you invite four or fewer people. Then go through some mouthwatering turkey breast recipes deserving of your Thanksgiving dinner.
The More Sides, The Merrier.
Some people could argue that the side dishes make Thanksgiving so unique. Between your childhood memories and the internet, your table will be loaded with delectable sides, from traditional fare like green bean casserole with those fried onion pieces mixed in, mashed potatoes, and roasted brussels sprouts to inventive corn side dishes, vegan and vegetarian gratins, and fashionable cauliflower mash. Have several dishes to give your guests choices.
Stuffing
A favorite dish during Thanksgiving is stuffing or dressing, as my family calls it. If you trust the ones at home not to do some early sampling, you can prepare the dish a few days in advance. Wrap the container tightly and chill in the fridge. Take it out on the day of and reheat it. Next level cooking is to prepare the dressing the day of the event and cook it inside the bird. We’ll save that for the next time. Even last-minute dressing can be put together swiftly and baked on Thanksgiving, either inside the turkey, in a separate casserole dish, or a compact device like a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. There are many recipes online but don’t get too creative if your crowd is looking for a traditional meal.
Gravy
You undoubtedly consider gravy a necessary holiday ingredient, especially for seasoning and moistening dry white turkey meat. The variety of gravy choices you have, though, might surprise you. These include solutions that don’t rely on turkey drippings, are gluten-free, or are suited for a raw vegan diet.
Cranberry Sauce
Thanksgiving dinner dishes must include cranberry sauce to bring color and flavor to the main course of fowl with a tangy-sweet zing. Additionally, homemade versions are much better than canned jellied versions and are simple to create from scratch. Further, with some imagination, you can alter it in various ways for your unique party. Consult the Ocean Spray Cranberry site to find suggestions for the preparation of whole berries to recipes for leftovers.
Don’t Forget The Drinks
No matter how many people attend, Thanksgiving is still a party. Make sure your guests have access to some hydrating drinks. For those who don’t drink alcohol (including children), you should, at the very least, keep iced beverages in your refrigerator, whether it’s sparkling water, a pitcher of still water with floating cucumber and lemon slices, or a specially crafted Thanksgiving mocktail. We also suggest serving wine for the holiday if you enjoy it. Mix up a batch of sangria, a heady concoction of red wine, liquors, and fruits.
Great. You’ll finally get to cook with your …
Whatever the size of your holiday dinner, there’s a high chance you’ll spend at least some of the day juggling many dishes in the kitchen. Find recipes you can create in your slow cooker, Instant Pot, or ahead of Thanksgiving day for simple warming (or just serving) during dinner to give yourself (and your crowded oven) a break.
You can never have too many desserts?
Should we even say it? With a plate of something sweet, Thanksgiving is best ended. Your holiday dessert round-ups shouldn’t disappoint, whether you are a sweet potato pie purist, like a traditional pumpkin pie, or are interested in trying something new this year. Plan a little break after the main dinner, but rest assured everyone will want some dessert. Don’t turn your nose up at a good old-fashioned jello mold. It’s sure to spark a memory or story from someone.
Now, if you’ve done everything right, you’ll either be rewarded or punished, depending on your point of view, with being crowned the permanent host for every family/friend gathering from here to eternity. Plan wisely!
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