So, for the plan: depending on how big the turkey is make sure you get it out of the freezer a couple of days before Thanksgiving. The best defrost is in the refrigerator, in an emergency you can run cold water over the turkey (while it is still in the package), don’t run hot water over it, that will cook the turkey in a “not so good” way.
In the morning, first thing, I put the turkey in the sink, pull all of the gizzards out of the neck and cavity of the turkey, rinse it and pat it dry. Then you can follow your favorite recipe. I prefer Basil, Rosemary and Thyme to the Sage recipe. Historically, women, including myself and my mother-in-law, would boil the giblets in water to make the chicken broth for making the dressing and gravy.
If I am baking bread loaves, I put them out to rise in the morning.
If you are going to bake pies, do it before you put the turkey in the oven (unless you have 2 ovens). While baking (pies, cookies, etc.), in the oven, you can prepare the stuffing and stuff the bird. Make sure that you put your completed desserts into a safe area where they can be served – so that this part of the menu is complete.
After you add oil and herbs to the top of the bird and place the stuffed turkey in a roasting pan, you are ready for baking. Make sure you baste the turkey at least once per hour, preferably twice per hour. Make sure the oven is preheated so that you can accurately predict when your turkey will be done.
You need to prep for the last hour of turkey baking: get your potatoes ready by cutting them and placing in water for boiling, prepare your green bean casserole and prepare your bread.
(Cut red potatoes, leave the peelings on, but not the eyes, boil them in salt water for ½ hour until potatoes are soft. Drain them very well, then put butter on the potatoes so that it melts, then add a little bit of milk and after mashing, use the mixer to make them soft and creamy. Don’t forget salt and pepper.)
If you are making a ham, buy a good one at the grocery store, I will normally buy a spiral sliced, rub it with brown sugar and place it in a shallow pan with pineapple juice. I usually place the pineapple slices on the ham and tack them in place with toothpicks. A ham only needs to be heated, so I will try to fit it in during the last hour of the turkey baking.
During that last hour, you want to finish cooking the potatoes and have the green bean casserole completely cooked – so that all it needs is the warm up in the oven when you put the bread in to bake.
Now, pull the turkey and the ham out of the oven, put the casseroles and bread into the oven. Mash the potatoes. Have someone put the turkey onto the serving platter and use the drippings of the cooked turkey to make the gravy. Most cooks will just use the roasting pan the turkey was in – on top of the stove to make the gravy.
Recap:
Bake pies and desserts – place in serving area, so that they are out of way and done!
Prep turkey while pies are in oven.
If baking bread, make sure bread is rising, first thing in the morning.
Bake turkey in preheated oven (mine is 9 pounds which will take approximately 4 hours – stuffed, I will put it in oven 5 hours before dinner – this gives us an hour for cooling and prepping) This year, we aren’t eating ‘til five, so I will put in oven at noon.
Use this time to prepare mashed potatoes, green bean casserole,
Prepare ham and place in oven during last hour of turkey for heating,
Pull everything out of oven and put green bean casserole and bread in oven,
Mash potatoes, if not done already,
Make gravy after placing turkey on serving dish,
For bread, I usually place it into a basket with a fabric napkin to keep it warm,
Make sure you have soft butter placed out and that you have someone reliable to set the table. Setting the table is a “do-ahead”.
Choose your serving platters the day before you cook to save you a headache on that day. Make sure serving utensils are placed out with your platters and bowls.
