Thanksgiving Dinner Timetable
If using a frozen turkey, I hope you have allowed 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator to thaw. Or thaw in water.
About the Timetable:
There’s no way around the fact that most of the Thanksgiving meal is best done that day. This timetable takes into account the need to wash dishes as you go along, thereby keeping your kitchen neat with plenty of counter space for working comfortably. At the end of each task, take a few minutes to wash the bowls and utensils you have just used and to clean the counter. You’ll find the whole process much more pleasurable and easier to manage if you do.
Mis en Place: This is a French term for preparing all the ingredients for a dish in advance, such as washing, trimming and chopping vegetables; setting out your spices and herbs, and all the rest. Do it at the beginning of the day. The rest of the cooking will be a cinch.
Things To Do The Day Before:
- Bake the cornbread. (The cornbread may also be baked early and frozen; thaw in the refrigerator.)
- Toast the pecans. Seal in airtight container overnight, or freeze if made weeks in advance.
- Assemble your batterie de cuisine.
- Set the table and assemble your serving dishes and utensils.
What to Do Thanksgiving Day:
Allow yourself about 4-1/2 hours from start to finish.
00:00 – 00:30
- chopping the onions, celery and other ingredients for the cornbread dressing,
- peeling and trimming the vegetables for the stock,
- trimming the green beans,
- setting out any ingredients you will need for the herb seasoning, lemon-vinaigrette and cranberry relish.
0:30 – 1:00
1:00 – 1:30
- Make the seasoning rub.
- Prepare the turkey according to the recipe.
1:30 – 4 o’clock
1:30 – 1:45
1:45 – 2:45
1:45 – 2 o’clock
2 – 2:45
2:45 – 3 o’clock
3 – 3:30
3:30 – 4 o’clock
4 – 4:20 (or as soon as the turkey is done)
4:30