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Two Extra Hands to Help You Make Thanksgiving

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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

Perform any "mis en place" tasks, including:
  • 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

Prepare the Cornbread Dressing up until the point of adding the stock. Set aside.


1:00 – 1:30

Turn on the oven for the turkey.
  • Make the seasoning rub.
  • Prepare the turkey according to the recipe.


1:30 – 4 o’clock

Roast the turkey; baste every 30 minutes with pan juices. Check the temperature, using an instant read thermometer. You may need to continue cooking if not completely done.


1:30 – 1:45

Prepare the stock and skim surface.


1:45 – 2:45

Add the vegetables to the skimmed stock. Simmer the stock slowly.


1:45 – 2 o’clock

Make the cranberry relish. Refrigerate until ready to use. At 2, baste the turkey.


2 – 2:45

Prepare the green beans and the lemon-vinaigrette for the salad, but do not dress until later. Set out the ingredients for the gravy. If you haven’t already done so, get the serving utensils out. At 2:30, baste the turkey.


2:45 – 3 o’clock

Add the stock to the cornbread dressing, stir and place in the pan. Cover with foil and place in the oven according to the recipe. At 3 o’clock, baste the turkey and rotate the pan around in the oven so it cooks evenly.


3 – 3:30

Bake the cornbread dressing covered with foil. Then remove the foil. At 3:30, baste the turkey. In between, mingle with any guests who start to arrive.


3:30 – 4 o’clock

Bake the cornbread dressing *uncovered. * At 4, check the turkey to see if it’s done. If not, continue cooking. Check every 10 minutes until done. Remove the dressing and cover with foil to keep warm. In between, mingle.


4 – 4:20 (or as soon as the turkey is done)

Remove the turkey from oven and make the gravy according to recipe. While the gravy is simmering, dress the green bean salad, and get the meal ready for serving. Mash the potatoes. Put sweet potatoes in oven to warm and melt marshmallows.


4:30

Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner and get ready for loads of compliments.

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