hanksgiving marks a contentious time in almost all of our lives here in the States. It’s a time that is signified as a moment in gratitude, reflection upon those whom we wish to give thanks to while also being a horrendously whitewashed account of some mythical pilgrim and Native communion. It’s a time meant to be spent with loved ones and good food, but the event also inevitably creates moments of both uncomfort through interrogative questioning and utter frustration with burnt turkeys, underdone pies, and dry stuffing. The holiday is contradictory and complicated, but if you can successfully make a meal worthy of your closest friends and family, then the event can turn from dreadful to magical.
You may be assuming the role of head chef for Thanksgiving for a variety of reasons, and hopefully you have some cooking experience under your belt before embarking on this task — if not, you might want to enlist a more experienced helper to act as your sous chef. Whatever the reason for your hosting, with the right mix of preparation, skills, and (just a bit of) luck, you should be sitting down for a Thanksgiving meal that will be one for the books, full of good food, warm memories, and overstuffed stomachs.
Preparing for the Big Day
You can (and should) begin planning for your Thanksgiving meal weeks in advance in order to sort through the day with as little stress and few mishaps as possible.
For novice Thanksgiving hosts, preparation is your best friend. Since you have not established any set menu, guest-list, or shopping list, you’re going to need to start from scratch. Don’t let this discourage you, however: Having a hand in creating your perfect Thanksgiving should entice you to work harder to pull off a stellar get-together.
The first thing you’re going to want to do when beginning the planning process is create a guest list. Promptly establishing who and how many will be attending your dinner will guide you through the rest of the planning process, as a guest list not only acts as a guide for quantities of food but also one for types of food and dishes offered. Once you make a tentative guest list, send out casual invites through text or a quick phone call to confirm who will be in attendance, solidifying your headcount for the event. (Make sure you have enough silverware, dishes, and glasses for your guests — something that may seem obvious, but in the midst of all the planning you may forget!)
You also will want to check in with your guests to make sure if any of them have dietary restrictions and guarantee that their needs will be accounted for — don’t fret if you have a vegan or gluten-intolerant guest in the mix, there are plenty of delicious dishes that are vegan and gluten-free that the whole crowd will love! See if anyone wants to bring a dish of their own as well; having a few guests cover desserts or appetizers will make your job a lot easier even if it feels like just a small item in the grand scheme of the day.
Once you have a list of who’s coming and who’s bringing what, you can start the creation of your actual menu. The size of your menu will vary based on how many you’re expecting, but you should make sure to serve the classic items that most people will expect. This doesn't have to mean you’re forced to bake only boring desserts and lame dishes — instead take the classic dishes (turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole, etc.) and make them exciting for you and your guest. Keep the quintessential essence and upgrade it with fun twists.
Your menu will act as a pretty seamless guide for a grocery list, which you may want to split up into a few separate lists in order to acquire non-perishables you need in advance, saving fresh foods for the week of. Dividing your groceries between stores and trips will likely save you money as well, since you can choose to pick up items when on special or sale. You also will want to pick up beverages for your guests — if you’re serving alcohol, you can go as big or little as you want, either opting for beer and wine or festive mixed drinks.
Before the week of Thanksgiving, you’re going to want to make a schedule of cooking. For someone of average means, the luxury of multiple ovens, stoves, and appliances is one of dreams, so you’re going to have to make do with what you’ve got. This means that you might have to make certain dishes in advance — pies, stuffings, and casseroles can usually be done a day or two ahead of time — as well as look for similar cooking temperatures for recipes in order to double-up your oven’s productivity. It might be a bit painstaking to plan your entire cooking schedule out, but it’s a lifesaver the day of, and if you host again, you will already have a master plan of how and when to cook all of the food.
The week of Thanksgiving will consist of you cooking in the kitchen, cleaning up the house, and preparing the dining room for guests. It’s a lot of work, but try to find enjoyment in all of the things you’re obligated to do! Cooking can be stressful, though take the tasks lightly and not too seriously so you don’t get lost in the strains on you. Think of the prep as a time to escape the pressures of your daily life, as moments for you to do things you wouldn’t likely spend too much time on otherwise.
Turkey 101: How to Not Burn Your House Down
Cooking a turkey does not have to be a horrifying ordeal as long as you follow a trustworthy and feasible recipe to your skills.
If you’ve never cooked a turkey before, you might find yourself a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of housing a ten-plus pound bird in your oven for hours on end. It’s daunting, we know. But it’s not impossible — people have been cooking them for years and most have been successful, so you can too.
Looking online or at YouTube videos about Thanksgiving turkeys often acts as a double-edged sword. You’ll definitely learn a lot about how to cook the bird, but you also will be bombarded with tips, tricks, and techniques to choose from that all claim to be the best. You may be familiar with the practice of brining a turkey to keep the meat moist and flavorful, but did you know you can either wet-brine or dry-brine your bird? We all know about roasting a turkey, but did you know you could deep-fry one? The options seem limitless, and yet you have to make a choice when cooking your turkey.
Step one is to pick a bird. The common rule is to have one and a half pounds of turkey per person — so a party of eight should plan to buy a twelve pound bird. For lengthier guest lists, the best thing to do is buy two smaller birds rather than one big one, as there is more wiggle-room for error with two smaller birds than there is for a single big one which can take a long time to cook fully through.
The wisest advice when making a turkey is to follow a recipe — this one from the Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten, has fantastic reviews and will put you in the company of thousands who’ve enjoyed this particular bird on Thanksgiving. It’s a pretty simple and straightforward recipe that should take a lot of the fear out of cooking such an important staple of the holiday.
A Few Mouthwatering Sides to Try Out
Whether you prefer to stick with the classics or experiment with cuisines and dishes, we’ve got a recipe that you’ll be excited to make (and even more excited to eat).
Macaroni and Cheese for the Gods
You can’t have Thanksgiving without macaroni and cheese; the ooey, gooey pasta pairs perfectly with the flavors and textures that accompany it on your plate. If you’re looking for an easy and oh-so-cheesy mac and cheese recipe to serve on your table, make it this delicious one by chef Millie Peartree from the New York Times. The classic southern style of this dish will make all of your guests feel like they’re home, and you’ll be sure to enjoy the simplicity of the recipe and its ingredients.
For anyone cooking for vegans out there, Loving It Vegan has a fantastic recipe that has rave reviews and will likely please everyone at the table, vegan or not!
Cornbread for Dipping, Mixing, and Eating by the Pound
Cornbread is another staple in the American Thanksgiving menu. It comes in different types and kinds, but you will likely find it on almost every table in the country on the holiday because it is just so good. For a twist on the classic cornbread (though still very much in the holiday tradition), try this Butter Pecan Cornbread recipe from Darius Cooks that is the perfect combination of sweet dessert and savory bread — you have to give it a taste!
Vegans and those with gluten-intolerance should test out this recipe from The Simple Veganista which will prove to all you vegan-doubters that vegan food can be just as good — if not better than — the milk and butter ridden stuff!
Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
Thanksgiving is — let’s face it — all about the desserts that are enjoyed only a few times a year, so make it count!
Pumpkin Pie or Sweet Potato Pie?
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t expecting either a pumpkin pie or sweet potato pie to be on the table at Thanksgiving. The two desserts have become synonymous with the holiday, with flavors that bring back memories of Thanksgivings passed. For a not-too-ambitious twist on the classic pumpkin pie, try this pumpkin pudding from Food52 that has all of the flavor of the classic but none of the tedious and often disastrous slicing. Just scoop a serving out and serve with piles of whipped cream for a delicious dessert!
For any sweet potato pie diehards, this recipe from Grandbaby Cakes should have you covered and will surely make its way into your regular rotation of holiday desserts.
If you’re looking to discover some other recipes, the internet will serve you well. There are countless blogs and websites devoted to cooking and helping you feed yourself and your loved ones well. The library is another source that will have tons of cookbooks that could help you along the way of your Thanksgiving journey. Have fun finding recipes that excite you and make your stomach rumble, and enjoy your Thanksgiving, hopefully filled with love and gratitude.
