Menu (note when planning the
menu that you do not have any extra oven time available for other dishes
on Thanksgiving day):
Cranberry Brie & crackers
Wine & sparkling cider
Turkey, dressing (wet & dry) & gravy
Mashed potatoes
(yam recipe, if desired)
Honey glazed onions
(another vegetable, if desired – wicked vegetables, spinach or corn casserole)
Rolls & butter
Apple, banana & date salad
Cranberry sauce (canned – whole berry & smooth and left over Brie sauce)
Pumpkin pie & whipped cream
(another dessert, if desired – pecan & apple pies are traditional)
Supplies & Equipment:
Roasting pan
Large pan and/or platter
Aluminum foil
Instant meat thermometer
Turkey tweezers
Paper towels
Turkey skewers
String
2 large pans (Pyrex, doubles as serving piece, or aluminum)
Turkey lifting chains
Turkey baster
Small covered casserole
Warming tray
Schedule:
A week before Thanksgiving: Shop for non-perishables and order a fresh turkey
Wednesday: Shop for perishables & pick up turkey. Set table & lay out warming tray & basket for rolls. Get out serving dishes and label them (slip of paper in dish is what I do). Make pumpkin pies & a second dessert, if desired. Make honey glazed onions (especially if you use fresh onions). Begin stuffing. Begin cranberry Brie.
Thanksgiving day: I usually plan to eat at ~3:30 so I usually plan to have the turkey done at 3:00. Use the following chart to determine how much before dinner to start your turkey (remember to allow for the 30 minutes before dinner that you want the turkey done). Since I typically cook a 20-24 pound turkey, I get my turkey into the oven at 9AM.
|
Safe Turkey Cooking Times |
||
|
Weight |
Unstuffed
Cooking Time |
Stuffed
Cooking Time |
|
8
to 12 |
2
1/4 to 3 |
3
to 3 1/2 |
|
12
to 14 |
3
to 3 ¾ |
3
1/2 to 4 |
|
14
to 18 |
3
3/4 to 4 1/4 |
4
to 4 1/4 |
|
18
to 20 |
4
1/4 to 4 1/2 |
4
1/4 to 4 3/4 |
|
20 to 24 |
4 1/2 to 5 |
4 3/4 to 5 1/4 |
8:00: Put out Brie to come to room temperature
Finish dressing
Prepare & stuff turkey
Put extra dressing into 2 9x13" pans
8:45 Preheat oven to 325º
9:00 Turkey goes into the oven
12:00 Put 1/3-1/2 extra dressing into the roasting pan with the turkey
1:00 Put the turkey giblets, except liver (kidney must have skins removed), into a very small covered casserole with some water and bake in oven
1:30 Start rolls (if making homemade ones)
2:00 Put cranberry sauce & butter on plates
Add liver to turkey giblets and continue to bake
Bake Brie, if you can fit it in the oven (10 minutes at 350º)
Make apple, banana & date salad, then refrigerate
2:30 Peel & boil potatoes (save water for gravy)
Heat warming tray
Prepare second vegetable & yam dish, if desired
Fill glasses with water & ice
3:00 Serve Brie, crackers, wine & sparkling cider (if available)
Take out the turkey & cover it with aluminum foil & towel (instant read thermometer should read (180º-185º in thighs, 170º-175º in breast, 160-165º in stuffing)
Mix dressing from roasting pan with dry dressing (leave wet dressing inside of turkey separate)
Make gravy in roasting pan
Bake Brie, if you couldn’t do it earlier (10 minutes at 350º)
Bake dressing (30 minutes at 350º)
Bake second vegetable & yam dish, if desired
3:15 Serve Brie, crackers, wine & sparkling cider (if not previously available)
Bake rolls (15 minutes at 425º)
Heat onions on top of the stove
Mash potatoes
Remove dressing from turkey and place in a separate bowl
Carve turkey
Brown dressing under broiler (do not leave)
3:30 Rush everything out to the table