Thanksgiving Preparation Guide
Hey friends! :)
I hope you are all having a great start to your week! Thanksgiving is just around the corner! If this is your first time hosting or just looking to get more organized, this post is for you! Everyone that knows me knows I am a planner. I like to make things as smooth as possible. Being prepared helps me not feel so anxious leading up to an event. It also makes me feel less stressed if something does go wrong.
The holidays are a busy time of year for everyone! Once Halloween is over, Thanksgiving happens, then Christmas, and finally New Year's! It can be overwhelming! That is why I put together this guide to help you get organized and prepare for the upcoming holiday. Today, I am going to outline how I prepare for Thanksgiving at my house. I’ve got a couple of years of hosting under my belt, and I’ve learned a lot since my first year! For those curious, my first time cooking a turkey was a nightmare! I underestimated just how much time it took to prepare everything, and to make matters worse, my husband and I could not find the giblets in our turkey! We were convinced ours didn’t come with any. We finally found them when we carved the turkey. Haha! So if it seems like I have it all together, let me be the first to tell you I don’t. This sort of thing takes practice. All of us make mistakes, and no one is perfect. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this post, and it helps you if you are hosting for the first time or looking for ways to make your Thanksgiving prep work less stressful.
THANKSGIVING DINNER TIMELINE
**NOTE** I usually start buying any ingredients that are non-perishable a few weeks before Thanksgiving. I do this for a couple of reasons. First, because I want to ensure I have everything I need. In my experience, the closer it gets to the holiday, the harder it is to find particular items at the store. Second, I hate fighting the crowds. Grabbing most of my items in advance makes going to the store the week of Thanksgiving easier because I only have to pick up a few last-minute things that I couldn’t buy before.
NOVEMBER 19TH (6 DAYS BEFORE): THAW TURKEY & PREPARE PIE CRUSTS
One of the first steps in preparing for Thanksgiving is to thaw your turkey. Depending on the size, this can take anywhere from a week to 3 days. Rule of thumb: Allow one day to thaw for every 4 lbs. My mom always gets a free turkey from the apartment complex she lives in, and this year they gave everyone a 20 lb turkey! Therefore, I’ll be taking my turkey out six days before.
This year, I’ve made a lot of pies and been practicing making homemade pie crusts. Anyone who has made a pie crust from scratch knows that they usually call for butter, shortening, and ice-cold water. My husband and I rarely have ice cubes on hand, and our fridge does not come with an ice maker. Therefore, I like to make my ice cubes ahead of time. I also like to cut up my butter and shortening into small cubes to save time. These ingredients must be cold if you are making the dough yourself. Not using cold ingredients will result in a less flaky crust.
NOVEMBER 20TH (5 DAYS BEFORE): MAKE PIE CRUSTS & FREEZE
I am baking three pies for Thanksgiving this year. For Thanksgiving Day, we are serving cherry and pecan pie. However, for Kent's side of the family, I am responsible for bringing an apple pie. Since homemade crusts take a lot of work, I recommend making the dough in advance. You can chill the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it until you're ready to bake.
NOVEMBER 22ND (3 DAYS BEFORE): DRY OUT YOUR BREAD FOR YOUR STUFFING
Lastly, I like to make my bread crumbs for our stuffing. You don’t have to do this if you buy the prepackaged ones. However, since I prefer to prep the side dishes the day before Thanksgiving, I need to make sure my bread is stale and dried out ahead of time.
NOVEMBER 23RD (2 DAYS BEFORE): MAKE THE TURKEY BRINE & THAW PIE DOUGH
If you brine your turkey, save yourself some time and make the brine two days before. Your brine needs to cool completely before pouring over the turkey. Last year, I made it the day before, and it took FOREVER for the brine to cool down. I decided this year I would make it two days in advance. This way, it has plenty of time to cool off.
Next, I'll remove my pie dough from the freezer and put it in the fridge to thaw overnight. I do this so I can bake the pies the following day.
NOVEMBER 24TH (1 DAY BEFORE): BRINE TURKEY, BAKE PIES, THAW DINNER ROLLS, SET DINNER TABLE & PREP THE SIDE DISHES
The day before is probably the busiest day for me. I usually take the day off from work to give myself extra time to prepare everything. The first thing I do is brine the turkey. I do this right away because I like to brine my turkey for 24 hours. Next, I start on the pies. I do this second because it's a bit of a process since I have to roll out the dough first. I like to bake them the day before so the flavors have more time to develop. While the pies are baking, I usually start on any side dishes. In our family, we like scalloped corn, green bean casserole, and stuffing. All of these can be made ahead and kept in the fridge until Thanksgiving Day. Next, I thaw our dinner rolls (I buy these in advance and freeze until we are ready to use them). I also like to have another small dessert option that family members can take home with them. This year, I am making pumpkin spice cookies with cream cheese frosting. I will bake these the day before too. The last thing I do is set the table so it’s all ready for our guests.
NOVEMBER 25TH (THANKSGIVING DAY):
**NOTE** The size of your turkey will determine how long you need to let it cook. I have a 20lb turkey, so I'm cooking ours for 4 1/2 to 5 hours.
**NOTE** It helps to also look at each recipe and determine how long each dish will take. I would recommend starting with the recipe that will take the longest.
5:00 AM: Wake up and take any side dishes out of the fridge to bring to room temperature
5:30 AM: Bake scalloped corn (takes about an hour)
6:00 AM: While the scalloped corn bakes, stuff the turkey
6:30 AM: Bake green bean casserole (takes about 30 min)
7:00 AM: Roast the turkey, basting every 30 minutes. Cover the turkey with foil and remove it for the last 30 minutes.
7:15 AM: Shower & get ready
9:00 AM: Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
11:30 AM: Make the gravy for the mashed potatoes
12:00 PM: Make the mashed potatoes and take the turkey out of the oven
12:30 PM: Carve the turkey & heat up dinner rolls
1:00 PM: Time to eat! :)
Thanks for reading, friends! I hope you found this post helpful and took away a few tips! Also, if you have any advice that helps you during this busy time of year, make sure to drop a comment below! :)
Love, Brandi