Secrets to Preparing a Successful Thanksgiving Dinner


The most important thing about preparing a Thanksgiving dinner is not to be so stressed from the preparation that you do not have the time or peace of mind to enjoy it. Here are some tips and tricks that should make your Thanksgiving preparations go a little more smoothly.

Shopping for Dinner Ingredients

First of all, plan ahead and make sure you have any special recipes you need and all the ingredients and that may be required well ahead of time.

Start with a shopping list. A basic list will include the turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and the makings for other side dishes such as a green beans casserole. Be sure to grab some bread such as rolls or biscuits or crescent rolls with butter. And don’t forget the pumpkin pie and the whipped cream!

Try to purchase the items on your list 3-4 days before the big day. However, if you must wait until the day before to get some of your shopping done, then do so as early in the day as possible to avoid the rush of other last minute shoppers.

Keeping Track of Tasks

Make notes for yourself or better yet your holiday helpers.



Cooking the Turkey

If your turkey was purchased frozen, allow it to defrost over the course of a few days in the refrigerator, rather than sitting it out on the counter. This will prevent bacteria from growing, which can cause food poisoning. If the turkey is still slightly frozen on Thanksgiving morning, place the plastic wrapped turkey in the sink and run cold water over it for a while. This will help speed defrosting.

Once the turkey is defrosted, it's time to prepare it for cooking. Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended on the packaging. Remove the plastic wrapper, and discard it. Remove the wrapped package from inside the turkey, and set it aside. This is the innards and the neck and can be used later to make other things. Rinse the turkey in cold water and remove any remaining feathers by pulling them out. You can use pliers if they are hard to get out. Dry the turkey, and place it breast side up on a rack in a deep roasting pan. For a crispy and delicious skin, melt a half stick of butter and brush it on the turkey, making sure to get all of the parts including the wings and legs. After coating the turkey with butter, sprinkle garlic powder and black pepper all over it for additional flavoring

After seasoning the turkey, place it in the preheated oven. Allow the turkey to bake as indicated by the label, checking its appearance frequently. Once the skin begins to brown, pull the turkey out for a minute and baste it with 2 cups of turkey broth. Cover the turkey with foil, and return it to the oven. Baste it every 30 to 40 minutes with the juices from the pan, recover, and return it to the oven.

Note: for safety's sake (and because crispy stuffing just tastes better) the stuffing should be prepared separately in its own baking dish. Preparing the stuffing in the turkey can cause both the stuffing and the turkey to not cook thoroughly, making you and your guest susceptible to food poisons as underdone foods can harbor bacteria.

By now, the turkey should be done. Most turkeys come with a pop-up timer. If it has not popped yet, keep checking every 5 minutes until it does. Once the timer has popped, remove the turkey from the oven, and place one of your side dishes inside instead. Place the turkey on a safe surface, and keep it covered for at least 20 minutes with aluminum foil. This allows the turkey to reach its maximum cooking temperature and gives the juices a chance to settle back into the meat. Cutting into a turkey as soon as it is removed from the oven is a sure way to lose all of the juices and get a dry turkey.

Preparing Side Dishes

About 1 hour before the turkey is scheduled to be done, you can begin preparing the other dishes.
Prepare stuffing using chicken or turkey broth to add additional flavor. After preparing the stuffing on the stovetop, spread it out evenly in a baking dish and place it in the oven below the turkey. This will give the stuffing a crispy top layer, with a softer layer underneath.

A delicious alternative to plain cranberry sauce is to mix whole berry cranberry sauce with a can of drained pineapple tidbits. The pineapple adds a unique flavor to the sauce and goes well with the turkey and stuffing.
Another great side dish is a string bean casserole, made with fresh string beans, cream of mushroom soup and topped with crunchy fried onion strings.

For the sweet potatoes, a casserole is another great way to go. After cleaning and taking off any bad parts, take your sweet potatoes, cut them up into 1-2 inch chunks, and place in a microwave safe bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of butter, also in chunks, to the bowl. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, then stir or mash the potatoes and butter together in the bowl. Return it to the microwave for an additional 4 minutes, then remove and stir again. To the sweet potato and butter mash, add cinnamon and sugar to taste, stirring to mix it thoroughly. Once it is mixed, place the mixture into an oven safe baking dish. Top with granola and miniature marshmallows and bake for 15 minutes, or until the marshmallows are melted and browned.

Serving the Meal

After the turkey has rested and your other dishes have finished cooking, it is time to carve the bird. Start by removing the legs and wings. After slicing with a sharp knife in the joint of each piece, using a bit of force, bend it backward until you hear a crack. You can then slice through the rest of the way, creating clean cut pieces. Once the parts are removed, you can begin slicing the breast meat. Using a sharp knife, slice the meat into thin layers and stack onto a serving dish. Surround the white meat with the legs and wings and serve. Author: Anne Jefferson
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