Some years ago, my Thanksgiving assignment was to make the pumpkin pies. No canned for me, I baked the organic pumpkins, used only free-range eggs, and perfected the flakiest crust. I proudly brought the pies into my sister’s house and stashed them on top of the guest bed, the better to keep them in pristine condition and out of the mayhem going on in the kitchen. A short while later, I went back to check on them, only to find my sister’s golden retriever finishing off the filling from the second pie. Apparently she didn’t think much of my crust.
Thanksgiving is often filled with disasters, and our family has had our share over the years. How can we get good at something we only do once a year? When I was growing up, we always had Thanksgiving at my grandmother’s house. All the men were banished to the living room while the women made dinner. In this way, the secrets of preparing turkey and all the accompaniments were kept a mystery. That is until now. I will share some of my best strategies for making this an enjoyable and stress-free experience.
The key to a successful meal is to start planning a few days before Thanksgiving. The first decision is the turkey. I’m sold on the heritage turkeys, which have a lot more flavor, but are scarce and expensive. The next best choice is a free-range, all-natural turkey. Brining the bird has become popular, and for good reason. It adds flavor and succulence and practically guarantees a moist bird. I find that a 12-to-14-pound turkey is just the right size for 10 people, with some left over.
I like simple and traditional, so here is my menu: roast turkey with gravy, herb and bacon stuffing, onion and apple gratin, mashed yukon gold potatoes, brussels sprouts in brown butter and hazelnuts, cranberry-orange chutney and pumpkin pie for dessert. I do all my shopping two days before the holiday. Not only will I have a better selection, but also the stores will not be insanely busy. Don’t forget turkey or chicken bones for stock.
The day before Thanksgiving is actually my biggest prep day. I make the chicken or turkey stock in the morning and let it cook all day, and prepare the brine for the turkey and let it cool. I prepare the chutney and the piecrust and dry out the stuffing bread cubes in a 150° oven. Other chores that I could do to save time on the big day are to peel the potatoes and hold in water in the refrigerator, trim the brussels sprouts, and slow cook the onions for the apple-onion gratin.
Thanksgiving day begins with baking the pie. Since I already have the piecrust done, I just need to make the filling and bake. After the pie is done, I will bake my apple and onion gratin. On the stovetop I will blanch the trimmed sprouts in boiling salted water and also cook the mashed potatoes ahead, only having to gently reheat when it’s time to eat. One trick I’ve learned over the years is to bake the stuffing outside the bird, right in a casserole. Remove the turkey from the brine and dry well. Smear with butter and roast turkey at 380° for 2 1/2-to-3 hours, basting every 20 minutes. Turkey is done when it registers 165° in the thickest part of the leg joint. Let rest 20 minutes before carving. The only last-minute job, besides the carving, is making the gravy and sautéing the sprouts in brown butter. By not doing everything at the last minute, you should be able to pull off a fabulous dinner without anyone knowing your secret.
Basic Brine,
2 gallons cold water
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cups Diamond Crystal
kosher salt
Spices and aromatics as desired
Mix it all up in a big pot until salt and sugar are dissolved. Put turkey inside two unscented garbage bags and place in cooler. Pour water over turkey and tie both bags securely. Add ice to cooler and let brine up to 24 hours.
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