I’m a French Culinary School grad, so Thanksgiving is like my Super Bowl. Getting everything timed perfectly for dinner can be a bit of an art and I don’t like to take chances, so I really think through my process and write out a list to help me get dinner on the table HOT for my family.
If you’re cooking this year, give my list a once-over and see if it will lend a hand. I focus on the mains: turkey, gravy, stuffing, green beans – so add extra time if you make more dishes and if you do everything the day of. I start my prep the day before, and I recommend you do as well.
The Day Before
9am: Prep Turkey; wash, dry, remove wings for confit, dry brine and get into fridge overnight.
10: Confit wings; cook at 250 for 5 hours, remove from heat and let come to room temp, then fridge over night.
6pm: Prepare stuffing; cut bread into cubes and dry out in a 250 oven for an hour.
6:30pm: Gravy Base; make a roux and add stock, boil, then bring to room temp and fridge overnight.
Thanksgiving Day
8am: Make turkey stock; take turkey bones and brown along with onion, carrot, celery, add water and herbs and cook for 2.5 hours.
9am: Create stuffing base; cook onion and celery and sausage, mix with bread and get into the fridge.
11am: Add turkey stock to gravy base for traditional gravy, and gluten-free/dairy-free gravy.
12pm: Cook the turkey in parts; breast at 450 then 300F, and legs at 500F.
1pm: Remove stuffing from fridge so it can come to room temp and prepare the green beans.
2pm: Cook the stuffing, and pull turkey from the oven. Finish the gravy with brown bits from turkey pan.
3pm: Cook rolls. Then re-heat the rest of of the meal in this order:
- green beans
- stuffing
- turkey
3:15pm: Brown confit wings
3:30pm: EAT UP, TURKEYS.
Lo Bosworth
