Anytime we host a larger gathering for a complex meal I write a spreadsheet timeline. Starting with the desired sit-down time, and work your way back to your longest lead item. For me, it's usually a turkey or a brisket. I start the time scheduling process a few days ahead of time, and review it frequently, because I often forget a detail or two. Don't forget about rest time for the meat, prep time for the sides, oven temperature changes, and assignments that you can give to volunteers. Print a copy and leave it out on the counter. Make sure to include 15 minutes before serving the meal to gather your thoughts, have a beverage, and admire your skill!
You have inspired me ... Our Thanksgiving celebration has dwindled to just about nothing, but I might just break out my old recipe for cranberry chutney and surprise the chef of the house, who's out of town and returning on Wednesday.
Love your tips in this - important for people to remember they don't have to do E V E R Y T H I N G.
Andrew a stellar Thanksgiving strategy session with sound advice planning and suggestions... I was curious to read your 4 days of prep-ing guide, so clicked on the link, "My Ultimate Guide to Thanksgiving", yet nothing about your 4 days of tasks guidelines to gear-up for the big day, it would of been interesting I'm sure... also to compare strategies???
For those who live in an apartment and have a small kitchen, our building has a community room with a nice size oven and stove top. I enjoy doing the cooking for the feast, so I use the use my kitchen, the community room kitch, and my neighbor go to their families, and they allow me to use their kitchens too. So that can relief some of the cooking strategies of balancing time...
I do ask my attending friends to make nosh foods and beverages for the all day and night football games, plus the World Cup games that day.!!! I'll be taping the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade those who may get burned-out with football or play between games and halftimes...
And of course, wishing you, your amazing crews & staff, along with your wonderful and smart subscribers... the proof they're smart is that they're subscribers.... CHEERS & Salute' to all and may everyone's feast is filling, for days...
I’m not hosting this year so still looking for my support group! I’m in planning withdrawal. Just realized I’ve been cooking with a lot of sage & butter this week 😂
I volunteered my Wed night to my host, love the table setting idea, I know they would love that! Might just show up with flowers etc for the table.
I have a smaller kitchen, so have gotten pretty good at juggling for bigger parties. My tip, if you can use a grill. I have my gas grill on my covered deck right outside kitchen. Great 2nd oven, then becomes a holding or warming station. Some years I’ve done the main protein on grill which kept the oven more productive.
Jealous of all of you loosing your minds planning g your meal! 🦃
For the last two years we have shifted to having Dungeness Crab for Thanksgiving in lieu of turkey. As a family we go crabbing in the morning about 5am, come home take a nap and then prepare dinner. We make a seafood boil by adding scallops, clams, shrimp, potatoes, corn and sausage. We have oysters on half shell as an app.
This year we are going to do the same but are hoping to shake it up a bit. Do you have any suggestions for sides if we decide to make crab the star and not do a boil? We could serve the crab simply with drawn butter and augment with other seafood and/or veggie sides. Would love your ideas.
Anytime we host a larger gathering for a complex meal I write a spreadsheet timeline. Starting with the desired sit-down time, and work your way back to your longest lead item. For me, it's usually a turkey or a brisket. I start the time scheduling process a few days ahead of time, and review it frequently, because I often forget a detail or two. Don't forget about rest time for the meat, prep time for the sides, oven temperature changes, and assignments that you can give to volunteers. Print a copy and leave it out on the counter. Make sure to include 15 minutes before serving the meal to gather your thoughts, have a beverage, and admire your skill!
You have inspired me ... Our Thanksgiving celebration has dwindled to just about nothing, but I might just break out my old recipe for cranberry chutney and surprise the chef of the house, who's out of town and returning on Wednesday.
Love your tips in this - important for people to remember they don't have to do E V E R Y T H I N G.
Pre-planning is the key. You hit the nail on the head!
Andrew a stellar Thanksgiving strategy session with sound advice planning and suggestions... I was curious to read your 4 days of prep-ing guide, so clicked on the link, "My Ultimate Guide to Thanksgiving", yet nothing about your 4 days of tasks guidelines to gear-up for the big day, it would of been interesting I'm sure... also to compare strategies???
For those who live in an apartment and have a small kitchen, our building has a community room with a nice size oven and stove top. I enjoy doing the cooking for the feast, so I use the use my kitchen, the community room kitch, and my neighbor go to their families, and they allow me to use their kitchens too. So that can relief some of the cooking strategies of balancing time...
I do ask my attending friends to make nosh foods and beverages for the all day and night football games, plus the World Cup games that day.!!! I'll be taping the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade those who may get burned-out with football or play between games and halftimes...
And of course, wishing you, your amazing crews & staff, along with your wonderful and smart subscribers... the proof they're smart is that they're subscribers.... CHEERS & Salute' to all and may everyone's feast is filling, for days...
I’m not hosting this year so still looking for my support group! I’m in planning withdrawal. Just realized I’ve been cooking with a lot of sage & butter this week 😂
I volunteered my Wed night to my host, love the table setting idea, I know they would love that! Might just show up with flowers etc for the table.
I have a smaller kitchen, so have gotten pretty good at juggling for bigger parties. My tip, if you can use a grill. I have my gas grill on my covered deck right outside kitchen. Great 2nd oven, then becomes a holding or warming station. Some years I’ve done the main protein on grill which kept the oven more productive.
Jealous of all of you loosing your minds planning g your meal! 🦃
Andrew-- Thanks for all the great content!
For the last two years we have shifted to having Dungeness Crab for Thanksgiving in lieu of turkey. As a family we go crabbing in the morning about 5am, come home take a nap and then prepare dinner. We make a seafood boil by adding scallops, clams, shrimp, potatoes, corn and sausage. We have oysters on half shell as an app.
This year we are going to do the same but are hoping to shake it up a bit. Do you have any suggestions for sides if we decide to make crab the star and not do a boil? We could serve the crab simply with drawn butter and augment with other seafood and/or veggie sides. Would love your ideas.