Sometimes I wonder why I don’t make big turkey dinners more often. After all, the food is so delicious and basic: Meat, potatoes, veggies, rolls, dessert. But each year as I’m prepping the food, I’m reminded why I only make it once or twice a year. It’s a lot of work compared to putting together a casserole and serving it with a salad!
You’ll be glad to know that along with my every day getting ahead tricks and recipes, I’ve figured out many ways to get ahead for the big Thanksgiving meal as well. I usually start a week or two in advance, making good use of my freezer. Does our Thanksgiving meal taste like I’ve frozen and defrosted it? No way. It tastes fresh, because I’ve learned tricks to get ahead and keep the food tasting great!
First, I make my turkey ahead of time. I love getting the big chore of cooking and deboning a turkey out of the way ahead of time.
Once I’ve got the turkey cooked, I then have several jars of rich turkey broth that I can use to make Turkey Gravy for the big day. I freeze the broth to be used Thanksgiving day.
Potatoes? Well – I don’t make my mashed potatoes ahead of time. But, the day before, I wash a large amount of potatoes in the dishwasher so that they are ready to go. I also find that it works well to peel and cut the potatoes the night before Thanksgiving. I put the prepared potatoes in a pot of room-temp water. When it’s time to cook and mash them, all I have to do is move the pot of prepared potatoes to the stove and begin the cooking process. Such a Thanksgiving day time saver!
How about homemade rolls? We have two favorite recipes, one of them being these Whole Wheat Butterhorns. They can be made ahead of time, then set out to thaw in the morning and baked at meal time. Easy!
What do you do to get ahead of big holiday meals?
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Rebecca says
I make the croutons and saute the aromatics and veg and sausage ahead of time for the stuffing. The day of its just mix the croutons with the butter/sausage/onions,celery and sage and add stock to moisten and cook in the crock pot. I do my potatoes ahead of time also, but the bird gets done on the charcoal grill the day of, absolutely.
Lana says
I have the rolls in the freezer. I will do the sweet potato casserole and the cranberry orange relish this week and freeze them. I have bags of cubed bread in the freezer for the stuffing and the turkey is bought. I also have the apple pie filling done and in the freezer, just thaw and put it in the crust and bake. I make my stuffing the day before and refrigerate it and stuff on Thanksgiving. I have also learned that it is easier to get the bird out of the wrapper and into the roasting pan the day before. Table setting is best done a few days in advance if you have a separate dining room. It is also helpful to have all your beverages made and chilled and your serving dishes out of the cupboard and labeled so that anyone available can dish up the food. Let’s eat!
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
I actually buy at least two turkeys this time of year. I cook one (not to eat on Thanksgiving- my cousin cooks that bird- I bring pies) and then pick the meat clean (some sliced, some chunks, etc). I then freeze it in zip top baggies. And add it to quick meals or soups or whatever in the coming months. A huge time, calorie and $ saver. Then I cook the second bird in the spring or summer. I don’t think cooking a turkey is much effort. Picking the meat clean is a pain in the tush but I swear it does save me so much in the long run. Plus, turkey is one of my favorite meats. This week my store is selling turkeys for $0.49/lb- can’t beat that by a long shot!!
KK @ Preppy Pink Crocodile
Jamie says
I have tried more than a dozen times to freeze my rolls (dough), proof them on the counter and then bake them and they always taste too yeast-y. Any tips on solving this problem?? I always get requests for rolls but sometimes I just can’t get them done before leaving for dinner.
Lana says
I don’t have very good results with that either. Mine just don’t raise right after freezing.
I bake mine and then cool completely and wrap in heavy duty foil and
then put them in ziploc. I thaw them Thanksgiving morning and just reheat
in the foil for about 12 minutes after the turkey is out of the oven. They
are much better that way for me.
sarah ellen says
You know you CAN make mashed potatoes ahead of time, and freeze, right? It makes for that much less work!
Laura says
I’ve never had good success with that. The potatoes seem to be watery?
Cammie says
Have you ever tried freezer mashed potatoes? I was so excited when I found the recipe. For 5 lbs. of potatoes, cook and mash as you normally would, then add 1 cup of sour cream, 8 oz of cream cheese, one egg, 2 T butter (or more), 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. You can make these a day ahead and then warm up in oven or make the morning of and keep them warm in the slow cooker. You can also freeze them, then defrost and warm them up with a little extra butter in the oven. You will never know they were made ahead/frozen. They are sooooo good!
Julie says
We make our potatoes in the crockpot. Just cut them up and put them in with water on high the night before for early meals (we eat at 10) or in the morning for later meals. Then they are ready to mash and eat when you are. We also use our roaster and put the turkey in the night before (we eat at 10) or in the morning. No work or mess outside of gravy, a bread and a veggie. We do a simple meal.