The Perfect Thanksgiving Menu
Before we talk turkey, because I’m a lawyer, one caveat: Thanksgiving is supposed to be fun! You are not a more worthy human if you cook everything from scratch & you are not a trash person if you cater the entire meal. Do the parts that bring you joy & skip the rest. I release you!
My perfect Thanksgiving menu is for hosts who like to cook but also, like, want to have a lovely day that doesn’t feel rushed & panicky? It’s a little bit homemade & a little bit store-bought & one hundred percent attainable by people who don’t have in-house copper polishing staff. (Snort.) With all of this in mind, here’s my perfect Thanksgiving Menu:
The All-Important Turkey // Serious Eats Spatchcocked Roast Turkey.
You can prepare & cook your Thanksgiving turkey countless ways, but personally, I defer to Kenji at Serious Eats on technical culinary matters, and he advises you dry brine & spatchcock.
Gravy // NYT Cooking Make-Ahead Gravy
You can make gravy after the turkey is done, I suppose, but why would you when you can make the gravy ahead of time & then whisk in the drippings at the last-minute for similarly delicious results? I use homemade poultry stock if that makes you feel better?!
Stuffing // Papa’s Sourdough Sausage Stuffing
Everyone has their family stuffing (or dressing or whatever you call it) recipe that may not be deviated from under ANY circumstances. It just doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving until I can smell my Papa’s Sourdough Sausage Stuffing cooking on the stove. Recipe never, because sharing it outside of the family would be an act of war.
Potatoes // Alison Roman’s Crushed Sour Cream Potatoes
Call me crazy, but I vastly prefer Alison Roman’s Crushed Sour Cream Potatoes to traditional mashed. Sprinkled with chives, dill & so much cracked pepper, this dish delivers the creamy potato vibe you want but with brighter, more herbaceous flavors. I said what I said!
Take pity on the forlorn green vegetable side dish you only serve because every other Thanksgiving food is mushy & brown. Ina Garten’s Green Beans Gremolata are a solid choice because they’re quick, easy & add some crunch & lemony brightness to an otherwise heavy plate of food.
Cranberry // Trader Joe’s Cranberry Orange Relish
You can make your own cranberry sauce, OF COURSE, but why would you when Trader Joe’s already makes a perfect one? This Cranberry Orange Relish is so good I casually eat it out of the container with a spoon like a savage. Half of the containers in my refrigerator aren’t even for guests. I regret nothing.
Rolls // The Pioneer Woman’s Parkerhouse Rolls
For many years (including, insanely, when I had very small children), I baked Parkerhouse Rolls from scratch every Thanksgiving. Last year, when I suggested perhaps we buy the rolls instead, my daughter, Charlotte, was so appalled she took over roll baking duties. Mission accomplished.
Pie // Storebought is fine!
I’m not really much of a baker, because it’s all measuring & precision, which I find a little tedious? Anyways, I guess I *could* make pie (I made the ones in this picture, after all), but why would I when Dozen Bakery makes such perfect ones?