Planning a holiday dinner like Thanksgiving is a marathon, not a sprint. Not only are you feeding more people than you would on an average weeknight—or during your average dinner party—but the menu is larger than normal, with multiple side dishes, rolls and desserts, not to mention a stunner of a main course.
Even if you work well under pressure, it helps to have a plan, so we asked our director of education Rosie Gill how far in advance we can start preparing.
Being a true pro, she had a detailed strategy, starting two weeks out. Watch Rosie talk through her strategy on Instagram, and follow along below.
Two weeks in advance: Get some baking out of the way
Bake your cookies and make your pie dough: Slice and bake sugar cookies can get dry and crumbly if frozen after baking, but baked drop cookies fare just fine in the freezer. For pie dough, our Flaky Pie Pastry can be made and stored in the freezer until ready to bake. Freezing it in a disc, rather than rolling it out and freezing in a pie tin, helps avoid freezer burn and maintains the integrity of the texture by reducing the number of times you chill and shape the dough. Defrost in the fridge overnight before you plan to use it and roll out as usual.
Bake your rolls: These Butter Rolls have a soft, tender, pillowy crumb and rich, sweet flavor that goes with any holiday menu, thanks to a combination of shortening and butter, as well as milk and water. And for something a little heartier and savory, we’ve got Pumpkin Seed Rolls, which get their rich flavor from homemade seed butters, both pumpkin and sesame. Don’t be tempted to add extra flour when mixing the dough; it will look quite sticky, but will firm up as it rises. Otherwise, the rolls won’t have enough chew.
Freeze the cookies: For slice and bake sugar cookies: Slice the dough, freeze, then transfer the sliced cookie rounds to a freezer bag and freeze overnight. Bake from frozen. For drop cookies: Bake, then cool completely and freeze in a freezer bag. Bring to room temp to eat.
Freeze the rolls: To freeze your rolls for easy reheating: Cool them, wrap them in parchment and then in foil. On the big day you can stick the whole packet in the oven and gently reheat at 300℉ until they’re hot all the way through. You can do this with defrosted rolls (faster) or straight from the freezer. (It takes a little longer to heat through but you don’t have to remember to defrost them!)
One week in advance: Do a pantry check and get your shopping done
Make your shopping list: Do a close read of your recipes and take note of every ingredient you will need. Make a spreadsheet if it helps.
Check your pantry for required spices and oils: Take your shopping list over to the pantry and cross off what you have. Don’t assume you have the staples, and give your spices a sniff to make sure they’re still potent. Be sure to check the fridge for butter, keeping in mind you’ll need some for buttering rolls and potatoes.
Go shopping: Get everything you need, including the perishables.
One day in advance: Set the table (we’re not kidding)
Salt your bird or roast: Also called “dry brining,” salting your meat overnight will give the salt time to permeate the meat while the cold fridge air dries the surface for crispier skin and better browning. It’s the secret to Chris’ Two-Hour Turkey (along with spatchcoking), but it’s a step you should take with all large unseasoned proteins, including prime rib. (Don’t salt a spiral ham, however; that one is plenty salty.)
Set the table: You’ll have time to steam the tablecloth, fold the napkins and make sure you have the needed number of serving spoons, instead of rushing right before dinner.
Day-of: Cook your heart out
Cook: It’s go time. Get your meat in the oven and start assembling your sides. Make sure to save the mashed potatoes for last.
Open your wine to breathe: Decant it if you can. This will help enliven the aromas and soften the tannins.
And if you’re looking for more Milk Street, check out our livestream cooking classeswith our favorite chefs, home cooks and friends for global recipes, cooking methods and more.
