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Phillip Fleischer
Phillip Fleischer

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My Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving Dinner Recipe

It's easy to make a lot of mistakes or overdo it for thanksgiving. I've prepared this thanksgiving dinner many times and find it's the best combination of balance.

Grocery List

First buy all the stuff, usually do this in two trips, first get the turkey out of the way and then swoop in and get the rest.

Poultry & Meat

  • 1 turkey (20 lbs, or size of your choice - plan 1-1.5 lbs per person)
  • 12 oz brown & serve sausage (~2 boxes)

Produce

  • 3 heads garlic (2 for brine, 1 for turkey/aromatics, plus 4 cloves for rub)
  • 2 bunches fresh thyme (1 for brine, 1 for rub)
  • Fresh sage (1 small bunch for rub)
  • Fresh rosemary (1 small bunch for rub)
  • 2 medium onions (1 for stuffing, 1 for optional aromatics)
  • 8 oz mushrooms
  • 1 bunch celery (need ~1 cup chopped for stuffing, plus extra for aromatics)
  • 2 carrots (for optional aromatics)
  • 1 lemon (for optional aromatics)

Dairy & Refrigerated

  • Butter (3 sticks total: 2 for softening, 1/4 cup melted, plus extra for sautéing)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup milk

Pantry - Canned & Boxed Goods

  • 1 can (14.5 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) creamed corn
  • 2 cans (14.5 oz each) green beans
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 6 oz package Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice
  • 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix
  • 1 box (3 cups) Pepperidge Farm seasoned croutons
  • 2 cups Snyder's hard pretzels
  • 1 cup French fried onions

Pantry - Spices & Seasonings

  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon dried sage
  • Salt (for cooking and seasoning)
  • Black pepper
  • Celery seed
  • Sage (ground or preferred turkey seasoning)

Liquids & Stocks

  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken or turkey stock
  • 1 tablespoon roasted chicken base (Better Than Bouillon)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Equipment & Supplies

  • Turkey brine bag (or roasting bag)
  • Clean cooler (for brining)
  • 2 square yards unbleached cotton cheesecloth
  • Roasting pan with rack
  • Meat thermometer

Notes

  • Don't forget to start defrosting your turkey the Friday before Thanksgiving!
  • Remember to take out butter to soften the night before Wednesday prep

Turkey

Planning Your Turkey

If you are cooking a frozen turkey set your calendar the week before thanksgiving to plan your defrost or you will inevitably going to screw it up. - Me

Many people will argue over fresh vs. frozen. In my opinion, frozen is easier to find at more affordable prices with very little compromise in flavor (as long as you prepare it properly).

Defrosting

Fresh Turkey: If you have fresh turkey at your disposal or you forgot to get your turkey ahead of time allowing a week, go fresh.

Forgotten Frozen Turkey: If you have a frozen turkey but forgot to defrost it, may the turkey gods have mercy on your soul. Expediting the defrost with water or microwave is possible but a HUGE pain. This is the point where I suggest you start googling frantically. Sorry.

Planned Defrost: If you have time to plan the defrost, the recommended method is to defrost in a fridge in the original wrapper 1 day for every 5 lbs. However, I just plain disagree with these timings. First, I have never had a turkey be fully defrosted with this time ratio. Second, thawed turkey can last up to two days (and really probably even longer). Third, don't count the last day cause you're going to be prepping and cooking it.

Thus... I recommend 1 day per five pounds plus an extra two days (includes thanksgiving day).

I typically get a 20 lb turkey so that's 4 days plus my additional 2, so I move the turkey to the fridge the Friday before Thanksgiving. If you want to check on it, you can, but it will seem pretty darn frozen up until the final day.

Wednesday Before Thanksgiving: Brine

Ok, it's Wednesday before thanksgiving, game time! Have your equipment ready.

IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE TO TAKE OUT A COUPLE STICKS OF BUTTER THE NIGHT BEFORE TO SOFTEN!

Brine Equipment

  • Turkey brine bag (or roasting bag)
  • Clean cooler

Brine Ingredients

  • 16 cups water, divided
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon dried sage
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • 2 heads garlic, sliced in half

Brine Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients in the turkey brine bag
  2. Place turkey in brine bag and seal
  3. Place in cooler and refrigerate until Thanksgiving Day

Stuffing

Stuffing Ingredients

  • 6 oz package Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 12 oz brown & serve sausage, cut into 1" pieces and browned (~2 boxes)
  • 2 cups Snyder's hard pretzels, broken into pieces
  • 3 cups Pepperidge Farm seasoned croutons (~1 box)
  • Butter for sautéing
  • Seasonings: salt, celery seed, pepper, and sage

Stuffing Instructions

Step 1: Mise en Place

  1. Sauté the brown and serve sausage in a medium to large sauté pan
  2. Meanwhile, chop onion and place in small bowl
  3. Chop celery and place in very large bowl

Step 2: Cook the Stuff

  1. Prepare rice according to package instructions (usually calls for 25 minutes in medium sauce pan)
  2. Meanwhile, in a separate pan (same pan as the sausage) on medium/high heat, start with 1 tbsp butter (or more)
  3. Sauté onions first till clear, then add mushrooms
  4. Continue on medium/high heat till both are tender and somewhat brown
  5. While this is all cooking, add or prepare and combine remaining ingredients (croutons, pretzels) in the very large bowl

Step 3: Season Me Baby

  1. Add the rice and the sauté mixture to the very large bowl
  2. Mix and season to taste with your choice of seasonings (approximately 2 tbsp salt, 2 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp celery seed, 2 tsp sage or your favorite turkey seasoning)
  3. Let cool and refrigerate until Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day: Turkey Preparation

Herb Butter Rub Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, stem removed and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, stem removed and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, stem removed and chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 teaspoons salt

Cheesecloth Basting Mixture Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken or turkey stock
  • 2 square yards unbleached cotton cheesecloth

Optional Cavity Aromatics (if not stuffing)

  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 1 head garlic, halved
  • 1 lemon, cut in half
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

Turkey Cooking Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F
  2. Add 2 cups water to the bottom of the roasting pan
  3. Combine melted butter, white wine, and stock in a medium sized saucepan. Set aside
  4. Combine softened butter, sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and salt. Mix until well combined
  5. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels
  6. Rub 2/3 of the softened butter and herb mixture under the skin over the top turkey breast and drumsticks. Be careful not to rip the skin
  7. Spread remaining butter over the top of turkey skin
  8. If stuffing turkey: Stuff the neck cavity first (not the main cavity) so you can stand it up. Fill it as much as you can and tuck into the flap of skin. Tie legs together and secure skin flap in back
  9. If not stuffing: Add onions, garlic, lemon, carrots, and celery to the cavity of turkey for extra flavor. Tie legs together, secure skin flap in back, and tuck wings under turkey
  10. Take cheesecloth and fold large enough to cover top and sides of turkey
  11. Dip cheesecloth into white wine/butter mixture and cover the top and sides of the turkey with cheesecloth
  12. Place turkey in oven and baste every 20-30 minutes
  13. Heat butter/white wine mixture on low to warm, and use for basting. When butter white wine mixture runs low, use pan juices
  14. Cook until thigh meat registers 180-185°F and if stuffed, stuffing needs to register at 165°F
  15. Allow anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes per pound if stuffed, a little bit less for unstuffed (about 7-7.5 hours for a 20 lb turkey)
  16. Remove cheesecloth 30-45 minutes before removing from oven and baste well to brown skin. If cheesecloth is sticking, baste it well to loosen from the skin
  17. Allow turkey to rest 15 minutes before slicing to allow juices to soak back into meat
  18. Make gravy during this time with remaining pan juices

Jiffy Corn Pudding

Corn Pudding Ingredients

  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 1 can creamed corn
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter
  • 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

Corn Pudding Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
  3. Pour into greased baking dish
  4. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until set and golden brown on top

Gravy

Added this one cause it's easy to forget or screw up.

Gravy Ingredients

  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon roasted chicken base (Better Than Bouillon)
  • Turkey drippings from roasting pan

Gravy Instructions

  1. After removing turkey from roasting pan, strain pan drippings into a measuring cup
  2. Skim off excess fat if desired
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together cold water and cornstarch until smooth
  4. Pour drippings into a saucepan over medium heat
  5. Add chicken base and stir
  6. Slowly whisk in cornstarch mixture
  7. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5 minutes)
  8. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste

Other Side Dishes

Green Bean Casserole

  • 2 cans (14.5 oz each) green beans, drained
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup French fried onions, divided
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Mix green beans, soup, 1/2 cup fried onions, milk, salt, and pepper
  3. Pour into greased casserole dish
  4. Bake for 25 minutes
  5. Top with remaining fried onions and bake for 5 more minutes

Happy Thanksgiving!

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