Buzz
With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, an increased number of Americans will be celebrating Thanksgiving at home this year. AAA Travel forecasts a 10 percent drop in holiday travel for Thanksgiving 2020. The last time we saw such a decline was during the 2008 Great Recession. This shift means many will be cooking their Thanksgiving meal solo for the first time—without the help of seasoned family members or the luxury of focusing on just one dish at a friends-giving gathering. Even if they participate in a Zoomsgiving, virtual attendees will still need to cook up a festive spread. Here are some tips and tricks to help you make a memorable meal—and give it your personal flair.
1. Plan ahead—and get as much done before the big day as you can.
“Thanksgiving is all about preparation and figuring out what you can do ahead of time,” says Amy Traverso, senior food editor at Yankee magazine and co-host of the public TV show Weekends with Yankee. Smart planning can help you avoid a Thanksgiving Day catastrophe.”
A major mistake for first-time holiday chefs is failing to plan for oven space. It’s easy to find yourself scrambling just an hour before dinner with a pie, casserole, and turkey all requiring different temperatures—yet only one oven. To avoid this, cook and prep as much as possible in advance.
While cooking the turkey is a day-of task, many of the side dishes—like stuffing, green beans, and sweet potato casserole—can be made ahead of time. Once the turkey has rested for about 30 minutes, you can pop the sides in the oven to reheat.
Like the turkey, mashed potatoes are best made on the day of the meal; fortunately, they’re cooked on the stovetop, so they don’t need oven space. However, you can still get ahead by peeling and chopping the potatoes the day before and storing them in water in the fridge overnight.
2. Plan your Thanksgiving meal timing ahead of time.
Most Americans enjoy their Thanksgiving meal between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Pick your preferred time and work backwards from there, ensuring that all dishes are ready to serve at once.
3. If you’re serving turkey, plan on at least one pound per guest.
Thanksgiving earned the nickname “Turkey Day” for good reason. The U.S. Poultry and Egg Association estimates that Americans consume 46 million turkeys during Thanksgiving.
However, in 2020, you may decide against roasting a whole turkey. “This year, let’s give ourselves permission to keep things simple,” says Traverso. “A meat and three sides will do just fine if your gathering is small. Or go for a roast chicken instead, or just roast a turkey breast and skip the whole bird.”
Whether you opt for a turkey breast or a whole bird, plan on about 1 to 1.25 pounds per person. Once you’ve chosen the star of your meal, it’s time to start preparing.
4. Allow ample time to defrost and prepare your turkey.
Thawing and seasoning a turkey requires extra planning. Frozen turkeys need to be thawed, allowing 24 hours for every five pounds, and always in the fridge—not on the countertop. (If you're reading this on Wednesday night and haven’t yet taken your bird out of the freezer, don’t panic: Just follow Butterball’s instructions here.)
Frozen turkeys come pre-seasoned to a degree, but fresh ones will need more flavor. Traverso suggests using a dry rub, where you massage spices—such as salt, pepper, and any herbs or seasonings you prefer—into the turkey’s skin a few days before cooking. Here’s Traverso’s tip for achieving crispy skin: Let the turkey rest uncovered in the fridge overnight. The moisture will evaporate from the skin, giving it a crisp texture when it’s cooked. After that, all that’s left is to carve the turkey. However, even with these preparations, things might still go awry.
5. Keep helpline information within reach.
Having a turkey crisis? The Butterball company provides a helpline for any inquiries, available online or by phone, and the National Turkey Federation offers a Thanksgiving 101 guide for beginners.
6. Keep your side dishes simple.
Traverso suggests simplifying your menu this year by focusing on what really matters. “Think back to the dishes that meant the most to you as a child,” she says. “Make those and be flexible with the rest.”
7. Never cook stuffing inside the turkey.
If stuffing makes it onto your nostalgic menu, bake it outside the bird. Cooking it inside can mess with the turkey’s cooking time, leading to a bird that’s underdone inside and overdone on the outside. It can also increase the risk of exposure to salmonella or E. coli. A cornbread stuffing recipe is an easy starting point, and using store-bought cornbread will save you time by skipping at least one step. Keep it simple this year.
8. Skip the complicated recipes—and don’t hesitate to go for store-bought when needed.
If baking isn’t your strength, choose drop biscuits over intricate breads or rolls. If pie crust feels daunting, buy a pre-made one or opt for a graham cracker crust. Traverso suggests a foolproof combo: a pre-made graham cracker crust, filled with pumpkin ice cream, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
“This year, we’re all improvising,” says Traverso. “If a traditional Thanksgiving meal isn’t what you want, don’t feel obligated to follow it. The real aim is to embrace the holiday spirit and be with those we can. A table full of food isn’t what’s going to make you feel grateful, loved, and content where you are.”
