Thanksgiving Dinner Buying Guide
Planning a Thanksgiving 
menu isn't hard. Think about it, the main dishes are more or less planned out for you, you just have to add your own personal twist. After considering how to make the dishes, don't forget to budget your time accordingly. Are you going to have company bring over some food or will you cook everything yourself? Either way, consider how long everything will take to cook and then leave yourself the proper allotment of time. Don't forget that size is important as well--the amount of guests coming to dinner will help you determine what types of portions to make.
Turkey Talk
All right, first things first, you have to get a turkey. The question most people grapple with is, "how much turkey do I need?" The answer is usually about a pound to a pound and a half per person, which is enough to feed everyone and have some leftovers. A few things to keep in mind when serving:
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- Are any of your guests vegetarians?
- Are there any children coming? Obviously portion sizes will be smaller for them.
- How many side dishes and appetizers will you serve? If you have a lot, you will have more leftover turkey than you may be able to handle.
- Where will you store the turkey until it's ready to be cooked? A frozen turkey needs to defrost for at least a couple of days in your fridge, and even a fresh turkey will have to be kept somewhere for a day or so.
- When preparing the turkey, keep in mind that fresh turkeys generally taste much better than frozen, but they are more expensive. You can order both online. You can also order whole smoked turkeys for a different type of flavor.
- Don't forget that you will need a carving knife and fork. You might want to try an electric knife, although they don't cut as cleanly as a well-sharpened knife.
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Stuffing
Now you have your bird. What's next? Some people choose to stuff the bird and others bake the stuffing separately. There is also pre-made stuffing mix if you don't want to attempt it from scratch. And don't forget your terminology--it's only called stuffing if it's cooked inside the bird, otherwise it's called dressing. Be sure to use bread that is dry, since if it's too moist it will become soggy. Crockpots are helpful since they monitor your stuffing all day long and keep it at the right temperature. There are tons of ways to make stuffing ; see a few recipes below.
Alternative Turkey Techniques
There are several alternatives to the traditional method of roasting a turkey. Read up on these techniques and figure out which you like best.
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- Butterflying requires cutting the bird in half along the breast bone, so you don't have as nice a presentation as you would with a whole bird. However, butterflied turkeys take less time to cook, so they retain more moisture and taste better. You can also set up the turkey over a large tray of stuffing; the stuffing is never actually in direct contact with the bird, so there is no risk of bacterial contamination, but as the bird cooks the drippings flavor the stuffing.
- Deep frying the bird is a more risky proposition. A deep fryer large enough to hold a 15-lb. turkey also holds a very large amount of extremely hot oil. Use caution before attempting, and never deep-fry in the house, on a wooden deck, or anywhere where there is a risk of something catching fire. Many fryers are designed for outdoor use to make cooking easier and safe.
- Want to smoke your turkey this year? Pick up a large capacity smoker and change up your turkey taste! Don't forget about all of the seasonings.
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Side Dishes
These days, you can order everything you need for the feast online, but you should really buy the vegetables locally for best freshness. See some popular side dish ideas below.
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Mashed Potatoes Mashed potatoes can be doctored up all kinds of ways - with potato peels, salt, garlic, olive oil and more. Deciding which potatoes to use and preparing them correctly is definitely a science. |
Cranberry Sauce There are those who prefer the taste of canned cranberry sauce and others who like to make their own mixture from whole cranberries. Whatever you decide, this side dish is easy to prepare and a Thanksgiving favorite. |
Sweet Potatoes You can bake these in a casserole with brown sugar and marshmallows or make them on their own- either way they will still be delicious! With two types of potatoes at dinner, you can't lose. |
Green Bean Casserole Here's where the greens come in - there are plenty of green bean casserole recipes out there and many ways to season these stringy vegetables to them tasty. |
Buttermilk Biscuits What's a big, hearty meal without bread? From flaky biscuits to loaves of fresh bread, a big basket helps to make your meal complete. |
Dessert
Did you save some room? Good! Thanksgiving has a number of traditional sweets, but just about anything from a fruit platter to a seven layer chocolate cake is appropriate. Here are a few favorites to start with, but let your imagination run wild.
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