Thanksgiving Dinner
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.
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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 leftover turkey. A few things to keep in mind when counting heads: - Are any of your guests vegetarians? (Not sure what to feed them? Read the guide on vegetarian alternatives for more advice.)
- How many of the people coming are children? (Children don't need a pound and a half of turkey.)
- 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.)
- Lastly, where can/will you put the turkey? 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 stored somewhere for a day or so.
Generally speaking, a 12 lb. bird will feed about 10 people with leftovers.
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 flavor. For helpful, easy-to-understand defrosting and cooking directions, try this article at AllRecipes.com. It even tells you how long you need to defrost per pound of bird.
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? It used to be that you just stuffed it and cooked it, no questions. But food safety isn't what it used to be, and many people are concerned (rightfully so) that putting the stuffing inside the bird is not the safest way to cook. Whether you stuff your bird or bake the stuffing separately, you should buy a proper cooking thermometer to make sure you get an accurate reading on your bird.
If you're not up to making your own stuffing mixture, you can always buy pre-made stuffing mix. |
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Alternative Turkey Technique
Alternatives to the traditional method of roasting a turkey are butterflying the turkey and deep frying the turkey. 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. You can read illustrated instructions for butterflying a chicken here -- keep in mind a turkey is much larger, so you will need some serious poultry shears.
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. |
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. Try broccoli, green beans, brussel sprouts, corn, and cabbage.
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.
Don't forget to offer a lighter alternative (or several) in case your guests don't want anything too rich for dessert.
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