To ensure a properly defrosted turkey and stave off exhaustion, spread the work of a turkey-and-trimmings meal over an entire week. A few tips, to start: Delegate noncooking tasks to younger family members; share cooking with guests, as appropriate. Also, make a to-do timetable and consult it often.
And finally: Remember to sit down occasionally and feel thankful.
Thursday
» Contact those who are sharing the work: What are they bringing? How many servings? Need stove, oven, microwave?
» List menu.
» Draft shopping list; carry it with you, adding as you go.
» Begin clearing refrigerator space.
Friday
» Unearth serving pieces and utensils; attach sticky notes as to what’s to be served on each.
» Find (and iron, if needed) table linens, if you’re using them.
» Prepare nonperishable decor pieces.
Saturday
» Complete shopping list.
» Clean out refrigerator.
» Enlist family for thorough housecleaning.
Sunday
» Shop (enlist someone to push cart and help carry stuff). Don’t forget heavy-duty aluminum foil, large zippered plastic bags, disposable takeout containers.
» Place frozen turkey in a trash bag to prevent drips. Refrigerate.
Monday
» Make cranberry sauce; refrigerate.
» Draw up to-do list, in order, with time estimates.
» Figure turkey cooking time. Go online for help: www.butterball.com; www.fosterfarms.com; www.fsis.usda.gov; check favorite how-to magazines such as Cook’s Illustrated, Sunset, Fine Cooking.
Tuesday
» Cut up bread for stuffing; bag it so bread will dry out.
» If brining turkey, make brine and immerse turkey, two days in advance to allow time for air-drying.
» Make creamy casseroles; do not bake or put on toppings. Cover; refrigerate. Ditto soup, if serving.
» Enlist family to set up extra tables, chairs.
Thanksgiving Eve
» In the evening, drain and pat dry brined turkey. Air-dry in roasting pan in refrigerator. (Creates crisp skin.)
» Peel potatoes; refrigerate in bowl, covered with water.
» Clean and cut vegetables; store separately in zippered plastic bags in fridge.
» Make stuffing; do not bake.
» Have someone set table.
» Bake pies or make other desserts.
Thanksgiving Day
» First thing, review to-do list.
» Pick up catered items.
» Early morning: Remove turkey from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Set up rice cooker (rice is more tender if allowed to soak). Preheat oven. Make floral centerpiece.
» Mid-morning: Remove any partly cooked foods from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
The final moments
» Turkey’s done when: Meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer plunged deep in the thigh, not touching the bone, reaches minimum 165 degrees; some resources suggest 180 degrees. Leg will waggle easily; juices run clear
» Oven issues: Can you fit anything besides the turkey in the oven or do you have two ovens? If not, plan to use microwave, toaster oven, stove top, other people’s ovens. Partly cook dishes in advance as appropriate; finish these while turkey rests.
» Roasted meats need 20 minutes "resting time" to allow juices that have boiled to the surface to sink back into the tissues. Clear counter space for turkey; line with thick beach towel.
» Transfer turkey to cutting board. Drain juices into skillet or retain in roasting pan. Tent turkey loosely with heavy-duty foil. Fold towel over foil to retain heat.
» Use hot oven to finish other dishes.
» Make gravy in roasting pan or skillet on stove top.
» If you like, invite everyone to see, and toast, the beautiful whole bird before carving — a nice tradition that helps gather everyone to the table
» Carve turkey in kitchen15 to 20 minutes before serving: Carver can arrange pieces attractively on warmed platter. Countertop is the best carving height, not the table, and it’s easy to clean.
Brining the bird
Exposure to a salt-sugar solution can unscramble proteins in raw meats, producing a more moist, tender roasted result.
>> Do not use turkeys labeled “enhanced,” “basted,” “brined”; these, as well as kosher turkeys, are already injected with brine. Look for “natural,” “minimally processed,” “no additives.”
>> Basic brining solution: 2/3 cup kosher salt, 2/3 cup sugar, 8 cups hot water, 4 cups cold water, crushed or freshly ground whole spices (black peppercorns, sage and/or thyme bay leaves, juniper berries, cranberries, citrus peel, thyme, allspice or whatever you prefer). In a soup pot, bring salt, sugar and hot water to a boil; boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add cold water. Cool.
>> Place a defrosted turkey in a food-grade, non-reactive container (soup kettle, 5-gallon bucket, sturdy plastic bags one inside the other) or a sterilized non-styrofoam cooler. Cover with cold salt/sugar/water/herb and/or spice solution. If using a container, cover and refrigerate. If using a cooler, place frozen gel packs in brine and keep ice floating throughout brining time. Brine overnight.
