OK, so you’ve (reluctantly) agreed to cook Thanksgiving dinner for the family this year, or maybe it’s your first time tackling what is arguably the most difficult meal of the season to plan and prepare.  It will be a formidable task.  So much planning, the endless prep, the fight for oven space – the list goes on and on.  There’s a whole gaggle of close family (and that weird cousin you only see once a year) in the other room, pre-gaming it up on cocktails while you’re hip deep in potato skins and giblets out in the kitchen.  Isn’t there any way to make this whole event go smoother?

Of course there is.

I’ve cooked a fair share of Thanksgiving meals in my time, and I’m here to help with some tips and tricks that will hopefully have you out in that front room with a glass of spirits in your hands as well, enjoying (or enduring) all or that family merriment.

Pieces And Parts Work, Too

Look, cooking a whole turkey is about the most challenging protein a home cook will ever have to tackle, and you generally only get one shot a year at it.  My advice?  Use pieces and parts instead of a whole bird (especially if your family gathering is small).  I buy a packet or two of turkey thighs as well as a packet or two of turkey tenderloins and cook these up (instead of messing around with a whole turkey).  Both the “white meat” and “dark meat” crowds still get their favorites, and I’m not watching the oven or grill like some alchemist, trying to get both the breast and the legs to get done at the same time.

Yes, you heard me right.  I said grill.  Don’t overlook using it, even for a whole bird.  You’ll save tons of oven space, and you’ll still get a perfectly golden masterpiece, even if it’s done on your back patio or porch (and you won’t burn down the garage dunking a bird into hot oil attempting to deep fry it, either).

Make It Early – Keep It Warm

Those crock pots you have in your cabinet and never use?  Now is their time to shine.  You can easily make sides like mashed potatoes or stuffing early, toss them in a crock pot, and keep them warm until its time for the feast.  Timing is everything, and having these things done and ready will make things easier as the clock gets closer to serving time – trust me.

Also, seasonal favs (like green bean casserole or mac-n-cheese) can be mixed up and in their casserole dishes ahead of time.  All they need is to then be popped in the oven to cook/heat through before things get rolling. Don’t poo-poo those aluminum serving trays, either. They pop in and out of the oven, too. Also, nothing beats tossing them out (and not having to wash that extra bowl) once the meal is done.

Store Bought Is A Good Thing

Everyone loves a good homemade roll or pumpkin pie, but that’s just another afternoon spent in the kitchen of our busy holiday schedule.  Your local price club warehouse (Sam’s, Costco, BJ’s, etc.) or even your local grocery store have pretty good bakeries onsite, and their ready-made rolls and pies are pretty tasty – and all you had to do was swing by and pick them up.

Ditto on ready-made fruit or vegetable trays, dips, cheeses, and even cured meats, already cut up and ready for serving.   I’ve found the Sam’s Club holiday gravy to be quite good (and sells out fast).  Get all of your drinks, wines, and spirits at these spots as well (if they do the alcohol thing).

Buffet Style Is Your Friend

I get that everyone wants a “Norman Rockwell” moment, especially at the holidays, but if the table is full of guests, plates, silverware and glasses, do we really have room for platters of all of those dinner goodies?  Do you really want to watch Dad struggle to carve that turkey in front of you?  Set up all of the food as a buffet in your kitchen on the counter or center island and have everyone move through with their plates.  No one has to pass anything at the table, and they can come back for seconds at their leisure.  It also helps with the dreaded clean-up, as everything is still in the kitchen when it’s all over.

Thanksgiving dinner is a minefield of preparation, serving dangers, and mishaps and the stress can be overwhelming.  Keep it simple, have a plan, and enjoy your time with family and friends.