For those who have one oven and freak out over trying to make Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. It’s all in the timing and is really no fuss.
Wednesday, the day before:
Bake pies
Bake the cornbread for dressing
Turkey Day dinner for noonish so you aren’t interrupting the college game:
7 am - Turn on the oven. Get the giblet bag out. Put the bird in a pan and covered with foil. Put the bird, as is (he’s salty enough from processing), in the oven.
Put the giblets in a small pot with water and let them cook slowly over the NOT turned on back burner that the heat comes out of.
10:30 - Check the bird and remove the foil to crisp the skin. Remove broth for the gravy and dressing. Prep the sides.
11 to 11:30 - Take the bird out of the oven and cover with foil so he stays warm. Put the sides and dressing into the oven. As soon as there’s room in the oven, put in the rolls.
Set the table.
People are eating no later than 12:30.
When we have had bigger crowds and did both a turkey and ham, I sometimes had to borrow a neighbor’s oven.
Now I have one of those Nesco countertop roasters. I wouldn’t do a turkey in it, but it works great for a ham.
They usually go on sale at this time of year - I think I saw one advertised the other day for about $30.00
You should see my schedule. Today I will shop... with everyone else on the planet... Then I have cooking tasks every day. I’d like to have most of it pre-readied for thanksgiving. I’m trying to do both the mashed potatoes and the gravy ahead (and then you add the pan drippings to the gravy after, easy).
Today I will start a turkey stock for it and the stuffing... I just need the turkey. My favorite is Mary’s - a CA organic turkey farm. Yum. Hope I can score one,