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What? Your freezer is NOT filled with do-ahead Thanksgiving dishes? No worries as preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal on Thursday is really quite easy. Follow our Thanksgiving Cooking Schedule and get your game on starting… tomorrow night!

Wednesday November 22

    Make sure bird is defrosted.
    Prepare stuffing / dressing.
    If stuffing, stuffing must be ready to go.
    Put all frozen items in the refrigerator.
    Cranberry sauce is ready.
    Clean and peel vegetables.

Thanksgiving, November 23

    Make turkey stock.
    Clean and dry turkey - see ChefsLine FAQs page for how to roast the perfect turkey step-by-step.
    Stuff bird and start roasting. Add water to pan, up to bottom of the bird. Add water as needed to create a turkey stock.
    Make sure there’s ice and bar fruit.
    Open wine to get ready (be sure to re-cork).
    You get ready.
    Take any appetizers out of refrigerator to come to room temperature.
    Countdown 1.5 hours: Make mashed potatoes.
    Countdown 1.5 hours: Prepare any vegetable side dish.
    Countdown 1 hour: Take turkey out at 165-170 degrees, remove from roasting pan, and wrap tightly.
    Countdown 1 hour: Start reheating any potluck dishes.
    Countdown 1 hour: Make gravy.
    Countdown 30 minutes: Make gravy using turkey stock in roasting pan. See gravy on ChefsLine is you need more.
    Optional: Host has stiff drink poured for him/her.
    Countdown 30 minutes. Carve turkey.
    Countdown 30 minutes. Have guests pour wine, and bring covered dishes to the table.
    Don’t forget the cranberry sauce!