So you're making my Last-Minute Thanksgiving Menu? Excellent. I want to make it as easy as possible to pull off, so I've got a count-down game plan all figured out for you to follow below, (and here's your shopping list for everything you'll need for the menu).
If you can, try to remember to put your puff pastry in the fridge rather than the freezer when you get home from the grocery store—it'll make your life a lot easier.
If you bought a whole turkey rather than parts, you'll need to break it down before you begin. This will add an extra 15 minutes to the timeline, but it's really not that bad. If you haven't butchered a turkey before, it's the same as butchering a chicken! And you can do it all with a sharp pair of chicken sheers if you like—here's how.
Alright. Ready set? Here's how to get this all done in just three hours:
3 hours before sit-down:
- Turn on your oven to heat to 425°F and arrange the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
- If your puff pastry for the tart is still frozen, defrost it now by separating the sheets and putting it out on the counter, covered in plastic wrap. Within about half an hour, it should be ready to work with.
- Cube the bread for the stuffing and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Wash and dry all the produce you'll be using.
2 hours and 45 minutes before sit-down:
- Toast the bread for the stuffing in the oven for 10 minutes. Once it's done, transfer to a bowl and set it aside to cool.
- While the bread is in the oven, slice up all your sweet potatoes and squash for the sweet potato side, toss them with oil and seasonings and arrange on another rimmed baking sheet. Set aside on the counter.
- Make the flavored butter for the turkey and let simmer at least 10 minutes; set aside.
2 1/2 hours before sit-down:
- Assemble the pear tart and keep it in the fridge until ready to bake.
- Prep the remaining ingredients for the stuffing; set aside.
2 hours before sit-down:
- Brush those turkey parts with the infused melted butter, season, and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour wine around the turkey, and cover the baking sheet with foil. Yes, you can have a sip of that wine too. Cheers—just two hours to go now!
1 hour and 50 minutes before sit-down:
- Put the turkey in the oven right now! Set a timer for 20 minutes.
- Do some dishes. Check this list. Make sure everything's on track.
1 1/2 hours before sit-down:
After turkey has been in oven for 20 minutes, pull off the foil and baste it with more butter.
While you have the oven open, put the waiting baking sheet full of sweet potatoes and squash in the oven too, and roast until tender, about 1 hour.
Prep everything for the kale salad, but don’t toss it together yet—set it aside on the counter.
1 hour and 10 minutes before sit-down:
Cook everything for the stuffing mixture on the stovetop; let cool slightly.
1 hour before sit-down:
- Toss the sweet potatoes and squash on their baking sheet and continue to roast for another 30 minutes.
- Do another round of dishes. 1 hour to go!
- Hopefully you have someone you can delegate table-setting to? Tell them to get on that if they haven't already. If not, do the fastest-ever table-setting job of your life right now!
45 minutes before sit-down:
- Check all your turkey pieces with an instant-read thermometer. If any have reached 165°F, pull them out.
- Start cooking cranberry agrodolce sauce—it'll take about 30 minutes.
- Toss together everything for the stuffing in a large bowl; let sit.
40 minutes before sit-down:
- Keep checking that turkey: Take any pieces that have reached 165°F out of the oven.
- Make sure you have all your serving platters and utensils ready to go.
- Pack the stuffing mixture back into its skillet so it's ready to bake.
30 minutes before sit-down:
- All the turkey should be out of the oven by now; let sit 20 minutes before slicing.
- Take sweet potatoes and squash out of the oven; cover with foil to keep warm.
- Turn oven down to 375°F and leave the oven door open for a few minutes so it cools down.
25 minutes before sit-down:
- Put stuffing in 375°F oven; bake for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the pear tart from the fridge to the 375°F oven; bake for 50 minutes (set a timer on your phone and put it on vibrate in your pocket—you're going to have to sneak out in the middle of dinner to pull it out of then oven.)
15 minutes before sit-down:
- Make the gravy and transfer to a gravy boat.
- While gravy reduces, slice the turkey breast and thigh meat off the bone into slices, and separate the drumsticks. Place everything on a serving platter. You're almost there!
- If the squash and sweet potatoes feel too cold, pop them back in the oven for 5 minutes to warm up.
5 minutes before sit-down:
- Toss the salad together and transfer to serving bowl.
- Transfer the squash and sweet potatoes to a platter and top with the cranberry agrodolce—transfer the remaining agrodolce to a small bowl to serve alongside the turkey.
- Put everything out on the table, and enjoy!
