As our team was thinking about Thanksgiving this year, we realized that many of us did not know some of the basics of putting together a full blown Thanksgiving meal. These skills are often taught from families and mentors, but it seems like the training has skipped over many of us as the generations go on. 

This blog is a revisiting of the traditional Thanksgiving meal we all love. Use any tips you find to help make your Thanksgiving as successful and safe as possible. 

Prepare, prepare, prepare!

If there is anything you should know about Thanksgiving this year, it is how important preparation is! Preparing a meal for many people can be tough, but with preparation, anything is possible. 

Make sure to put together your list and buy all the ingredients you can as early as possible, especially the Turkey and Ham! You don't want to visit the store and miss out on those delicious fried onions for your green bean casserole. 

Make your space as clean and organized as possible. November 15th is National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day, and this is perfect motivation to start getting clean so you can make room for all the delicious food you are about to make. 

You can also improve your kitchen space by clearing out unnecessary items on the counter and organizing your cabinets. Use organizational items like these from Simply Done at Brookshire Brothers to help streamline the organizing process. 

Choose your recipes and plan ahead

Your family may have generations of tried and true recipes that you can use, or you might want to find a new recipe to try. Whatever you decide, make sure you know what you need and how long preparation will take. 

For reference, you need to thaw a turkey and ham well in advance of the event. The United States Department of Agriculture says the safest and most quality-tested way of thawing a turkey or ham is in the refrigerator. They recommend 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds. This would make a 16-pound turkey take about four days to thaw. That requires some preparation!

Thawing a turkey through cold water or microwave oven must be done immediately before cooking the turkey, while the refrigerator option makes the thawed turkey safe for another two days. 

If you're looking for inspiration, we have plenty of recipes at CelebrateAtHome.net. You can enjoy our Jalapeño-Mustard Glazed Ham or our Roasted Buffalo Turkey. We have full entree items and leftover-inspired dishes just for you. 

Know the safety precautions

Cooking a turkey doesn't have to be a scary project. Yet many Americans do not know all of the safety precautions that should be put in place. The National Fire Protection Association says U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,400 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day in 2019. Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and deaths, research says. 

However, there is another large cause of Thanksgiving Day fires — frying frozen turkeys. When a frozen turkey is placed in a frying vat of oil, the polarity difference in the frozen water reacts with the boiling oil. The water molecules turn to steam and expand rapidly, sending the water and oil flying out of the pot. When the oil molecules hit the burner, they ignite, creating fiery infernos out of your well-meaning turkey dinner. 

Fire fighting professionals recommend making sure a turkey is fully thawed and dried, filling the fryer with oil only to the fill line, wearing clothing like long sleeves/gloves/pants/closed-toed shoes, frying outside with the appropriate utensils away from pets and overhanging brush/trees, and frying at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. You should lower the turkey into the oil slowly after you have turned off the gas. Let the oil cool completely, mix it with coffee grounds/sawdust/or kitty litter, and dispose of it in the trash can. 

Do not pour oil down your kitchen sink, as it could cause a plumbing blockage. 

If you are weary of frying your turkey, go for the traditional roasting method. Follow the timing and temperature requirements of your recipe and make time for full thawing and cooking. Roasting can take 3-5 hours to complete depending on the size of your turkey. 

Time each entree and appetizer correctly

Make as much ahead as possible. Homemade cranberry sauce can be stored for a week before Thanksgiving Day. Cold dips can be made one or two days ahead of time (and their flavors improve with time!), and things like mashed potatoes and gravy can be cooked early and left to simmer. The more planning you do for all the appetizers and sides you will need, the easier everything will be on the day of. 

You don't have to do everything yourself, either. Invite your guests to contribute to the meal with potluck style items. Visit our Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Menu blog for inspiration on things you and your loved ones can make ahead of time to contribute to your next holiday party!

Do what you can

If the full-blown holiday dinner isn't the cards for you this year or you have one too many parties to attend or host, don't freak out! There are other options to make your Thanksgiving Day celebrations a success. Brookshire Brothers Delis have ready-made Holiday Dinner options to make this year's dinner a success. Buy it for yourself or purchase a dinner for a family in need. 

Learn more about our Holiday Dinners here.