Chef Jim Coleman's Thanksgiving Day Timeline

On the Menu:

Appetizer:
Butternut Squash Soup

Main Course and Sides:
Best Brined Turkey
Tuaca-laced Dried Cherry and Cornbread Stuffing
Braised Belgian Endive Gratin
Dublin Parsnip Colcannon (mashed parsnips and potatoes)
Fig and Cranberry Relish
Corn Relish

Dessert:
Pumpkin Creme Brulee

*Marnie Old and Sam Caglione's beer and wine recommendations for the big day:
Trimbach 'Reserve' Pinot Gris from Alsace, France
New York's Brooklyn Brewery "Post Road" Pumpkin Ale

Three Days Ahead

• Prepare Butternut Squash Soup and refrigerate
• Prepare Fig and Cranberry Relish and refrigerate

Two Days Ahead

• Fresh turkey is best, but if you have a frozen turkey you can brine and refrigerate two days ahead. If you have a bird over 14 pounds you may want to start the thawing a day before this step.
• Make Corn Relish and refrigerate.
• Assemble Cornbread Stuffing up to the point of adding liquid and refrigerate to reheat.
• Pull your serving dishes and cutlery from storage and label what goes in each.

Day Before

• Make the Braised Endive Gratin and refrigerate to reheat.

• Prepare Fig and Cranberry Relish and refrigerate.
• Brine and refrigerate fresh turkey.
• Prepare Pumpkin Creme Brulee up to point of caramel top and refrigerate.
• Set the table after dinner... you'll feel great waking up and seeing the table ready.

Morning of the big day

• Plan to put turkey in the oven 5-6 hours before dinner (or plan about 20 minutes per pound).
• While the turkey's baking, make Dublin Parsnip Colcannon about 4 hours ahead and keep warm in crockpot until service.
• Remove gratin and stuffing from refrigerator about an hour before the turkey is done to warm to room temp before going in the oven.
• When the turkey comes out of the oven to rest, moisten the stuffing with chicken broth and put both the stuffing and the gratin in to warm up.
• Carve turkey, get your sides out and dig in.
• Just before serving dessert, finish off the pumpkin creme brulee under the broiler.

Take a long nap! Happy Thanksgiving!