When to Start Cooking Each Thanksgiving Dish, According to a Professional Chef

When I worked in restaurant kitchens, I lived and died by my prep list. I didn’t show up to the service without having a plan – how big a deli container my mise en place would live up to. At cooking school, one of my instructors wouldn’t even let us enter the kitchen unless we have a handwritten timeline presented on index cards. “You can’t make a dish if you can’t plan it,” she barked.

At the time, it was a bit…extra. But now, every year, when Thanksgiving comes, I realize she was right. The secret of an easy, impressive result, really nice Thanksgiving isn’t a secret ingredient, it’s a preparation schedule. Think like a chef and you can sit back with a glass of wine while your turkey rests instead of sweating potato peeling.

Here’s how to plan your Thanksgiving like a pro, with a chef-style calendar to help you make the most of Thanksgiving.

Two to three weeks before Thanksgiving: line up your ducks (turkeys)

You know how restaurant kitchens run like clockwork? This is because everything is ordered, prepared and checked a few days before the service. Do the same.

Plan your menu. Don’t be too ambitious. Balance baked dishes (like stews and roasts) with stovetop sides, salads, or dishes that taste good at room temperature.

Delegate early. If guests bring something, assign it now. “Whatever you want!” It sounds good, but that’s how you end up with four pies and no mashed potatoes.

Order your turkey. High-quality, fresh or farm-raised heirloom birds often sell out early. A 12 to 15 pound turkey feeds 10 to 12; a 14- to 16-pound turkey feeds up to 18. If you’re feeding a larger group than that, consider two smaller birds instead of one huge bird. They will cook more evenly and faster.

Check your equipment. You don’t want to find out on Thanksgiving morning that your instant-read thermometer is dead or you’re missing a roasting pan. Take out everything you’ll need (baking sheets, trays, pie pans) and know where they are if needed. It’s also not a bad idea to check that your oven is properly calibrated by using a high-quality digital probe thermometer with an ambient temperature probe (chances are it’s not).

Audit the products in your pantry. Smell your dried spices like sage, thyme, and cinnamon, and check the expiration dates on baking powder, baking soda, and any other pantry items you may need. If they smell faint or dusty, or if they are past their expiration date, replace them.

Do a deep cleaning of the kitchen. In restaurants, service begins with a clean space. It’s time to declutter your counters and empty your refrigerator.

One to two weeks before: organize and build up your freezer reserve

This is your key setup week, the foundation for everything that is about to happen.

Make shopping lists. Yes, plural. If you’re cooking multiple dishes, a long list can be overwhelming and you’re more likely to forget the lemons, requiring an extra trip to the store. Non-perishable products: flour, sugar, aluminum foil, butter, broth, canned goods. Semi-stable: potatoes, onions, winter squash. Fresh produce: herbs, greens, dairy – buy those closer to the day.

Prepare and freeze the pie crust. Wrap each crust tightly in plastic and foil, label it, and freeze it. You can also freeze unbaked apple or pecan pies, but avoid freezing cream pies (they will cry).

Prepare and freeze the sauce. Avoid the last-minute panic of mixing flour into hot fat in front of guests. Use turkey wings to make turkey stock ahead of time, make chicken stock (just as good, honestly) or store-bought stock for ease, then reheat and finish with the drippings later.

Bake and freeze the rolls. Daniel tested and discussed in his research on bread preservation that refrigerating bread does not work well, but freezing bread is a great preservation idea. Frozen dinner rolls reheat beautifully, just wrap them individually and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven (or air fryer) when it’s almost time to serve.

The weekend before: start cooking smart

The best thing you can do now is clean your refrigerator. Make room for incoming groceries, thawed turkey and stews that need to be chilled.

Defrost your turkey. This is where most home cooks go wrong. A 16-pound bird can take up to four full days to thaw in the refrigerator. That’s one day for four books. Start early to ensure the bird is completely thawed two days before roasting, at which time you will want to dry brine it.

Make your big grocery run. Stock up on root vegetables, onions, potatoes and non-perishable dairy products. Wait to buy your herbs and delicate greens until later in the week.

Prepare the cranberry sauce. This lasts at least a week and the flavor improves with time.

Prepare and freeze soups ready to serve. Pureed soups. Butternut squash, carrot, or cauliflower soup freezes perfectly – another off-the-list task.

Two days before: eliminate the little things

Make dips, dressings and relishes. Most taste better after a day or two in the refrigerator anyway.

Defrost your pie crust (or frozen pies). Move them from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight.

Assemble the casseroles. Sweet potato gratins, squash gratins, and macaroni and cheese can be baked or fully assembled and refrigerated.

Buy and wash delicate green vegetables and herbs. This is when you want to make one last trip to the store to buy salad greens, spinach, and fresh herbs like parsley and chives. Wash and wring them out, wrap them in paper towels, and store them in reusable or zipper bags as soon as you get them home to ensure they’re still vibrant when you need them.

Salt your turkey. At Serious Eats, we are firm believers in dry brining rather than wet brining your bird. Not only does it take up much less space than a giant bucket of turkey water circulating in your refrigerator, but it also ensures crispier skin and juicier meat. To dry the brine, season the turkey generously with salt and add any other spices or herbs you like while you’re at it. (The flavors won’t penetrate deeply, but they’ll save you extra scrubbing later.) Leave the bird uncovered in the refrigerator for at least a full day, but two days is even better.

The day before Thanksgiving: finish strong

It’s the big day of preparation, the equivalent of pre-service in a restaurant. Everything is prepped, seasoned, and lined up to make the next day feel like a victory lap.

Assemble the stuffing. Store it uncooked and in the refrigerator so you can put it in the oven once the turkey comes out.

Make pies. Pumpkin pies and other cream pies should be baked and refrigerated now. The fruit tarts can wait until tomorrow if you prefer them warm.

Prepare the potatoes. Peel them and store them in the refrigerator, submerged in cold water, for mashed potatoes. (Not for gratins, latkes or roasts: these need the starch intact.)

Double-check dishes and serving utensils. Label each one with a post-it: this is your station setup. Set your table tonight. This is what restaurateurs call “preparing the ground.” Waking up to a ready dining room feels like winning before the day even begins.

Thanksgiving Day: Cook, Reheat, Assemble, Enjoy

You did the work. It’s all about timing, finesse and letting your preparation pay off.

Temper your sides. A few hours before serving (2 to 4 hours is still in the safe zone), remove your side dishes from the refrigerator. Removing the cold shortens oven reheat times. This also helps all room temperature dishes reach a pleasant, non-icy serving temperature.

Start with your turkey. I always roast my turkey several hours earlier than I need it. This way, even if it takes a little longer (which it usually doesn’t), it will still be ready on time. A large bird stays warm for much longer than most people think (up to two or three hours) and if the skin needs a quick refresh, you can always return it to the oven for a few minutes to recrystallize before carving. This early start also frees up valuable oven space later for reheating macaroni and cheese, stuffings, or other side dishes.

Put your appliances to work. Don’t forget the rest of your cooking arsenal. An air fryer is perfect for reheating dinner rolls in minutes, and a slow cooker makes a great holding area for mashed potatoes or stuffing: it keeps them warm and moist, preventing them from drying out in the oven. Toaster ovens, hot water baths kept at a constant temperature with an immersion heater, and electric multi-cookers can all be put to good use while keeping the stove and oven free for essentials.

At this point, all you have to do is carve the bird and sit down to a warm, relaxed meal with your guests.