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Thanksgiving is the biggest dinner of the year at my house, so here is my whole menu in one place: the turkey, the sides my family fights over, the family classics we never skip, plus desserts, drinks and something sweet for Thanksgiving morning.
Pick a main, a few sides, a cornbread and a dessert, and you have a full table. Then scroll to the bottom for my make-ahead timeline, so you’re not doing everything on Thursday.
The Mains
Juicy Cajun Butter Turkey
My viral Cajun butter turkey: dry brined, rubbed with compound butter and roasted under butter-soaked cheesecloth. The timing chart and thawing guide are in the post.
Maple Glazed Rum Ham
A spiral ham cooked in a rum and maple glaze until it’s glistening. The easiest showstopper on the table.
Candied Ribs with Tangerine Chipotle Glaze
Slow-baked ribs candied in a sticky tangerine chipotle glaze. Bright, a little spicy and fall-apart tender.
Oven Baked Lamb Chops with Balsamic Glaze
Tender, juicy lamb chops with a sweet and tangy balsamic glaze, for a main that feels special.
The Sides
Texas Roadhouse Rolls with Honey Cinnamon Butter
Soft, pillowy copycat rolls with honey cinnamon butter.
Chopped Apple, Brussels Sprout and Bacon Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing
Shaved Brussels sprouts, apples and bacon with honey Dijon. The fresh, crunchy side the plate needs.
Creamed Green Beans with Crispy Shallots
Tender green beans in a silky cream sauce, piled with crispy shallots.
Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice with Pigeon Peas)
Savory rice with pigeon peas, the side we never skip.
Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa)
Tender potatoes, eggs, sautéed peppers and crisp apple in a creamy seasoned dressing. An easy make-ahead side.
Cornbread, Dressing and Gravy
Appetizers
Pastrami, Boursin and Caramelized Onion Crostini
Boursin, warm pastrami and jammy caramelized onions on crisp toasts. An easy starter while the turkey rests.
Desserts
Apple Slab Pie with Bourbon Sauce
A big, flaky apple pie baked in a sheet pan with bourbon sauce. It feeds a crowd.
Sweet Potato Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Tender spiced sweet potato layers with brown butter cream cheese frosting.
Biscuit-Top Peach Cobbler
Peaches in a thick, glossy filling under a golden biscuit top brushed with honey butter.
Drinks and Thanksgiving Morning
My Thanksgiving Timeline
The secret to a calm Thanksgiving is doing most of the work before Thursday. Here’s how I plan mine.
- One week before: Lock in your menu and guest count, shop for everything that keeps, and order your turkey tools (cheesecloth, injector, meat thermometer), since stores sell out.
- 4 to 5 days before: If your turkey is frozen, start thawing it in the fridge. Allow about 1 day for every 4 to 5 pounds (see the chart in my Cajun Butter Turkey post).
- 2 days before: Assemble the mac and cheese (don’t bake it yet), make the honey butter for the cornbread, and make any dessert that needs time to chill.
- The night before: Dry brine the turkey, make the Cajun compound butter, and bake your cornbread.
- Thanksgiving morning: Take the turkey out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking, pat it very dry with paper towels, and get it in the oven.
- While the turkey rests (45 minutes to an hour): Bake the mac and cheese, warm the cornbread, and make the gravy from the drippings.
Tag me @themoodyfoody when you make anything from this menu. I love seeing your tables!
