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Last active April 30, 2026 22:10
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Thanksgiving 2025 Menu
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thanksgiving-2025.md

Thanksgiving plans 2025

Cooking schedule

schedule

Turkey

This recipe

Paid for pdf recipe, downloaded, and have printed locally. Share on demand from my onedrive.

Ingredients are:

  • 1/2 cup Diamond Crystal or 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
  • 1 12–14-lb. turkey, neck reserved for gravy, giblets discarded, patted dry
  • 12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
  • 1/4 cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 sprigs rosemary
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 2x1" strips orange zest

Gravy

  • 1/4 cup fat from turkey drippings

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup liquid from turkey drippings

  • 1 cup turkey stock

  • ground black pepper to taste

  • Heat fat from turkey drippings in a saucepan over medium-low heat until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk flour into fat until golden in color, about 5 minutes.

  • Gradually whisk in turkey drippings and turkey stock; increase heat to medium and cook, whisking vigorously, until smooth and thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

  • Season gravy to taste with ground black pepper. Serve hot.

Cranberry Sauce

Storebought + Homemade. Homemade recipe follows:

  • 12oz fresh cranberries
  • 4oz orange juice
  • 4oz water
  • 1/2 Cup sugar
  • 1/4 Cup brown sugar
  • 3 small slices ginger (bundle)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (bundle)
  • 4 orange peel slices (bundle)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

And for instructions:

  • Combine everything but aromatics in pan, bring to bubble.
  • Add cranberries + aromatics bundle
  • 8 to 10 minutes simmering on low, one chunky mash it to get the texture
  • let cool, then freeze until 2 days before thanksgiving

Stuffing

Parental Units Guidance Welcomed here

BA Garlic Mashed potatoes

  • 3 large heads of garlic, ¼" cut off tops to expose cloves
  • Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
  • 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
  • 4 lb. russet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled, cut into 2" pieces
  • 13 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Finely chopped parsley (for serving)

Instructions:

  • Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Place 3 large heads of garlic, 1/4" cut off tops to expose cloves, cut side up, in center of a large sheet of foil on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Scrunch up foil around garlic to encase. Bake until garlic is lightly browned and very tender, 75–85 minutes. Let cool.

  • Meanwhile, place 4 lb. russet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled, cut into 2" pieces, in a large pot; pour in cold water to cover by 2". Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender (a knife should slide easily into flesh), 20–30 minutes. Drain and set aside in colander. Reserve pot.

  • Melt 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter in reserved pot over low heat. Using a potato ricer or food mill, rice potatoes into pot; stir to coat. (Or, add to pot and mash with a potato masher.) Gradually pour in 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, stirring constantly to combine; stir in 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Season with freshly ground pepper and more salt if needed. Squeeze garlic cloves from heads into potatoes; stir to combine. Transfer to a large bowl.

  • Just before serving, melt remaining 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and drizzle over mashed potatoes; scatter finely chopped parsley on top.

Do Ahead: Garlic can be roasted 1 day ahead. Keep wrapped in foil packet and chill.

Buttery Garlic Green Beans

  • 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped in half
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning, or more to taste
  • salt to taste

Instructions:

  • Place greenbeans in pan with water, bring to boil, then reduce to medium low and simmer until beans just start to soften.
  • Drain and return to the skillet. Add butter and stir until melted, 1 to 2 minutes
  • Add garlic; cook until tender and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Season with lemon-pepper seasoning and salt before serving.

Winter Roasted Veggies

  • 1 lb Brussels sprouts (4 cups), trimmed and halved
  • 3 large carrots (3 cups), peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries

OVEN: Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.

AIR FRYER: Note that this recipe is fairly large, so you may need to do this recipe in batches for the best result, or a very large air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 375F (190C).

  • Add the Brussels sprouts, carrots, red onions, olive oil, maple syrup, rosemary, salt, pepper, and cinnamon.

    • Toss well to combine.

  • OVEN: Spread the veggies evenly over the two prepared baking sheets. Roast for 20 - 25 minutes, stirring halfway through until the veggies are fork-tender and beginning to brown. Sprinkle over the walnuts and dried cranberries and continue to bake another 5 - 10 minutes until the veggies are cooked and the nuts are lightly roasted.

  • AIR FRYER: add the veggies to the air fryer. Air fry for 16 - 20 minutes, shaking halfway through until the veggies are fork-tender and beginning to brown. Sprinkle over the walnuts and dried cranberries and continue to bake another 4 - 8 minutes until the veggies are cooked and the nuts are lightly roasted.

Bread Rolls

Those dutch oven dinner rolls from the everyday bread book.

Harvest HoneyCrisp Salad

  • 6 cups chopped tuscan kale
  • cinnamon shallot vinaigrette
  • kosher salt + black pepper to taste
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds
  • 2 honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons roasted, salted pepitas
  • 3 oz freshly grated sharp white cheddar cheese

Cinnamon Shallot Vinaigrette

  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Post-mortem

  • The turkey was thawed, but thawed too recently so it didn't dry out during the brining as much as I'd like. Nor did it maintain a crust.
  • With no stuffing, cook time is very much reduced.
  • Due to aboe cook time reduction, the turkey was straight up done in probably an hour when it went for an hour 15.
  • Forgot to put an orange peel in the glaze
  • The tuscan kale was WAY too fucking stiff. To the point of ridiculousness. That same vinaigrette with some spring greens is the way to go.
  • I chickened out and only put in a single head of roasted garlic into the mashed potatos. The roasting REALLY takes the potency out of them, go with both heads next time.
  • Roasted winter veggies were legit af
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