Thanksgiving 101, Part 4: Your Ultimate Thanksgiving Day Timeline

You planned it, prepped it, and cooked the perfect Thanksgiving turkey. Now it’s time to bring the whole meal together! The best way to keep Thanksgiving Day running smoothly is to work backwards from the time you want to eat and give every dish a place in the schedule.

What to Make Ahead for Thanksgiving

Don’t save everything for Thanksgiving morning. One to two days ahead, prep your casseroles, chop vegetables, make cranberry sauce, get your dressing ready, and knock out desserts that hold well.

On Thanksgiving morning, finish your sides, preheat your recteq, and set up an area for anything that will need to be held or reheated.

Bring the Whole Thanksgiving Meal Together

Start with your desired serving time and work backwards. Your turkey will likely need the longest cook, then you can layer in sides according to their cooking times.

Once your turkey comes off the recteq, use that resting time wisely. Finish your gravy, heat your sides, warm the rolls, and get everything ready for the table.

And remember, your kitchen oven doesn’t have to do it all. Using your recteq for the turkey and additional outdoor cooking space for sides, dressing, casseroles, and reheating can help keep your kitchen from getting overcrowded.

The Best Thanksgiving Sides to Complete Your Menu

Thanksgiving Desserts on the recteq

Your recteq isn't just for turkey. Smoked pumpkin pie, apple crisp, pecan pie, cinnamon rolls, and bread pudding can all bring a little wood-fired flavor to your Thanksgiving menu.

Make desserts ahead when you can or take advantage of the extra cooking space once your turkey comes off.

Don't Forget the Thanksgiving Leftovers

Let’s be honest, the leftovers are half the fun.

Turn that Thanksgiving turkey into smoked turkey sliders, stuffed potatoes, turkey pot pie, nachos, Thanksgiving pizza, or turkey hash for Black Friday breakfast. The sky’s the limit, so get creative. Here are some of our favorite ideas.

DELICIOUS DISHES FROM HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS

Time to Enjoy Thanksgiving

You planned the menu. You prepped the turkey. You cooked it. And now you’ve pulled the whole thing together.

So put down the serving spoon, grab a plate, and actually sit down with everyone else. Thanksgiving was never about making everything perfect. It’s about great food, time together, and the memories made around the table.

Happy Thanksgiving from recteq!