When to Start Cooking Every Thanksgiving Dish, According to a Pro Chef

When I worked in restaurant kitchens, I lived and died by my prep list. I didn't show up to service without a plan—down to which size deli container my mise en place would live in. In culinary school, one of my instructors wouldn't even let us enter the kitchen unless we had a handwritten timeline laid out on index cards. "You can't plate a dish if you can't plan it," she'd bark.

At the time, it felt a little…extra. But now, every year when Thanksgiving rolls around, I realize she was right. The secret to an easy, impressive, actually enjoyable Thanksgiving isn't a secret ingredient—it's a prep timeline. Think like a chef, and you'll actually get to sit down with a glass of wine while your turkey rests instead of panic-peeling potatoes in a sweat.

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

Two to Three Weeks Before Thanksgiving: Get Your Ducks (Turkeys) in a Row

You know how restaurant kitchens run like clockwork? It's because everything is ordered, prepped, and checked days before service. Do the same.

Plan your menu. Don't get over-ambitious. Balance oven-hogs (like casseroles and roasts) with stovetop sides, salads, or dishes that taste great at room temperature.

Delegate early. If guests are bringing something, assign it now. "Whatever you want!" sounds nice, but it's how you end up with four pies and no mashed potatoes.

Order your turkey. High-quality heritage, fresh, or farm-raised 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 gear. You do not want to realize on Thanksgiving morning that your instant-read thermometer died or you're short a roasting pan. Pull out everything you'll need—sheet pans, platters, pie tins—and know where they are when 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 (there's a decent chance it's not).

Audit your pantry goods. Smell your dried spices like sage, thyme, and cinnamon, and check the expiration dates on baking powder, baking soda, and any other pantry goods you're likely to need. If they smell faint or dusty, or if they're past their expiration date, replace them. 

Do a kitchen deep clean. In restaurants, service starts with a clean space. Now's the time to declutter your counters and clear your fridge.

One to Two Weeks Before: Organize and Build Your Freezer Stash

This is your key mise en place week—the foundation for everything that's about to happen.

Make shopping lists. Yes, plural. If you're cooking several dishes, a lengthy list can be overwhelming, and you're more likely to forget the lemons, requiring an extra trip to the store. Non-perishables: flour, sugar, foil, butter, stock, canned goods. Semi-stables: potatoes, onions, winter squash. Fresh items: herbs, greens, dairy—buy those closer to the day.

Prep and freeze pie dough. Wrap each crust tightly in plastic and foil, label it, and freeze. You can also freeze unbaked apple or baked pecan pies, but skip freezing custard pies (they'll weep).

Make and freeze gravy. Skip the last-minute panic of whisking flour into hot fat with guests watching. Use turkey wings to whip up a turkey stock in advance, make chicken stock (just as good, honestly), or store-bought stock for ease, then reheat and finish with pan drippings later.

Bake and freeze rolls. Daniel has tested and discussed in his bread storage research that refrigerating bread doesn't work well, but freezing bread is a great storage 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 single best thing you can do now is to clean out your fridge. Make space for incoming groceries, thawing turkey, and casseroles that need chilling.

Defrost your turkey. This is where most home cooks mess up. A 16-pound bird can take up to four full days to thaw in the fridge. That's one day for every four pounds. Start early to ensure the bird is fully thawed two days before roasting, which is when you will want to dry-brine it.

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

Make the cranberry sauce. It lasts at least a week, and the flavor improves over time.

Make and freeze soups if serving. Pureed soups. Butternut squash, carrot, or cauliflower soup freezes perfectly—another task off the list.

Two Days Before: Knock Out the Little Things

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

Thaw your pie dough (or frozen pies). Move them from freezer to fridge overnight.

Assemble casseroles. Sweet potato bakes, squash gratins, and mac and cheese can be cooked or fully assembled and chilled.

Purchase and wash delicate greens and herbs. This is when you want to do one final trip to the store for salad greens, spinach, and fresh herbs like parsley and chives. Wash and spin them dry, wrap in paper towels, and store in reusable or zip-top bags as soon as you bring them home to ensure they're still vibrant when you need them.

Salt your turkey. At Serious Eats, we're firm believers in dry brining over wet brining your bird. Not only does it take up far less space than a giant bucket of turkey water sloshing around your fridge, but it also guarantees crispier skin and juicier meat. To dry-brine, season the turkey generously with salt—and add any other spices or herbs you like while you're at it. (The flavorings won't penetrate deeply, but they'll save you an extra rub later.) Leave the bird uncovered in the refrigerator for at least one full day, but two days is even better.

The Day Before Thanksgiving: Finish Strong

This is the big prep day—the equivalent of pre-service in a restaurant. Everything gets prepped, seasoned, and lined up so that the next day can feel like a victory lap.

Assemble stuffing. Keep it unbaked and refrigerated so you can pop it in the oven once the turkey's out.

Make pies. Pumpkin and other custard pies should be baked and chilled now. Fruit pies can wait until tomorrow if you prefer them warm.

Prep potatoes. Peel and store them in the fridge, submerged in cold water, for mashed potatoes. (Not for gratins or latkes or roasted—those need the starch intact.)

Double-check serving dishes and utensils. Label each one with a sticky note—this is your station setup. Set your table tonight. It's what restaurant managers call "setting the stage." Waking up to a ready dining room feels like winning before the day even starts.

Thanksgiving Day: Cook, Reheat, Assemble, Enjoy

You did the work. Now it's just about timing, finesse, and letting your prep pay off.

Temper your sides. A few hours before serving (2 to 4 hours is still within the safe zone), pull your sides out of the fridge. Taking the chill off shortens oven reheat times. It also helps any room-temperature dishes hit a pleasant—not icy—serving temperature.

Start with your turkey first. I always roast my turkey several hours earlier than I need it. That way, even if it takes a little longer (it usually doesn't), it'll still be ready on time. A big bird stays warm far longer than most people expect—up to two or three hours—and if the skin needs a quick refresh, you can always pop it back in the oven for a few minutes to recrisp before carving. This early start also frees up valuable oven space later for reheating mac and cheese, stuffing, or other sides.

Put your appliances to work. Don't forget the rest of your kitchen arsenal. An air fryer is perfect for reheating rolls in minutes, and a slow cooker makes a great holding zone for mashed potatoes or stuffing—it keeps them warm and moist, preventing them from drying out in the oven. Toaster ovens, hot water baths held at a consistent temp with an immersion circulator, and electric multi-cookers can all be put to good use while keeping the stovetop and oven free for the essentials.

At this point, all that's left is carving the bird and sitting down to a hot, relaxed meal with your guests.