Name: Thanksgiving Food - Turkey Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 1 d 3 h 50 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons butter; 3 tablespoons flour; 2 cups dry white wine, like chardonnay; 1 cup orange juice; Leaves pulled from 2 rosemary sprigs; 7 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed just to open it up a bit; 1 lemon, cut into quarters; 1 large onion, cut into quarters; 1 apple, cut into quarters; 2-3 each: fresh Rosemary sprigs, Thyme sprigs, Sage sprigs; ½ cup butter, softened; Fresh grated rind from 1 large lemon (after grating the lemon use it for the aromatics below); 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary needles; 3 Tablespoons Kosher salt or coarse sea salt (if your turkey has been pre-injected for juiciness, you can cut this down to 2 tablespoons); ½ teaspoon each of dry rosemary, thyme, sage; ¾ teaspoon black pepper; 1 14-16 pound fresh or frozen UNSALTED whole turkey; ¼ cup butter, melted

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Set a beautiful long Thanksgiving table with food for the family, this year. This traditional dinner is simple but elegant with a turkey centerpiece that’s Pinterest-worthy. Grab the Thanksgiving ideas and turkey recipe here.

_{This post has been sponsored by Shady Brook Farms® Turkey. All thoughts and opinions are my own}

Thanksgiving table with food

This year’s Thanksgiving celebration may look a little different, a little smaller perhaps. But that’s no reason to make it any less special or delicious.

That’s why I’m sharing some simple ideas and tips for creating a Thanksgiving meal, including food presentation ideas.

The turkey is the main event on Thanksgiving, and serving up a Shady Brook Farms Turkey® roasted to perfection is a great way to start.

These turkeys come from independent family farmers that have a high standard for animal care, so when you buy one for Thanksgiving dinner you’ll get a wholesome product for your meal.

Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Setting the Thanksgiving table with food means you can eat family-style. And you can present it in an appealing way so it adds to the decoration.

We start with a long table and place each dish down the center, making the turkey the centerpiece. Here’s what our traditional meal includes.

Oven Roasted Turkey with white wine & orange juice baste (RECIPE BELOW)
Wild Rice & Ciabatta Dressing
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
Mashed Potatoes with fried sage leaves
Cranberry Sauce
Yeast Rolls
Easy Pumpkin Pie

See how we set the scene before adding the food with these Thanksgiving tablescape ideas for the family gathering.

Thanksgiving Turkey

My basting recipe incorporates rosemary, white wine, and orange juice, so when it’s time to plate the cooked dish, use garnishes to reflect that.

Once the turkey is on the serving platter, surround it with grapes, orange slices, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves.

Dressing

Take your favorite dressing recipe to the next level by serving it in mini pumpkins for Thanksgiving dinner. Here, we serve our wild rice dressing recipe inside.

Cook the pumpkins alone and then fill them with cooked dressing. Or, you can put the prepared dressing inside the pumpkin and cook them both together.

Mashed Potatoes

Serve mashed potatoes in a bowl and add a swirl design on top. Drizzle melted butter inside the swirl and top with crispy fried sage leaves for a delicious garnish.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Make my sautéed brussels sprouts recipe and then garnish with some fresh grated lemon peel for a pop of freshness. Sprinkle on some pepitas for seasonal crunch.

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is basically a Thanksgiving condiment. Whether you make it homemade or you open up a can of whole berry cranberry sauce, garnish it with fresh mint leaves and grated orange peel.

Thanksgiving rolls in wood bowl garnished with fresh herbs

Dinner Rolls

How can you serve the humble dinner roll in a more appetizing way? Elevate the presentation by piling them into a rustic wood bowl and surround them with fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, sage, or rosemary.

I hope you’ll set your family Thanksgiving table with food and incorporate these ideas this year.

family Thanksgiving table place setting with mini pumpkin filled with rice dressing

More Food Ideas

Here are some more side dishes and desserts to serve for Thanksgiving, alongside our turkey.

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Thanksgiving Food - Turkey Recipe

Yield: serves 6-8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Additional Time: 1 day

Total Time: 1 day 3 hours 50 minutes

This Thanksgiving turkey gets its flavor from a dry brine, and then an easy butter coating and white wine basting sauce.

Ingredients

1 14-16 pound fresh or frozen UNSALTED whole turkey
¼ cup butter, melted

Dry Brine

3 Tablespoons Kosher salt or coarse sea salt (if your turkey has been pre-injected for juiciness, you can cut this down to 2 tablespoons)
½ teaspoon each of dry rosemary, thyme, sage
¾ teaspoon black pepper

Butter Rub

½ cup butter, softened
Fresh grated rind from 1 large lemon (after grating the lemon use it for the aromatics below)
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary needles

Aromatics

7 cloves of garlic, lightly crushed just to open it up a bit
1 lemon, cut into quarters
1 large onion, cut into quarters
1 apple, cut into quarters
2-3 each: fresh Rosemary sprigs, Thyme sprigs, Sage sprigs

White Wine Sauce

2 cups dry white wine, like chardonnay
1 cup orange juice
Leaves pulled from 2 rosemary sprigs

For Gravy

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour

Instructions

Make sure to defrost the turkey in the fridge for 3-4 days if frozen. Calculate 1 day of thawing for every 5 pounds. Once thawed, remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse inside and out, and pat dry.
Combine dry brine ingredients together and rub into the turkey getting underneath the skin, inside the cavity, and on top of skin. Let sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

TIP: Letting the turkey sit uncovered helps to dry out the skin and make it crisp.

Remove turkey from fridge and let sit for 1 hour to warm up to room temperature.
Preheat the oven at 325º F. Combine butter rub ingredients together and rub into turkey underneath skin and on top of skin. Place fresh herbs and other aromatic ingredients inside the hollow turkey cavity; whatever doesn't fit inside you can put in the bottom of the pan.
Place turkey on a baking rack placed inside a large roasting pan, breast side up, and tuck wings underneath turkey if you like.
Combine wine sauce ingredients and pour into the roasting pan. Cook uncovered at 325º F for 15 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature has reached 158 to 160º.
If turkey starts to over-brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Remove turkey to a serving platter and let rest for at least 30 to 45 minutes so juices can redistribute. It will continue to cook as it sits, and should reach 165º.
For Gravy: Strain liquid and drippings from the pan through cheese cloth or mesh strainer.
After collecting your drippings, let them cool slightly so the fat rises to the top. Use a fat separator or the storage bag method to skim off the fat, and measure out 3 cups of liquid.
Heat butter over medium heat to melt. Add flour whisking constantly until it dissolves. Cook until it thickens and turns light brown, continuing to whisk.
Add strained drippings slowly as you whisk over medium-low heat, simmering until desired thickness. Tip: Keep in mind it will also thicken as it cools. Taste before seasoning with salt and pepper.

Notes

Freeze pan drippings in ice trays for later use in soups or to help flavor rice, couscous, quinoa, etc.

Thanksgiving Table with Food