Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and for many, that means wrestling with a frozen turkey and a mountain of last-minute prep work. But celebrity chef Ina Garten offers a solution: a make-ahead roast turkey recipe so popular that devoted fans claim it’s changed their Thanksgiving game forever.
Garten emphasizes planning ahead to avoid culinary chaos on Thanksgiving Day itself. “Every year, I try to plan my Thanksgiving menu with delicious dishes I can make ahead because I hate running around on Thursday like a chicken with my head cut off (or, for this holiday, a turkey!)”, she wrote on Instagram.
Her strategy involves tackling key components early in the week, including her Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions and Sage – recipes first shared in her 2014 cookbook Make It Ahead.
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A Week Before Thanksgiving: The Prep Begins
The turkey preparation starts two or three days before roasting. A simple salt rub is applied to a washed, dried bird, then tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and nestled in a shallow dish. This seasoned treasure goes straight into the refrigerator for up to two days until just before Thanksgiving.
On the day before the big feast, the turkey is unwrapped, allowing its skin to dry slightly in the fridge. This step helps achieve that desirable crispy skin effect.
The Big Day: Roast and Recline
Finally, on Thanksgiving Day, the turkey takes center stage in a large roasting pan, filled with aromatic onions and herbs. The legs are tied together with kitchen twine, wings tucked close to the body, and a generous brushing of butter adds that classic golden sheen. Additional flavorful ingredients round out the stuffing before the turkey is slid into the oven for two to two-and-a-quarter hours of roasting bliss.
Once cooked, the thighs and legs are removed from the bird, ensuring juicy meat and even browning. The cooked turkey rests on a platter, enveloped in foil, while the roasting pan becomes home to an equally impressive gravy creation.
Gravy Made Easy: Make-Ahead Magic
Ina Garten’s Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy requires some advance preparation as well. Unsalted butter melts into a saucepan alongside onions that are sautéed until golden brown. Flour is whisked in, creating a roux base before the gradual addition of chicken stock, Cognac or brandy, bay leaves, and dry white wine (Pinot Grigio works perfectly). This mixture simmers, occasionally stirred, until it reaches the desired consistency.
A key step: the gravy is allowed to cool at room temperature for an hour before straining for ultimate smoothness. Right before serving time, the cooked turkey’s roasting pan is placed on the stovetop alongside the resting turkey. The wine is poured into the pan, deglazing and extracting all those delicious browned bits clinging to the bottom.
Finally, the strained gravy mixture is slowly incorporated into the pan, simmering for a few minutes until it reaches that perfect balance of thickness and richness.
A Recipe That Sticks: Rave Reviews from Fans
The rave reviews speak volumes about Garten’s genius approach. “I make your make-ahead gravy every year,” one devotee commented. “Such a wonderful recipe. The best gravy I’ve ever had!” Another shared, “I’ve made Ina’s turkey recipe every year for ten years straight and it’s always a hit!” And then there’s the decisive declaration: “Did the turkey last year. Best turkey ever. I’ll never make it another way!”
Ina Garten makes Thanksgiving less about frantic cooking and more about savoring time with loved ones, all thanks to her incredibly thoughtful and delicious make-ahead recipes.
