Ina Garten's Thanksgiving Prep Starts 4 Days In Advance

For many of us, Thanksgiving isn't just a holiday — it's a full-on culinary event. Whether you've already planned your menu or you're just starting to think about what you're going to wow your guests with this year, starting your prep process days in advance can give you the time you need to actually enjoy the time with your loved ones, rather than stressing out in the kitchen. The Barefoot Contessa is no stranger to Thanksgiving prep. As she shared on her Substack, she starts her process on Monday so she has less to do before friends and family arrive on for the feast on Thursday. While you might not want to follow her schedule to a T, it's easy to make your own to suit your Thanksgiving dinner plans.

Garten kicks off her Thanksgiving cooking on Monday morning by making gravy and prepping her turkey with a dry brine. If you've never dry brined a bird for Thanksgiving, you'll want to check out our expert tips and start at least 24 hours before cooking (but you don't necessarily need to do a 96-hour process like Garten). While she covers her turkey with plastic wrap and removes it the day before Thanksgiving, many dry brining recipes suggest leaving your dry brined turkey uncovered in the fridge for crispier skin. On the big day, she pops the turkey into the oven to roast while she finishes off her menu by cooking shredded Brussels sprouts on the stove. If you're also serving the veg, whether roasted or sautéed, try topping your sprouts with hot honey to give your guests a surprising yet pleasant kick of sweet heat.

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Ina Garten preps her desserts. While she's going with a pumpkin flan this year, you can also prep a variety of pie components in advance. You can make apple pie filling a few days before Thanksgiving, then bake it in your pie crust on Thursday morning (your guests will love the unmistakeable scent of a freshly baked apple pie wafting through the air as they enjoy appetizers). You can also make pumpkin pie filling in advance, let it sit overnight to give the flavors a chance to meld, then bake your pie on Wednesday. Just pop it in the fridge after it's done and set it out an hour or so before serving.

In the final push before the big day, Garten puts together savory bread pudding (she's notoriously not a fan of traditional stuffing) and make-ahead mashed potatoes. If you'd prefer, you can make mashed potatoes even further in advance and pop them in the freezer — just take them out the night before to thaw. While you don't necessarily have to start your Thanksgiving prep quite as far in advance as Garten (Anthony Bourdain was a fan of a 72-hour prep period), getting a few items out of the way can seriously help to alleviate holiday stress, allowing you to fully enjoy the fruits of your labor as you kick back at the Thanksgiving table.