I love cooking Thanksgiving dinner almost as much as I love eating
it. I start planning my menu and shopping list weeks in advance. I print out
and write down recipes, and write up a game plan to make sure everything gets
brined, rubbed, chopped, mixed and put in the oven and just the right time so
that it’s all ready to go when dinner is served.
Unfortunately, like most of you, my love of cooking seriously
outmatches my kitchen space, equipment and manpower. If I had two or three ovens,
eight stovetop burners, and a few assistants, I could probably have everything
ready to eat at precisely 7:00 PM. Instead, I can’t start cooking the dressing,
macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes or anything else that goes into the oven
until the turkey comes out – which means it has to sit for about an hour and a
half. I have potatoes boiling, vegetables steaming and gravy cooking on the
stove, and there’s always at least one more pot than there are burners.
Something is going to have to go in the microwave.
So this year, I’m taking advantage of my outdoor cooking
space – my grill and my smoker. I’m going to smoke the turkey and ham over
apple wood. I’m going to grill the macaroni and cheese, the Brussels sprouts
with bacon and blue cheese, and the asparagus. And that will leave plenty of
time and space for everything else to cook inside.
If you’re looking to free up some space in your oven or on
your stovetop, or you just want to add some grill flavor to this year’s
Thanksgiving, you can’t go wrong with any of these recipes:
Turkey
breast – I haven’t cooked a full turkey on the grill yet (I’m sure it’s
possible, and will attempt when the stakes aren’t quite as a high as
Thanksgiving). But in the meantime, if you’re cooking for a smaller group, you
can’t go wrong with this recipe
for grilled turkey breast. It’s juicy and tender, with a great (but not
overpowering) smoky flavor.
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Sweet
Potatoes – They may get overshadowed by the turkey, stuffing (or in the
south, dressing) and gravy, but it just isn’t Thanksgiving without sweet
potatoes. These
sweet potatoes can be made quickly and easily on the grill, with the
delicious brown sugar sauce you’d expect.
Macaroni
and Cheese – Gooey, cheesy, bubbly and delicious, this
recipe for macaroni and cheese cooked on the grill simply can’t be beat.
Potato
and Sweet Potato Gratin – Want to mix things up? Instead of (or maybe
in addition to) traditional mashed potatoes in one bowl and candied sweet
potatoes in another, combine them, add a ton of cheese, and enjoy this awesome
recipe for potato
and sweet potato gratin.
Vegetables – You can’t
go wrong with vegetables cooked on the grill. Any of these grilled vegetables –
carrots,
asparagus,
green
beans, corn on
the cob, or Brussels
sprouts – won’t just taste a lot better than their steamed or boiled
brethren, they’ll also free up much-needed space on your stove.
Lobster
tail – Lobster was on the menu for the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth
in 1621, so if you want to go truly authentic this year, try this recipe
for buttery, tasty grilled lobster tail.
Chocolate
Pecan Bars – Pecan pie is a staple dessert at most Thanksgiving dinners
in the south. This
recipe has all the sweet, chewy, gooey goodness of pecan pie, plus
CHOCOLATE. Oh, and it’s grilled.
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