Your 2024 Thanksgiving Essential Checklist
Preparing a satisfying holiday meal complete with all the Thanksgiving essentials is more than just another day spent cooking. It’s a chance to turn your kitchen into a gourmet wonderland, stocked with everything you need to create classic Thanksgiving dishes, plus a few new favorites. With so much to do, having a checklist to make sure you cover all the Thanksgiving essentials is…well, essential!
Do you have all the turkey tools you need to make your big meal a smashing success? If you could use some attractive new Thanksgiving serveware or an updated roasting pan, this is a great time to take inventory and start shopping.
If you’d like to explore inventive new recipes but want to test them out ahead of the holiday, there’s time for that, too. And if you’re looking for something a little different this year, why not check into the holiday experiences available to make the big day special in a whole new way?
Below you'll find everything you need to plan, cook and serve a gourmet Thanksgiving.
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Turkey Cookers
1. Weber Smokey Mountain 22" Cooker
Give your ham or turkey a sweet, smoky flavor with the Weber Smoky Mountain 22” Cooker. With its extra-large interior and charcoal-based heating, you can cook both to perfection at the same time!
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Price: $549
2. Demeyere Industry Stainless Steel Roasting Pan
The Demeyere Industry Stainless Steel Roasting Pan is one of the best roasting pans, not to mention a Thanksgiving essential for traditional oven-roasted turkey and ham. The smooth stainless steel surfaces mean even heating, and the V-shaped rack allows helpful drainage of fats and juices.
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Price: $249.96
Turkey Tools and More
3. Zwilling Poultry Shears
Snip through just about anything that gets in the way with these heavy-duty Zwilling Poultry Shears. They’re a Thanksgiving essential when it comes to carving, splitting and skinning with more force and precision than knives can offer.
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Price: $48.95
4. Harold Import Co. Gravy Strainer and Fat Separator
Eliminate unwanted fat in your Thanksgiving foods and leave in the flavor with the Harold Import Co. Gravy Strainer and Fat Separator. You’ll also eliminate lumps and residue, leaving you nothing but smooth gravy, a Thanksgiving essential on every table.
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Price: $43.50
5. Harold Import Co. Gravy Boat With Attached Saucer
Serve your perfectly strained gravy in the Harold Import Co. Gravy Boat With Attached Saucer for a touch of holiday style. The all-in-one-piece design makes it slip-and-chip-proof, and the generous interior provides plenty of space for serving.
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Price: $30.95
6. Harold Import Co. Large Face Meat Thermometer
The easy-to-read gauge on the Harold Import Co. Large Face Meat Thermometer makes simple work of cooking ham, turkey and other Thanksgiving essentials to their perfect doneness. Remember, the perfect turkey internal temp is not only essential for the ideal taste but food safety reasons, too. Try it to create a holiday turkey to celebrate!
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Price: $22.99
7. Harold Import Co. Potato Ricer
The Harold Import Co. Potato Ricer is the perfect Thanksgiving essential for making quick work of mashed potatoes. Impress your guests with riced cauliflower and sweet potatoes, too.
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Price: $31.95
8. Zwilling 19” x 15” Cutting Board
The classic shape and useful handles of the Zwilling 19” x 15” Cutting Board make it handy for slicing and serving on. But the birch surface that resists dulling your kitchen knives makes this Thanksgiving essential a must-have.
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Price: $129.95
9. Zwilling Pro Cutting Board 5 Pc Set
For a sharp collection of Thanksgiving essentials, try the Zwilling Pro Cutting Board 5 Pc Set. You’ll have a paring knife, a utility knife and a pair of kitchen shears plus a handy sharpener to go with the elegant included cutting board.
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Price: $159.95
Thanksgiving Serveware and Storage
10. Staub Cast Iron Pumpkin Cocotte 3.5 Qt
Cook and serve in high autumn style with the Staub Cast Iron Pumpkin Cocotte 3.5 Qt. The whimsical pumpkin shape with a golden stem handle makes it a Thanksgiving essential for dining and decorating!
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Price: $319.99
11. Staub 3-Pc Mixed Baking Dish Set
The classic enameled stoneware of the Staub 3-Pc Mixed Baking Dish Set will add a dash of panache to your banquet table. With a round, square and rectangular dish included, you’ll have the right serveware to present a Thanksgiving dinner menu that looks as great as it tastes.
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Price: $99.95
12. Staub 13x9” Baking Dish
For another of the best casserole dishes, add a splash of color to your dinner décor with the sturdy and stylish Staub 13x9” Baking Dish. The heritage style is contemporary enough to serve your stuffing, potatoes or side casseroles.
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Price: $76.95
13. Mrs. Anderson’s Lasagna Pan
For a Thanksgiving essential you can take international, there’s Mrs. Anderson’s Lasagna Pan. Its generous 13x9” channel makes it perfect for traditional dishes of your choice to be prepared and served as a main course or side.
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Price: $51.95
14. Lock N Lock Easy Essentials Color Mates Assorted Food Storage Container Set, 18-Pc
When it’s time to put away the leftovers, treat yourself to Lock N Lock Easy Essentials Color Mates Assorted Food Storage Container Set, 18-Pc. You’ll have nine multi-sized containers and corresponding locking lids to keep everything fresh and stacked away until turkey sandwich time!
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Price: $28.99
Classic Thanksgiving Dishes
Gravy
Gravy is a Thanksgiving essential that enhances almost any dish on the table and ties the meal together with its savory goodness. If you’re looking to change up your standard recipe, try a vegan mushroom gravy that uses fresh mushrooms, miso, shallots and thyme to lend a uniquely umami flavor.
Green Bean Casserole
Thanksgiving isn’t complete without green bean casserole on the menu. Change up your usual version with a hearty keto green bean casserole that ramps up the flavor with chardonnay and Dijon mustard. Or try a lighter green bean almondine as a deliciously deconstructed alternative, topped with crisp almond slices and fresh sautéed onions.
Stuffing
There are as many takes on this Thanksgiving essential as there are chefs to create it! This year, try a vegan stuffing loaded with Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli for your plant-centered guests. And if you need to satisfy folks with a more traditional take, a sausage stuffing with spicy sausage and zesty garlic is sure to fit the bill.
Maple Glazed Carrots
Carrots are an ideal root vegetable dish for balancing out the protein and starch of other Thanksgiving essentials. Sweetened with real maple syrup and topped with chopped pecans, these maple glazed carrots will add new dimensions of flavor to a familiar holiday favorite.
Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
Bring a little color to your standard mashed potato dish by presenting these red skin mashed potatoes as a new Thanksgiving essential on your table. They’re extra-decadent, with heavy cream and cream cheese added to ramp up the flavor.
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Instead of your usual mac and cheese, try this supremely creamy pumpkin mac and cheese recipe this year. The sophisticated combination of gourmet cheeses and silky pumpkin purée takes a traditional Thanksgiving essential to a new level of festive!
Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes
Few flavors bring back memories of Thanksgiving meals past like sweet potatoes. With these brown sugar sweet potatoes, you’ll have an easy-to-serve sliced version of the classic featuring the buttery brown sugar goodness your guests know and love.
Pear Galette
A simple dessert dish like a pear galette can make the most of autumn fruit while adding some new flavors to your holiday spread. It’s a buttermilk cornmeal crust filled with delicate slices of pear sweetened with brown sugar, an easy and effective recipe that’s sure to become a Thanksgiving essential.
Sweet Potato Cheesecake
Elevate your dessert table and combine two beloved offerings into a single decadent treat by including a sweet potato cheesecake in the mix. It provides the comfort of a classic sweet potato pie and the rich indulgence of a traditional cheesecake, with a toasted marshmallow topping that beats whipped cream, hands down.
Crustless Pumpkin Pie
If you're looking for fun Thanksgiving activities to engage in with your loved ones, baking this sweet treat should be near the top. Pumpkin pie is undoubtedly the most significant Thanksgiving essential on the table, and this crustless pumpkin pie gives a fun gourmet twist to the holiday favorite. You get all the smooth pumpkin custard you love topped with candied almonds for a new twist on standard holiday deliciousness.
Your kitchen is bound to be filled with festive activity this Thanksgiving. When you have the Thanksgiving essentials that make your work easier while ensuring you have all bases covered, you can labor a little less and celebrate a little more.
In addition to having the cookware and recipes you need to make your dinner special (plus a few selections for the best wine for Thanksgiving), remember to take a little time to relax and enjoy it all yourself. Of everything you’ll bring to the table this holiday season, good cheer and holiday happiness are the most important Thanksgiving essentials of all!
For even more fun ways to celebrate the holidays, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
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