Classic Thanksgiving … Only Cheaper

Published on Friday, November 4, 2011, by CHOW staff / Edit Post

Every food magazine and website bends over backward to do something different for Thanksgiving each year. Usually it's by adding expensive ingredients. And CHOW is no exception: We've confited turkey legs in duck fat, fancied up stuffing with pancetta and chestnuts, and advocated for heirloom pumpkins in pumpkin pie. Don't get us wrong—we love those recipes, and pancetta is freaking delicious. But what happens when, oh, let's see, we're in a recession, and money's tight, and you still want something delicious? Simple: Cut the food bling and make our classic Thanksgiving feast for eight for about a hundred bucks. Here's a dish-by-dish guide. We've calculated our costs based on the highest nonsale prices we could find at Safeway in San Francisco, so if you're a bargain shopper, you might even come in under $100 for your whole meal. FIRST UP: Turkey and Gravy

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  • Now that Thanksgiving's over for the year...we had a 'potluck' Thanksgiving this year. (There were 12 of us in total) I did the turkeys (2 12-13 pounders, one specifically for left overs)...fresh, free range and FREE (from a friend who also attended) as well as the stuffing and cranberry sauce. I also added a cheesecake as my daughter's 'donation' as she hates cooking and has little time anyway....+READ

    Now that Thanksgiving's over for the year...we had a 'potluck' Thanksgiving this year. (There were 12 of us in total) I did the turkeys (2 12-13 pounders, one specifically for left overs)...fresh, free range and FREE (from a friend who also attended) as well as the stuffing and cranberry sauce. I also added a cheesecake as my daughter's 'donation' as she hates cooking and has little time anyway. (She paid for the ingredients.) So, my personal costs were about $5 for the sauce, another $6+ for the stuffing, which was a combo of leftover bread which I cube and freeze, plus a pan of homemade cornbread) onions, celery and seasonings. We each brought a bottle of wine, plus one person brought a case of sparkling apple juice as well. Oh, and I DID buy a can of cranberry sauce for the 'purists' amongst us. (It's important that everyone has what they love at Thanksgiving, which is why I baked a sweet potato for myself, cos I dislike the marshmallow covered canned ones.) At any rate, we all had a wonderful meal and a great time. Money can't buy everything. Like great friends and family.-COLLAPSE

  • Dawn1958, for a bird that large I believe around 45 minutes at 425°F, then 4-5 hours at 325°F temperature, then a final 30 minutes (uncovered) 400°F should be sufficient. Just make sure that when you push a skewer into the leg (at the thickest point) all the juices run clear with no trace of pink.

  • I have a 22 lb turkey how long do I have to cook this big bird? I have it in a bag, it has been cooking since 12:45 this afternoon

  • I get a minimally processed turkey stuff it with cornbread stuffing with broken walnuts and apple dice. soften onions and celery in canola oil add water if needed to slightly moisten all to stuff it. I add lots of thyme fresh cracked pepper a touch of garlic , but no sage in the pan. once cooled a little - pour over the cornbread and toss before stuffing the bird. I cook the stuffed bird up side...+READ

    I get a minimally processed turkey stuff it with cornbread stuffing with broken walnuts and apple dice. soften onions and celery in canola oil add water if needed to slightly moisten all to stuff it. I add lots of thyme fresh cracked pepper a touch of garlic , but no sage in the pan. once cooled a little - pour over the cornbread and toss before stuffing the bird. I cook the stuffed bird up side down on a rack or flat in in the pan and the juices flavor the stuffing and white meat does not dry out.

    cranberry sauce - affordable and much more delicious bling-
    add one med tiny diced apple and cinnamon
    or those little canned tangerines(drained)
    or make both :)
    smashed potatoes with skins and canola oil/water instead of butter/milk ( add garlic and onion, cracked black pepper optional) is good. dust flattened balls of it with flour and fry the leftovers up in the am too.


    cranberry sauce - affordable and much more delicious bling-
    add one med tiny diced apple and some cinnamon
    or those little canned tangerines sections cut in half (drained)or one fresh one , if available

    I like boiled sweet potatoes/yams( prepare ahead) cut up and just dark brown sugar +/or nuts (maybe some allspice or nutmeg mixed in with sugar ) sprinkled over them. Then quick baked.

    I like my string beans steamed and plain- string left in too! (optional add almond slivers or baby onion) then squeeze on some lime juice and sprinkle on some cracked pepper at serving.. nice change from all the other heavy items on the plate.

    Boiled brussels sprouts or drained (un)frozen ones put in a pan and lightly brushed with olive or canola oil then just oven browned on top are really simple and good. A light drizzle of balsamic vinegar on them at the table is good too.

    Gravy from drippings is the only place I add salt in the cooking. and use arrowroot or cornstarch to thicken.if i cant find or didnt make turley stock i use water and make less so it has flavor . I'll have no chicken on my turkey, thank you! of course i add fresh pepper (to almost every thing!)

    Peasant's cocoa with cinnamon is excellent for those don't want the after dinner coffee. I have cocoa and sugar mixed up 2c sugar to one cocoa in the cabinet . I add one heaping T to a mug fill with water (don't mix yet) and 2 min in micro - if desired sprinkle about 1t cinnamon in cup, mix and enjoy.

    i like the roasted veggie idea below too!-COLLAPSE

  • The only bling stuff that seemed to even make sense to me was the bourbon, maple syrup, and pecans recommended for the sweet potatoes. My great-grandmother ALWAYS put pecans in her sweet potato casserole; then again, she got her pecans straight from the trees on her ranch.

    I bet combining the bling items together would make one hell of a sauce drizzled over cubed and roasted sweet potatoes.

  • The real question is why anyone (other than anyone obnoxiously showing off for no good reason that they're part of the 1%, or perhaps a Marie Antoinette wannabe) use any of the ingredients in the bling category?

  • Stuffing recipe is OK, but lacking - I do almost the same thing, but buy a pound of bulk pork sausage ($2.50) which I fry up BEFORE putting it in the turkey (food poisoning ruins the day, right?). Put some in the turkey, which comes out very moist, and some in an oiled casserole, which comes out drier and lighter. There's hardly ever any left, but it makes a great addition to the next day's...+READ

    Stuffing recipe is OK, but lacking - I do almost the same thing, but buy a pound of bulk pork sausage ($2.50) which I fry up BEFORE putting it in the turkey (food poisoning ruins the day, right?). Put some in the turkey, which comes out very moist, and some in an oiled casserole, which comes out drier and lighter. There's hardly ever any left, but it makes a great addition to the next day's sandwiches. Pork fat rules, as some TV chef used to say....-COLLAPSE

  • Folks ... please read the last line of the OP

    " We've calculated our costs based on the highest nonsale prices we could find at Safeway in San Francisco, so if you're a bargain shopper, you might even come in under $100 for your whole meal."

    So ... yes ... Chow is saying it will be cheaper if bargain shopping especially near THanksgiving.

    As of this week Safeway is selling frozen turkey...+READ

    Folks ... please read the last line of the OP

    " We've calculated our costs based on the highest nonsale prices we could find at Safeway in San Francisco, so if you're a bargain shopper, you might even come in under $100 for your whole meal."

    So ... yes ... Chow is saying it will be cheaper if bargain shopping especially near THanksgiving.

    As of this week Safeway is selling frozen turkey for as low a price as $7.99

    Yes, it can be cheaper. That is what Chow said.-COLLAPSE

  • Sorry Chow, But it's just not Thanksgiving without $16 chestnuts in my stuffing. I guess costs will be cut somewhere else, maybe turn the heat off and eat in the dark.

  • Duh. Thanksgiving is one of the cheapest large meals. The basic ingredients are cheap (turkey, potatoes, in-season veggies), lots of things are on sale, coupons abound, and some stores will even throw in a free turkey for frequent shoppers. No one but you (looking at you, food writers) wants truffle oil complicating their mashed potatoes on this day.
    Full disclosure: I always let wine bust my...+READ

    Duh. Thanksgiving is one of the cheapest large meals. The basic ingredients are cheap (turkey, potatoes, in-season veggies), lots of things are on sale, coupons abound, and some stores will even throw in a free turkey for frequent shoppers. No one but you (looking at you, food writers) wants truffle oil complicating their mashed potatoes on this day.
    Full disclosure: I always let wine bust my budget, though.-COLLAPSE

  • $14/qt chicken broth? $14 frozen pie crusts? what? please.

  • Bake and peel some yams, sweets and beets; roasted veg has a much richer flavor than boiled. You don't need the sugar to enjoy the veg.

  • Cranberry sauce: buy store brand, put it in a bowl with a spoon. Total cost: $1.00 if you get it on sale.

  • Stovetop stuffing on sale works, too, and is much quicker. Three boxes for $.88: $2.64.

  • I don't think you need to spend $44 on a turkey if you are cutting back. Even Alton Brown recommends buying a frozen bird, and I have never paid more than 89 cents a pound for one of those.

  • ....or if you live on the East Coast where prices are a bit lower...