Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. That’s less than three weeks away, which is plenty of time if you start this weekend.
This menu gives you a Thanksgiving with a Downton Abbey touch: the turkey, side dishes from the Titanic’s last dinner, British desserts, breakfast for houseguests and smart ways to use the leftovers. The make-ahead plan does the heavy lifting, so on Thursday you get to sit down with your family instead of standing at the stove.
Why Thanksgiving Belongs at Downton
The British don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. But Downton had an American at the head of the table. Cora Crawley grew up in America, and her mother, Martha Levinson, never let the family forget it.
Edwardian cooks knew the menu, too. On April 14, 1912, the Titanic’s second-class dining saloon served roast turkey with cranberry sauce, likely a nod to the ship’s destination, New York. First class dined that night on Chateau potatoes, creamed carrots and Parmentier potatoes. You’ll find all of them below.
As a national holiday, Thanksgiving dates to 1863, when President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November a day of thanks. Congress fixed it to the fourth Thursday in 1941.
Your Make-Ahead Plan
A Downton dinner looked effortless because the work was done days before. Here’s how to do the same.
This Weekend (November 7 and 8)
- Order your turkey, or buy a frozen one. The USDA suggests about 1¼ pounds per person.
- Make Granny’s pie pastry and freeze it.
- Make pumpkin purée from scratch and freeze it, or buy your cans now before the shelves empty.
Two Weeks Out (November 14 and 15)
- Bake the cranberry loaf and freeze it for Thanksgiving week breakfasts.
- Plan breakfast for houseguests. The make-ahead breakfast pudding goes together the night before.
- Making a Christmas pudding this year? Buy your suet and dried fruit now. Stir-Up Sunday is November 22.
Thaw Week: When Your Turkey Goes in the Fridge
The USDA rule is 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. A thawed turkey keeps for one to two days in the fridge, so starting early is safe. Starting late is not.
| Turkey weight | Time in the fridge | Move it to the fridge by |
|---|---|---|
| Under 12 pounds | 1 to 3 days | Monday, November 23 |
| 12 to 16 pounds | 3 to 4 days | Sunday, November 22 |
| 16 to 20 pounds | 4 to 5 days | Saturday, November 21 |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 5 to 6 days | Friday, November 20 |
Wednesday, November 25
- Make the cranberry sauce. It thickens as it chills overnight.
- Bake the pies and keep them in the fridge.
- Make the turnip purée. It reheats well.
- Peel the potatoes and keep them covered in cold water in the fridge.
- Set the table. Mrs. Hughes would insist.
Thursday, November 26
- Roast the turkey. Simmer the giblets for broth while it cooks.
- Make the pan gravy and the pea timbales while the bird rests.
- Warm the sides, carve, and sit down.
The Downton Thanksgiving Menu
The Bird, and Three Alternatives
- How to Cook a Great Roast Turkey: the Titanic’s second-class roast, with step-by-step help for first-time cooks.
- Missed the turkey order? The Easiest Holiday Baked Ham cooks low and slow with little effort. Serve it with brown sugar sauce.
- Cooking for two to four? Roast duckling with apple sauce was on the Titanic’s first-class menu.
- Want a showpiece? Try an Easy Crown Roast of Lamb or Roast Lamb with Mint Sauce.
Side Dishes
- Chateau Potatoes: first class on the Titanic, April 14, 1912
- Parmentier Potatoes: first class that same night
- Creamed Carrots: first class again
- Duchess Potatoes: piped mashed potatoes that look like you hired a chef
- Minted Green Pea Timbales: peas, dressed for company
- Turnip Purée: served in second class on the Titanic
- Asparagus Salad with Champagne-Saffron Vinaigrette: something fresh against all that richness
- Vegetable Marrow Farci: stuffed marrow. In America, use a large zucchini.
- Four Gilded Age sides: the original Waldorf salad, creamed onions, cranberry jelly and scalloped oysters
Gravy and Sauces
- Lifesaver Turkey Pan Gravy
- Turkey giblet broth for a richer gravy
- Titanic’s Cranberry Sauce
- Brown Sugar Sauce for Baked Ham
Desserts
- The Best Pumpkin Pie. Want a lighter slice? Try All the Taste, Half the Guilt Pumpkin Pie.
- Fannie Farmer’s Classic Sweet Potato Pie
- Pumpkin Cake from The Gilded Age Cookbook
- Showstopper Cranberry Torte
- Scrummy Apple Crumble. Crumble is the British name for what Americans call a crisp.
- Pillowy Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies for the kids’ table
Breakfast for Houseguests
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Pudding
- Pumpkin Spice Scones
- Edwardian Pumpkin Banana Bread or a pumpkin bran loaf
- English Crumpets: think English muffin, but softer and full of holes for the butter
- Kedgeree: smoked fish, rice and eggs, a country house breakfast classic
- Truffled Egg Toast
- Fluffy, Filling Pancakes
- Heart-Healthy Pumpkin Waffles
- Servants’ Hall Oatmeal
The Day After
Downton’s kitchen wasted nothing, and neither should you.
- Turkey Pot Pie with a Stuffing Crust uses up turkey, gravy and stuffing in one dish
- Remains of the Day Turkey Soup
- Hangover Turkey Stock from the carcass
- Bubble and Squeak: leftover potatoes and greens, fried until crisp
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Served ham? Make Hambone Soup.
- Turkey croquettes, the Gilded Age way
- More ideas: Leftover Magic: Money-Saving Ways to Repurpose Holiday Meals
And one for the dog: Thanksgiving Treats for Dogs.
Special Diets
Cooking for guests with dietary needs? Many of these dishes have versions in my vegetarian, gluten-free, low-fat and keto collections.
Thanksgiving at Downton: Quick Answers
Did the Crawleys celebrate Thanksgiving?
No. There’s no Thanksgiving episode, and the British don’t keep the holiday. Cora grew up with it, though, and British cooks knew the menu. The Titanic served roast turkey with cranberry sauce in 1912.
When should I take the turkey out of the freezer?
Allow 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds. For a 16 to 20 pound turkey, that means Saturday, November 21. The thaw chart above has every size.
How far ahead can I make the pies?
Make the pastry weeks ahead and freeze it. Bake pumpkin and sweet potato pies on Wednesday and keep them in the fridge.
What’s a Downton-style alternative to turkey?
Baked ham for a crowd, roast duckling for a small table, or a crown roast of lamb if you want a showpiece.
What can I do with leftover turkey?
Turkey pot pie, turkey soup, and stock from the carcass. The Day After list above has them all.
A Final Thought
The great houses never left a big dinner to the day itself. They planned it, prepped it and timed it. Borrow that habit this year, and Thursday will feel a lot more like upstairs than downstairs.
Happy Thanksgiving.
