Welcome to ‘The Right Stuffing,’ Your Complete Guide to Preparing Thanksgiving Dinner

Credit: Alisa Stern, Ian Moore; Getty / E+ / GMVozd

Thanksgiving has a reputation for endless brining methods, divisive side dishes, and argumentative relatives. It’s no wonder hosting can be stressful. Unless you’ve got The Right Stuffing, that is. This series is devoted to all things related to the Thanksgiving meal, and it will help you create dishes that appear on your table year after year—even if it can’t help you manage your relatives.

Happy week-before-Thanksgiving, and welcome to a new Lifehacker series, The Right Stuffing. While the days leading up to this giant festival of food and family can be fraught with stress and high expectations, it doesn't have to be a chore. In fact, I think you could even enjoy it. Regardless of whether you’re hosting your very first Thanksgiving out of a tiny apartment kitchen, or you’re thinking this year you’d like to shake up the classics, here’s a guide to help you get everything on the table. 

From vegan side dishes to basic turkey-carving skills, this series, The Right Stuffing, has the tools you need to plan, execute, and enjoy an incredible meal with the ones you love (or at least tolerate for the day). Here you’ll find basic recipes, like lumpless gravy, or an easy cranberry sauce you can personalize with booze or aromatics. There’s guidance on basic ingredients to help you vegan-ize your classic dishes when new needs come to the table. For those who aren’t looking for recipes but can’t seem to get their timing right, there’s a detailed plan for what you need to buy in the days leading up to Thanksgiving—and even a template to help you time your entire day of cooking. 

This collection of Thanksgiving tips and tricks includes helpful recipes, yes, but also it can clear up lingering Turkey Day questions you might have: Is there a truly easy way to roast a turkey? Should I deep fry my bird? How do I even make a pie? There’s no shame in wondering, only in not finding out how.

Whether it’s a feast for 20, or a cozy Thanksgiving just for the household, everyone can have a seamless and scrumptious meal to enjoy. This series, which will publish throughout today, will guide you through starting with the turkey, adding on some sides, and finishing with dessert. By the time you're done reading, you'll be ready to welcome everyone to the table.