The Thanksgiving Dinner Recipe Hack That Will Save You Hours

If Thanksgiving dinner is already starting to stress you out, you’re probably not alone. There’s a lot to think about! There’s the turkey to buy, the sides to prepare, the quantities to calculate, the timings to consider. Even if you’re opting to buy your whole meal in from somewhere like Target or Sam’s Club, or going for a fully cooked turkey (if so, Popeyes has you covered), you’re probably going to still have a lot on your figurative plate. And what about the fridge space? Where’s all this stuff going to go?! 

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That’s why, today, we invite you to explore a path less travelled – that may just allow you to be the calmest you’ve ever been on the big day. Introducing the turkey stuffing meatloaf. 

Turkey Stuffing Meatloaf

While a turkey stuffing meatloaf is, in strict terms, a recipe as opposed to a hack, it still counts as the latter insofar as it’ll deliver all the flavors of a Thanksgiving meal in an ounce of the time it normally takes. As All Wings Everything shows on YouTube, you’re just combining two dishes into one. Start by combining boxed turkey stuffing with turkey broth, and let it soften while you sauté carrots, onion, celery, garlic, sage, and thyme in some butter. Once your veggies have sweated down and cooled slightly, mix them with the stuffing, along with some turkey mince, milk, a couple of eggs, and some milk. Form the mixture into a loaf pan, and bake until cooked through. 

Hey, presto: A Thanksgiving entrée that allows you to skip the bumper-sized bird and the cumbersome tray of stuffing on the side. Now, I know the thought of a turkey stuffing meatloaf might sound like it’s sucking all the fun, tradition, and abundance out of a classic Thanksgiving meal. But if you’re working with limited oven space, or you’re only cooking for a few people (or just yourself), it’s a great way to combine several flavors and dishes into easy-to-cut pieces. And a slice of turkey stuffing meatloaf in a sandwich the next day, with a little cranberry sauce and gravy on top? Delicious. 

Speed Up Those Celebrations

While I’m a clear advocate of a turkey stuffing meatloaf, I can also see how it might not sit well with some. Luckily, other Thanksgiving hacks can make the cooking process much easier, without combining dishes. An easy way to speed things up on the day is by spatchcocking your turkey, which can make it cook in about half the time it normally would. Just be warned that this job isn’t for the squeamish; if you’re buying your turkey from a butcher, it might be worth asking them to do it.

Additionally, it’s always worth thinking about what you can make ahead of time, so you’re not juggling everything in the kitchen on the day itself. Most things can be prepared a day or two in advance and then heated up on the day, from your mashed potatoes to your gravy to your desserts. If all else fails, though…it’s turkey stuffing meatloaf time.