Let’s be honest. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner from scratch is an undertaking.
First, there’s the turkey. Then there’s the stuffing. Then the potatoes. Then the vegetables. Then the gravy. Then the dishes! And just when you think you’ve got everything under control, you realize you forgot the cranberry sauce.
Fortunately for Thanksgiving hosts across Halton Region, there’s another option: let a local restaurant do the cooking. No braving the grocery store lineups. No waking up at the crack of dawn to stuff the bird. No mountain of roasting pans soaking in the sink.
Many local restaurants offer Thanksgiving meals featuring all the classics, allowing the host to spend Thanksgiving weekend actually enjoying Thanksgiving.
Below we’ve rounded up some great local offerings for the occasion. Check with your favourite local restaurants early for Thanksgiving menus and ordering deadlines, as these popular dinners can sell out quickly.
District Kitchen + Bar in Aldershot offers individual turkey dinners for one for $23.95. Each includes a 6 oz slow roasted turkey, sausage and sage stuffing, root vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and turkey gravy. For larger gatherings, they also offer a take-out option to feed 5 or 6 people that includes a 40 oz slow roasted turkey and all the trimmings for $139.95.
Denningers in Burlington gives you the choice of turkey or ham. Their turkey meal option includes a whole roasted turkey or roasted stuffed turkey breast with creamy mashed potatoes, garlic & herb green beans, honey roasted root vegetables, homemade stuffing, poultry gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. The ham dinner option includes Deningers’ famous signature apricot-glazed ham with scalloped potatoes, garlic & herb green beans, honey-roasted root vegetables, honeycup mustard, red pepper jelly and pumpkin pie.
Familia Fine Foods in Burlington offers a three-course classic turkey dinner including a roasted carrot and butternut squash soup starter, turkey breast (portioned and sliced), homemade gravy and cranberry sauce, brown sesame rice, rustic mashed potatoes and seasonal roasted vegetables, and key lime pie for dessert. $41 per person (minimum order 2 people).
Mo’s Family Restaurant in Oakville offers a three-course meal including a soup starter, a turkey dinner with all the fixings, and pumpkin pie for dessert at $37 per person.
Pepperwood Bistro in Burlington has been offering Thanksgiving dinners for 25 years. Perfect for a larger gathering of 8 to 10 people, their meal features a whole carved turkey, garlic roasted red skinned mashed potatoes, herb roasted root vegetables, stuffing, cranberry compote, turkey gravy, and apple crisp for dessert. $340.
The Platter Company in Aldershot offers full turkey dinners for 2 or 4 people. The meal includes sliced oven-roasted turkey breast in house gravy, creamy garlic mashed potatoes, carrots and parsnips, Brussels sprouts with bacon, sausage stuffing, and drunken cranberry sauce. $90 for 2 people, $180 for 4.
COOKING YOUR OWN TURKEY
If you’re cooking your own Thanksgiving turkey, don’t be intimidated! Chef Vicki, Director of Culinary at B Social Hospitality in Hamilton says a few simple steps can make all the difference.
Start by making sure your turkey is completely thawed, then pat it dry with paper towels. For crispier skin, leave it uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours before roasting.
Season the cavity with salt. Rather than traditional stuffing that Chef Vicki says can affect cooking time, fill the cavity with lemon halves and aromatics such as thyme, garlic, leeks or onions. “The lemon and aromatics add moisture and flavour while the turkey roasts,” she says.
Once your turkey is cooked, give it a good rest before carving. Chef Vicki recommends at least 45 minutes. “This allows the juices to redistribute and helps keep the meat juicy,” she says. Chef Vicki rests her turkey for 1 ½ hours before carving. “As long as you keep it properly hot/covered, the extended rest can make carving and serving much easier while keeping the turkey juicy,” she says.
Check out these great local options to find a turkey to suit your family.
Dietrichs Butcher & Marketplace
1260 Speers Road, Oakville
dietrichs.ca
Florence Meats
2136 Speers Road, Oakville
florencemeats.com
Marbled Premium Meats
115 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville
marbledoakville.com
J & G Quality Meats
175 Plains Road East, Burlington
DeBoer’s Farm
4485 Harvester Road, Burlington
deboersfarm.com
Heritage Butchery
3300 Fairview Street, Burlington
heritagebutchery.ca
Marilu’s Market
4025 New Street, Burlington
marilusmarket.com
By Lisa Evans
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